should I clean the coating off the new cams?

[RichHawk]

My nice new DC20 cams from Camgrinder (John Dougherty) came with a dull gray coating on the lobes and bearing surfaces. I initially assumed this was just a thin layer of anti corrosive paint that keeps the lobes underneath from getting surface rust while they sit patiently waiting for me to install them.

But then I read on doughterty's website about parkerizing:
"Parkerizing is a phosphate acid etch. The phosphate
adds a lubricating quality to the iron camshaft lobe to
aid during the critical initial "break- in" period."

and sure enough the coating on the cams looks to be about the same color and dullness as the parkerizing shown on wikipedia.

So should I clean the cam lobes off until they are shiny bare steel? Or should I leave the coating on there and run them?

Lastly should I use assembly lube on the lobes?

Thanks,
Richard

[Steve@Rennsport]

Do NOT clean that coating off!!!!

Use his assembly lube on all the lobes and break them in as prescribed to keep them from going flat.

[billjam]

Only clean that coating off if you have work done by Tighe Cams.
It can be used to hide sins ...

[RichHawk]

Thanks Steve!
so the famed 20 min at 2000 RPM cam break in? I didn't get any other break in instructions.
Richard

[RichHawk]

Yikes Bill!
Obviously some incomplete welding going on there.
If I were a cam grinder, I would find it inexcusable to send them out that way. Yeah it's twice the work to re-weld them and grind again. But I'm sure it would have been cheaper than the bad press that it has already generated.
Richard

[Steve@Rennsport]

Originally Posted by RichHawk

Thanks Steve!
so the famed 20 min at 2000 RPM cam break in? I didn't get any other break in instructions.
Richard

You are quite welcome,...

Yes, indeed; 15 minute @2K RPM does the job. We use Brad-Penn break-in oil during this crucial time.

[camgrinder]

Those welded cams are ugly. I wonder if they did the original welding, or just reground those?

Don't clean off the coating. 15 minutes above idle speed is fine to break in the cams. Worst thing you can do when breaking in cams is to crank the engine over too long before it first fires up. Make sure its ready to go and get it fired up as soon as you can.

[alniki]

Originally Posted by camgrinder

Worst thing you can do when breaking in cams is to crank the engine over too long before it first fires up. Make sure its ready to go and get it fired up as soon as you can.

John, could you explain the reasoning behind this advice?

[BURN-BROS]

Originally Posted by alniki

John, could you explain the reasoning behind this advice?

The sooner you get both pressurized and spray bar oil to the cams the better.

[camgrinder]

Originally Posted by BURN-BROS

The sooner you get both pressurized and spray bar oil to the cams the better.

Exactly.

[alniki]

Sure, but I think Wayne recommends in his engine rebuild book about building up oil pressure by cranking the engine before firing it up. So are you implying that such cranking is not powerful enough to spray enough oil to the cams?

[efhughes3]

It is all within reason. You ca easily get to oil-pressure under cranking in well less than 30 seconds. Then you start. The warning here is not to keep cranking while trying to fix an issue that keeps the engine from firing up.

Please re-read John's advice and understand what he is telling you. Do not look at the words in black or white.

[BURN-BROS]

You want to turn the motor over without firing to get oil to the rods and mains. As soon as that happens you should be trying to fire the thing off.


Personally, I prefill the cam tower circuit/cam lines with oil prior to installing the engine.As well as the engine @ the pressure sensor by the thermostat after the engine is installed to minimize the absence of lubrication during initial start up. This fills the main oil galley insuring oil is at the mains and rods sooner.

[camgrinder]

Originally Posted by efhughes3

It is all within reason. You ca easily get to oil-pressure under cranking in well less than 30 seconds. Then you start. The warning here is not to keep cranking while trying to fix an issue that keeps the engine from firing up.

Please re-read John's advice and understand what he is telling you. Do not look at the words in black or white.

This is correct. I'm not worried about 30 seconds to pre-oil the engine. I'm worried about the guy who cranks it over for 10 minutes trying to fix and electrical or fuel problem.

[alniki]

Got it! So cranking truly does not give enough oil spray to the cams.