Used Cam

[lyonsperf]

I have an old Crane cam that I ran in my engine a few years back that I would like to install and run again.
The grind is no longer available. It's a solid lifter flat tappet cam with not that many hours on it.

I was thinking of having it REM polished first, as I can't seem to find anyone that repolishes cams.
Can I do this with a new a set of lifters without the fear of cam failure?

[My427stang]

I can't speak about REM polishing a cam, seems like it may work, but I wouldn't be concerned with a good used cam and new lifters. Just go through the break in process to be safe, good oil, and make sure lifters are free in the bore/no binding.

[CamKing]

You may want to have it parkerized again, to help with break-in.
We could do it, but there may be someone closer to you.

[David Redszus]

Before any time and money are spent, it might be wise to determine the wear characteristics of the cam, before refinishing.
A lobe evaluation using a Cam Dr, or equivalent, would reveal areas of wear not apparent to the eye.
A cam mfg can accurately measure a used cam.

[hoffman900]

Billy Godbold mentioned in a podcast that cam cores typically have a high amount of iron in them. REM finishing removes a lot of it on the surface and leaves behind carbide peaks. He mentioned when NASCAR teams tried this it wiped out the DLC coated lifters very quickly.

He recommends a kinetic polishing of the lobes as opposed to a chemical.

[lyonsperf]

Well I just finished cleaning the cam up in the lathe using some scotchbrite and then indicated every lobe.
All looks to spec.
I might just run it with a new set of lifters.

[HDBD]

Parkerizing can be done at the shop masking the bearing journals with heat resistant tape. Zinc phosphate, 95 deg for 20 min.

[rebelyell]

Well I just finished cleaning the cam up in the lathe using some scotchbrite and then indicated every lobe.
All looks to spec.
I might just run it with a new set of lifters.

Perhaps a local auto machine shop that grinds cranks can help. Most that grind cranks also have a belt polisher. Worth a call or two.

[Old School]

Well I just finished cleaning the cam up in the lathe using some scotchbrite and then indicated every lobe.
All looks to spec.
I might just run it with a new set of lifters.

You should not have an issue unless it is a block/lifter alignment problem. In that case nothing you put in flat tappet would live. In the 90's I had a customer that brought in his 468 for a refresh each year. Solid lifter Crane 256/266, engine ran 5.20's/30's in a short front engine dragster. He wanted new lifters put on the cam each year although the ones we took out were perfect. I did this for 5 years until he sold the car. I have never had problems with new lifters on a used cam if the cam is good. Never had problems with the original lifters put back on the cam if they are good either. I put the gray moly paste on the cam and lifter face, oiled the lifter bodies, made sure they rotated freely, used GM EOS, never lost a cam.

[BigBro74]

My experience is the same as old schools. If you still have the old lifters and they are in order - in the same block- I would just put them in- I do usually use moly lube on them still. If they are mixed up it may be easier to just use new lifters. I have done both numerous times with no casualties - just use flattappet compatible oil or break in oil

[David Redszus]

Well I just finished cleaning the cam up in the lathe using some scotchbrite and then indicated every lobe.
All looks to spec.

Just curious. When you indicated every lobe, on what basis did you determine they were in spec?

[Dan Timberlake]

Well I just finished cleaning the cam up in the lathe using some scotchbrite and then indicated every lobe.
All looks to spec.
I might just run it with a new set of lifters.

Perhaps a local auto machine shop that grinds cranks can help. Most that grind cranks also have a belt polisher. Worth a call or two.

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I'm scared of those belt "polishers". Even if a sloppy old dull belt is used. A fresh 400 grit belt can be deadly.
The tendency is to keep going 'till the part is shiny.
Too often I saw nice shiny cranks with measurable ( .0002" plus ) hourglass/tapered crank journals.
When the going gets rough,that is TOO much taper on journals or rod big end bores.

[lyonsperf]

Any thoughts on running direct lube edm solid lifters and which brand?

[My427stang]

Nothing wrong with Crower Cool Face lifters.

As long as they start spinning immediately, should break in nicely. I wouldn't work the cam surface too hard, it is what it is, and if you can see the path of the old lifter and it's still got a little offset, assuming the bores are close to the same location, it should spin them and act like it did before.

What's the overall build?

[lyonsperf]

Itook pics of the cam with my phone, just can't seem to figure out how to post them.