My GN needs a cam. Recommendations, manufacturers?

[Spoolin']

Well, boys and girls, the saga continues and can only be described in one word - Fuck.

The engine came all the way out of the car, while removing the old tranny to make way for the new one, it was easy to notice that two motor mounts were the only thing holding the engine in the car, so out it came to the stand.

With the engine out, the oil pan was pulled. Lots of debris in the pan. I was able to get a much better look at the cam bearings, which are all fucked. The front one is scored DEEP. the other three are starting to peel apart like a hangnail. At this point I said to hell with it, its all going to the machine shop. The oil galleys for the cam bearings weren't lined up correctly, I'm not sure the cam journals are straight just because of how my friend who owns the shop the car is at described how tight the cam came out, and after seeing what was in the pan, I'd be a damn fool not to boil that block out and have the line bore checked for the cam. And I sure as hell want the rod and crank bearings checked out. The one positive thing I have to say is that the cylinder walls still have a nice cross-hatch machine finish to them.

I didn't plan on a rebuild, but for the effort of removing 12 more bolts, I want everything checked out. The flipside is I trust everyone doing the work, and I have a feeling after everything is rebuilt, it won't have to come apart for a very, very long time  

Its obvious to me that the fella I bought the car from couldn't build an engine out of Lego's. So many corners were cut putting this thing together... I'm not an engine builder, but I'm very involved in every process and know my share about how engines work. IMO, this thing got slapped together so he could make a quick sale. I bought the car AS-IS, so there's nothing that can be done about it (not that I would pursue or have the time to pursue legal action). I plan to conduct a very polite, formal letter letting this guy know that I'm not impressed with his work and that I have no hard feelings toward him. I paid a damn good price for the car, and even though I'm sticking $5k in it, its worth it.

I got a few pic's with my camera phone:





The heads are already at the machine shop, and the block left this morning. Should have it all back the week after next. I'm going to have the machine shop assemble the long block while they have it also. For the time being, I'm going to get some painting done while the engine is out, clean up the firewall, and a couple other things like paint my valve covers  


More to come.

[SuperSix]

Wow. Good attitude. At least now you can have some faith in it, and a bad-ass engine compartment.

[Steve Wood]

the bright side of the matter is that you will know that it was put together properly...

[Spoolin']

I went to the shop today where my car is at, and did a bunch of cleanup on the engine bay and undercarriage. First, I soaked the oil/grease/grime/old undercoating off of everything, then I wiped it all clean. This car is so solid it would make one's head spin. Still had black paint underneath all the gunk  

After I got some of that scrubbed up, I put a nice, new thin layer of undercoating on the tunner while the tranny was out. I also scrubbed the crossmember, control arms, and front frame rails and gave them a re-do. Everything looks nice except for the firewall, which didn't take well to a cleaning. I'm going to have to touch it up with some gloss before the engine comes back.

I'm also going to paint up my valve covers before they go back on, I have an idea for a black cover w/some aluminum accent on the top. If they don't turn out, I can always go back to gray  

[Steve Wood]

I think satin is closer to right for the firewall

[Spoolin']

Talked with the guy at the machine shop today...  

I've been taking this quite well I think, considering I'm reffered to as a hot head by many of my family and friends. But today I've had enough of the bad news with my engine. Turns out the piston rings were installed incorrectly, the ARP studs were not champfered over, one connecting rod was very tight at the piston, and my rod and cranks bearings are fucked thanks to the cam debris.

The shop is going to take .010 off the crank and get new bearings for everything. Fix my valve issue, and assemble my engine. He said it will be well into February before I get it back as they're being ordered to paint there shop by the owner (who I work for part-time at one of his 17 parts stores). Not a big rush right now, but I made it clear I will want my car back on the road by April 1st, and he said it shouldn't be a problem at all  

I've kicking around the idea of writing a very professional yet get-my-point-across letter to the guy I bought my car from. He talked a big game, but its very obvious that he couldn't build an anthill out of sand. It won't get me anywhere, but I'd like to make it clear that I am not impressed with his craftsmanship. This motherfucker calls me every couple of months to see whats new with the car... I wonder if he knew his work wouldn't last?? Nonetheless I'll never buy anything else from him nor will I recommend anyone to buy anything from him. He's a big wheeler dealer on TB.com, but I know how the clique works over there so I won't post it up. What burns my ass is when he fucked someone else on parts, I read the post and called him to let him know what was going on.... Only to have my own issues shortly there after  


Oh well, on to bigger and better engines  

[ULYCYC]

If you talk to 10 machinists on how to build a engine you will get 10 opinions and they all can be right.

[Steve Wood]

that is good advice....no use in looking back...I doubt the guy deliberately messed up the engine...and, as Ed says, one thing goes bad, the debris will soon mess up everything else...that is the reason we are always insistent that the engine be completely gone thru.  Most don't heed the advice, but...

Take it with a grain of salt and go forward....

[Spoolin']

When I saw all of the garbage in the oil pan, I decided there would be no corners cut putting it back together, because someone cut corners the first time.

[ULYCYC]

Curious, How many miles did you put on the car since purchase?

[Spoolin']

Approx. 6,000 miles. When I bought the car, the engine alledgedly had 250 miles on it. I drove it very cautiously for the first 1000 miles before I started stepping into it or anything. I never raced the car at a track yet, and the only mods I installed were a boost gauge, oil psi gauge, and temp gage. It came with a CAI on it already... and had the shitty pitbull chip also.

[ULYCYC]

So at 500 miles did you change the oil and cut the oil filter open and check?

[Spoolin']

To be honest, I don't remember. I know I changed the oil early, like a couple weeks after I bought it, because I changed all the fluids. If there would've been something suspicious, I would've caught it.

I know I'll be overly cautious this round, as I am with all of my vehicles.


Let me ask this - what oil is everyone running? Are you using ZDDP? Do you still run 10w30?

[ULYCYC]

To be honest, I don't remember. I know I changed the oil early, like a couple weeks after I bought it, because I changed all the fluids. If there would've been something suspicious, I would've caught it.

I know I'll be overly cautious this round, as I am with all of my vehicles.


Let me ask this - what oil is everyone running? Are you using ZDDP? Do you still run 10w30?

The first oil change is very important after break-in.  The first start-up oil is loaded with assembly lube that clogs up the oil filter and if metal particles mix with it, surfaces can wipe out in short time.  Inspecting the filter can show this. You can be as responsible for the engines demise as you feel others are...

[Steve Wood]

I run whatever weight oil it takes to maintain at least 15 psi oil pressure at hot idle....

I run a good oil that has sufficient zddp in it in the first place.  I do not run additives.  There are many oils out there now that are professionally blended  that are made for older cars.  These have plenty of zddp in them.

Most of the original zddp scare was aimed at cars with very stiff valve springs as used with full blown race cams but the snake oil guys jumped on the bandwagon and stretched the limits of the truth considerably.

Brad Penn, Valvoline Racing, Castrol whatever they call theirs, Joe Gibbs, Mobil One 15-50, Comp Cams, Z Alt, Amsoil whatever they call theirs, etc. all have plenty of zddp.

The initial break in is where most people go wrong.  One definitely needs an additive such as GM EOS, or comp cams, etc.