Lifter/Cam failure advice - Page 3 - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Falfan · 03-14-2020, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coops

I was about to have l99 gpi stage 1 done to my 2010, Now I'm worried this might happen, please post any updates, srry this happen,
Thks
Coop

Same here

SuperChuck · 03-14-2020, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coops

I was about to have l99 gpi stage 1 done to my 2010, Now I'm worried this might happen, please post any updates, srry this happen,
Thks
Coop

You bet. I can tell you this much so far. GPI hasn't offered any help at all so far. With their high rating on customer service and satisfaction in pretty let down. Basically James has told me there's no way to say it was due to installation error. It would have happened much sooner if it was their fault not 9 months after the install.

Coops · 03-14-2020, 04:27 PM

Tail light warranty, not a good thing
Coop

Coops · 03-14-2020, 10:53 PM

Curious what lifters u guys where using.
Thks
Coop

PhantomBlack · 03-14-2020, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coops

Curious what lifters u guys where using.
Thks
Coop

If it's of any help I'm using the LS3/LS7 lifters. Kinda wish I went spent a little more for the racing lifters or Johnsons for more peace of mind. At the time I was thinking anything is better than L99 AFM lifters. But after seeing these recent failures got me a bit worried. I know when I got the cam and dyno tune done at GPI my red line was set at 7200 RPM (which personally I thought was too high) I had Ryan bring it down to 6200 RPM because that's basically where my power peaked so I really saw no need to go much past that. I also follow a few things like letting the car warm up for at least 5 minutes before I even put in in gear, also I don't go past 2500 RPM until the car reaches normal temperature. Will these things even prolong the life of the engine? No idea, but it's a weird habit that I acquired.

InFiD3ViL · 03-15-2020, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhantomBlack

If it's of any help I'm using the LS3/LS7 lifters. Kinda wish I went spent a little more for the racing lifters or Johnsons for more peace of mind. At the time I was thinking anything is better than L99 AFM lifters. But after seeing these recent failures got me a bit worried. I know when I got the cam and dyno tune done at GPI my red line was set at 7200 RPM (which personally I thought was too high) I had Ryan bring it down to 6200 RPM because that's basically where my power peaked so I really saw no need to go much past that. I also follow a few things like letting the car warm up for at least 5 minutes before I even put in in gear, also I don't go past 2500 RPM until the car reaches normal temperature. Will these things even prolong the life of the engine? No idea, but it's a weird habit that I acquired.

I like to think it helps man. I do some of the same stuff. I use my remote start to get the car warmed up a bit before I take it out. I also keep it under 3k rpms until oil gets to temp. My car rarely sees redline. Even over 5k is uncommon for me.

But I also wonder about people saying letting a car idle too much for too long is also not a good idea.

I finish my cam swap tomorrow and worry that my LS7 lifters are the weak spot in the build now. I am planning to pull the heads and get some Johnson's in a few months though.

SuperChuck · 03-15-2020, 06:34 AM

I was in the same. Never hard on it. Um would always let it warm up. Rare occasions I would just start it and pull it out to wash it. But then it was much better weather obviously. And only a few feet. Lifter not really sure. Whateber was I the GPI package and James was supposed to be looking into it for me.

PhantomBlack · 03-15-2020, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InFiD3ViL

I like to think it helps man. I do some of the same stuff. I use my remote start to get the car warmed up a bit before I take it out. I also keep it under 3k rpms until oil gets to temp. My car rarely sees redline. Even over 5k is uncommon for me.

But I also wonder about people saying letting a car idle too much for too long is also not a good idea.

I finish my cam swap tomorrow and worry that my LS7 lifters are the weak spot in the build now. I am planning to pull the heads and get some Johnson's in a few months though.

Looks like we do most of the same things. I do hammer it every so often, but not on regular occasions. So if you are pulling the LS3/LS7 lifters in a few months honestly you should be fine. I've got 8k cammed miles on mine and not a sound from the valve train. I moved out to SR-52 and Land o Lakes blvd almost a year ago. I'm surprised I haven't spotted you on the streets yet, but then again Spring Hill is pretty big.

Greenhornet2 · 03-15-2020, 10:53 PM

Improper cam break in on a flat tappet cam will fail in no time. Improper cam break in on a roller cam will fail around 5k miles, but it started at day 1.

SuperChuck · 03-16-2020, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greenhornet2

Improper cam break in on a flat tappet cam will fail in no time. Improper cam break in on a roller cam will fail around 5k miles, but it started at day 1.

Should I or GPI have done the break in? And what is it? This does have me concerned. I will be relieved at GPI but much more pissed at myself if it was on me.

