cam nitriding

[justcruisin]

I am in the process of putting my 440 engine together, I would like to know if having the cam nitrided is worth it in a mild build. I am using a comp xe275hl, comp 822 lifters and 1.5 rollers. I have herd of a few problems with fast rate cams going flat, wondering if this will help.

[FLG]

From what ive read nitriding can cause brittleness and flaking?

Im going to be runing a Engle cam with similar specs (with a tad more duration and lift) I plan on just using some good breakin oil (joe gibbs) and it should be just fine.

[68X426]

I am of the opinion that it's not often that we can improve upon the manufacturer's design.

COMP employs lots of smart people, with advanced knowledge and expertise in metallurgy, engineering, etc. If they did not nitride as part of their materials design, then I don't try to out-think them. On this one I defer to the experts.

[justcruisin]

I have every confidence in comp, they provide excellent advice with there cams on break in and install. I note on a tech bulletin that came with the cam that they do an in house nitriding service for flat tappet cams - part # 1-111-1. It also says they stock popular grinds that they have nitrided. Just not sure if it is required in my application, I may contact them and see what they have to say.  Any experiences?

[John_Kunkel]

Isky used to offer a hard-faced cam...they were notorious for failing when the hardface flaked off. I had one fail back when oil was better.

[elacruze]

Hard-facing is not the same as Nitriding, although they are both intended to do the same thing. Two materials under shear contact will gall if they are too close together in hardness, so Nitriding (or hardfacing) is used to bring the hardness of the cam up higher than that of the lifters. I think Nitriding is a good investment, but not mandatory; stock-ish cams and reasonable spring pressures with ZDDP additive in the oil will be fine without. For my nickel, I do whatever I can to insure durability. My cam is Nitrided, and I used Ceramic tipped Schubeck-style LM lifters. I use oil with ZDDP or add it, too.

[375instroke]

I thought nitriding was for cranks, and cams were parkerized?

[elacruze]

I thought nitriding was for cranks, and cams were parkerized?

Parkerizing is for corrosion protection, not wear resistance. I vaguely remember seeing cams that may have been Parkerized on the shaft, but clean on the wear surfaces so it's possible, but not really relevant to the discussion of lobe wear.