[georgevidrine81]

Anyone know what would or could cause damage like this? The roller on the lifters show no damage.

 

[bigbadal]

Cam made out of soft material, coming apart.
Debris in the cam chest.
Cam made that way.
All speculation.

 

[WONKEY]

Manufacturer defect

 

[Brand'd]

Poor maintenance, excessive moisture in system and allowing it to sit. Once rust starts...Hard surface goes away. Just guessing.

 

[georgevidrine81]

Bike sat 10yrs before I got it

 

[Brand'd]

Bike sat 10yrs before I got it

As Jeff Foxworthy says,
Here's your sign....

 

[Brand'd]

As Jeff Foxworthy says,
Here's your sign....

Oops Bill Engvall!

 

[troqed]

Cam pitting is one thing, common with many, but the noses look very worn to me.
Look carefully and you will see the wear all going to the left on the page, I don't know what is considered normal in that engine, but something is running out of square.

 

[georgevidrine81]

I did notice the wear marks were all to one side of the lobes which has me puzzled. Before pulling the cam out I checked the end play, none, I couldn't fit any size in, there was absolutely no play in the cam. Also when I removed the pushrods they were solid rods (non adjustable) and all looked the same length, however I cut them out so I really can't say in fact they were the same size. It seems odd to me that solid rods were used after a cam job. Last maybe the tappet/lifter blocks were not aligned, I don't think there is that much play in them though. I'll keep digging around I guess.

 

[Racepres]

I did notice the wear marks were all to one side of the lobes which has me puzzled. Before pulling the cam out I checked the end play, none, I couldn't fit any size in, there was absolutely no play in the cam. Also when I removed the pushrods they were solid rods (non adjustable) and all looked the same length, however I cut them out so I really can't say in fact they were the same size. It seems odd to me that solid rods were used after a cam job. Last maybe the tappet/lifter blocks were not aligned, I don't think there is that much play in them though. I'll keep digging around I guess.

I have Never had any luck running zero clearance anyplace on any H-D engine.. I go by generous end of O-E recommendations..
The H-D Evo came with Solid pushrods and Hydraulic lifters. A Very nice, quiet, tidy setup.. if you aint going with a crazy cam... there is Nothing wrong with reusing the stock (colorcoded for length) pushrods..
I prefer them...

 

[georgevidrine81]

Yeah these were definitely not stock pushrods there were three blue and one yellow color coded rods.

 

[Ddaddyo]

The Cam was not Properly Heat Treated, leaving the surface too Soft.

 

[Gadget1960]

Anyone know what would or could cause damage like this? The roller on the lifters show no damage.
View attachment 272761

Had something very similar to that on a BSA I owned years back, after lengthy investigation it turned out it was just part of a 'dodgy batch' of cams that BSA had made. Not a lot can be done with it unfortunately... unless you have it 're-metaled' and re-ground. Having said all that ... if the bike wasn't used very often and only on short journeys... the condensation build up is enough to start eating away at the metal when left for extended periods! But that's in extreme cases in my experience.

 

[Stone2222]

Chinese pott metal or someone screwed up on the hardening process. 🤦‍♂️

 

[Brand'd]

Don't think all the pushrods are supposed to be same length.... ?

 

[Hoges]

What Brand Cam?

 

[georgevidrine81]

Andrews ev13

 

[Malx]

I just pulled the cam out of a 76 Shovel a few days ago and it looked exactly like that. This motor was pretty worn. Lots of slop in the valve guides, rear cylinder head gasket was shot, then I noticed the cam.
In the midst of rebuilding it now. Bottom end was fine with tolerances. Someone was in there before, not sure they knew what they were doing.