Greenhornet2 · 03-16-2020, 09:57 AM

Apply a calcium sulfonate grease to the cam lobes on install. Break in is done on the first start up. 20-30 minutes of rpms 1800-2500 RPM change the rpm every minute. change the oil. fresh oil with a ZDDP additive or a lot use BR30 break in oil. Run that for a few K miles then use your regular oil. This is opinion based on research and how I do it, opinions vary. But everyone I've asked that had a cam fail at 5k miles didn't do a break in procedure so far, or didn't know because they didn't do the install.

SuperChuck · 03-16-2020, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greenhornet2

Apply a calcium sulfonate grease to the cam lobes on install. Break in is done on the first start up. 20-30 minutes of rpms 1800-2500 RPM change the rpm every minute. change the oil. fresh oil with a ZDDP additive or a lot use BR30 break in oil. Run that for a few K miles then use your regular oil. This is opinion based on research and how I do it, opinions vary. But everyone I've asked that had a cam fail at 5k miles didn't do a break in procedure so far, or didn't know because they didn't do the install.

I know I did have then change the oil while it was there. But yea makes me feel somewhat better it wasn't on my end. So again shifting my focus back to GPI

Inferno_Orange_ · 03-16-2020, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhantomBlack

Just curious what was your redline set to?

Not sure exactly, under 7,000 though. I think it was 6,800

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperChuck

Yea I think my response is the same as his. I just got the SS1 VVT and dyno package. I'm not sure what it was set at. But I know I wasn't hard on mine at all. Had it up to 120 a couple times. But never at the track. Never paddle shifted. No clue. ....

Mine was definitely driven fairly hard. I rarely didn't have it paddle mode. I made it 40,000 miles like that so yours failing at 5000 does seem a little odd.

PhantomBlack · 03-16-2020, 06:45 PM

I honestly don't think GPI normally do break ins on a cam swap. Total engine rebuild sure, but not roller cam swaps. I know they changed my oil while it was there to the LS30, but I think that was it... If they did use a break in oil they didn't charge me for it. So yeah I doubt it.

03-15-2020, 10:53 PM	#37
Greenhornet2 Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS LS3 Whipple Join Date: May 2019 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,925	Improper cam break in on a flat tappet cam will fail in no time. Improper cam break in on a roller cam will fail around 5k miles, but it started at day 1. __________________ Whipple 2.9 CAI ID1050x injectors ZL1 Pump JRE FPCM JMS Voltage booster JRE Rough Idle blower cam BTR .660 springs CHE trunnion kit 1 7/8 Speed Engineering Borla Atak JRE scoop 1.5" lowering springs BMR trailing arms and toe links Cradle inserts 704WHP 603WTQ 93 octane

03-16-2020, 09:57 AM	#39
Greenhornet2 Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS LS3 Whipple Join Date: May 2019 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,925	Apply a calcium sulfonate grease to the cam lobes on install. Break in is done on the first start up. 20-30 minutes of rpms 1800-2500 RPM change the rpm every minute. change the oil. fresh oil with a ZDDP additive or a lot use BR30 break in oil. Run that for a few K miles then use your regular oil. This is opinion based on research and how I do it, opinions vary. But everyone I've asked that had a cam fail at 5k miles didn't do a break in procedure so far, or didn't know because they didn't do the install. __________________ Whipple 2.9 CAI ID1050x injectors ZL1 Pump JRE FPCM JMS Voltage booster JRE Rough Idle blower cam BTR .660 springs CHE trunnion kit 1 7/8 Speed Engineering Borla Atak JRE scoop 1.5" lowering springs BMR trailing arms and toe links Cradle inserts 704WHP 603WTQ 93 octane

03-14-2020, 04:27 PM	#31
Coops Drives: 2010 camaro ss white Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Wi Posts: 58	Tail light warranty, not a good thing Coop

03-14-2020, 10:53 PM	#32
Coops Drives: 2010 camaro ss white Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Wi Posts: 58	Curious what lifters u guys where using. Thks Coop

03-15-2020, 06:34 AM	#35
SuperChuck Drives: 2013 1SS BlueRay Metallic Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Missouri (MO) Posts: 163	I was in the same. Never hard on it. Um would always let it warm up. Rare occasions I would just start it and pull it out to wash it. But then it was much better weather obviously. And only a few feet. Lifter not really sure. Whateber was I the GPI package and James was supposed to be looking into it for me.

03-16-2020, 06:45 PM	#42
PhantomBlack Drives: 2014 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Brooksville, FL Posts: 197	I honestly don't think GPI normally do break ins on a cam swap. Total engine rebuild sure, but not roller cam swaps. I know they changed my oil while it was there to the LS30, but I think that was it... If they did use a break in oil they didn't charge me for it. So yeah I doubt it.