Comp cams killed my engine
Greetings all, I just want to relate my tale of dissapointment with my engine project. I built a high performance 460 with Edelbrock heads, Keith black pistons, Fel-pro gaskets, Federal mogul bearings and rings, all ARP fasteners, Clevite high volume oil pump, the list goes on... The engine also included a Comp Cams XE274H cam kit. The entire kit was used and installed correctly and degreed. The engine ran well during the initial recommended break-in period. When I went to retorque the heads as recommended, I found that most of the rocker arms were loose. The manifold was then removed and I discovered that the cam lobes and lifters did not sit squarely. About half of them were ground down badly with varying severity. The resulting metal shavings have contaminated the rest of the engine. I have a couple of questions for anyone who wishes to answer them.
Has this happened to anyone else?
Besides replacing the cam and lifters, how liable is comp cams for the resulting engine damage?
Are there any laws regarding this type of damage (aside from the lousy advertised warranty) ?
Re: Comp cams killed my engine
Quote:
Originally posted by Powerluvr
I built a high performance 460...also included a Comp Cams XE274H cam kit. The entire kit was used and installed correctly and degreed.
Has this happened to anyone else?
Besides replacing the cam and lifters, how liable is comp cams for the resulting engine damage?
Are there any laws regarding this type of damage (aside from the lousy advertised warranty) ?
What do you mean by their "lousy advertised warranty?" You assembled a high performance engine. If you built the motor then you are responsible for the build, not Comp Cams. The warranty for my company, High Flow Dynamics, starts as follows:
Warranty: There are no guarantees in high performance engine parts. Our products are engineered to be utilized in high performance engines and may or may not be subject to the demands of racing. Regardless, all components are not warranted unless otherwise stated. Therefore, no warranty or guarantee is expressed or implied. High Flow Dynamics will not be liable for any loss or damage resulting from our products, nor will High Flow Dynamics be liable for any injury or casualty--direct or indirect--arising from the proper use of, or inability to determine the use of, any product we offer. Before using, the end user shall determine the suitability of the product for its intended application, and the user shall assume all responsibility and risk with its use.
Personally, I don't feel Comp Cams is liable for the damage done to your engine. If it can be determined that the cam and lifter package supplied to you was defective, then perhaps they will replace that part. If you are building your own high performance engine then you have taken the responsibilities that come with it upon yourself.
Currently, there is not enough info gathered from your post to determine the cause of failure. For example, you mentioned degreeing the cam but did you prime and visually confirm complete and thorogh engine oiling from the mains all the way to the rockers PRIOR to firing the motor? Also, are you aware that the NPT plugs for the oil galleries in the 429/460 block have dedicated locations for their installation and if you install them incorrectly you may starve your engine of oil? If the cam and lifter set was defective, then shouldn't you have determined this prior to assembly? Afterall, you are responsible for assembling the engine.
Don't mean to come on here and shoot you down. It certainly remains possible that the cam was defective, but this is not yet determined, not as far as I can see. It is true that almost every cam company has been having trouble with iron cam blanks as of late...and not just Comp Cams.
Good luck and let us know what you find,
Paul
