rust on lifters

[97cobrasvt]

I am in the process of pulling out my cam . I was looking at my lifters and on the 5-8 side there is rust on the top part of the lifters. Has anyone seen this before?? I willl take some pics later for ya to see . Thought I would ask to see if anyone has had this before did not know if I might have a leaking head gasket??? Thanks Steven


one the first pic it looks like the plug witch is a oil passage was leaking. In the second is the cam that has rust between the lobes. Third is some chipps on the lobe but it is on the side not on the lobe. Last is rust on the gear drive it is just on one side @ the top. Any Ideas one what's up here?????? Thanks Steven

[EHardy1971]

have you ever taken your lower intake off before?,could be where a little coolant got in the lifter valley and caused the rust from condensation,or small intake gasket leak on that side at one time possibly

[97cobrasvt]

this is the first time it has ever been off since I got the car a year ago. I dont know but it could of been like that when the previous owner put it together. I would not think a little condensation would cause this but a leaking intake or head gasket would sound more like it. I was just wondering if anyone had seen this before Thanks Steven

[97cobrasvt]

here is the lifter, you can see the rust on top of the lifter.

[qkjuicedpony]

check and make sure you didnt have an intake gasket leaking.

[coupe]

The previous owner may have not added silicone to the intake gasket where it mates to the head. That is the most problematic gasket for leaking water. Doubt it's the Head gasket itself.
The chips on the side of the lobe are just how the casting was made. It's a ductile-iron core probably.

Kickass gear-drive by the way! :metal:

[97cobrasvt]

Do you think a leaking intake would cause this much rust on the cam,gear drive and lifters?? Also it wouldn't make it pop like it was would it?? Thanks Steven

[Wickd GT]

Steven, this is condensation, if the car sits a long time after you crank it and not warm enough that is exactly what it would do. The lifters on the top is that, condensation, as long the rust does not get in the lifter galley it is fine, this is all light rust. Now, your cam gear drive is probably steel, so a bit a condensation would do that to it if it sits for a while. First thing, get rid of that cam gear set, it produces to much harmonic vibration through that solid cam and into the lifters. Another thing that set and nitrous do not get along, the problem with these sets is, when they produce that harmonic vibration, horsepower suffers, get a good (expensive timing chain set) and don't look back, get the cam degreed and you will be rocking. Who ever built this engine probably thought that the springs on the heads have to much pressure, so you need to check on that. Are you going to change to Hydraulic roller cam, if you are make sure you get the right springs for it. I have a bad ass Hyd roller cam for sell brand new, only has two dyno pulls. If you are going back to a solid cam, I suggest you get a tight lash cam, from cam motion, which you can drive on the street. Again, if I was you, I would not use that cam gear drive.

Edgar

[97cobrasvt]

Steven, this is condensation, if the car sits a long time after you crank it and not warm enough that is exactly what it would do. The lifters on the top is that, condensation, as long the rust does not get in the lifter galley it is fine, this is all light rust. Now, your cam gear drive is probably steel, so a bit a condensation would do that to it if it sits for a while. First thing, get rid of that cam gear set, it produces to much harmonic vibration through that solid cam and into the lifters. Another thing that set and nitrous do not get along, the problem with these sets is, when they produce that harmonic vibration, horsepower suffers, get a good (expensive timing chain set) and don't look back, get the cam degreed and you will be rocking. Who ever built this engine probably thought that the springs on the heads have to much pressure, so you need to check on that. Are you going to change to Hydraulic roller cam, if you are make sure you get the right springs for it. I have a bad ass Hyd roller cam for sell brand new, only has two dyno pulls. If you are going back to a solid cam, I suggest you get a tight lash cam, from cam motion, which you can drive on the street. Again, if I was you, I would not use that cam gear drive.

Edgar

Thanks edgar, I am going hydrolic roller and I am going to call cam motion tomorrow and see about getting a custom grind cam and get the set to go with it that has everything I should need. Thanks Steven

[gt90stang]

Do you use synthetic oil? If so I remember when synthetics first came out we had problems with rust in model airplane engines, you had to use regular oil after running them or they would rust up real bad. Maybe the modern synthetics are different but I don't know for sure.

YMMV, Don

[97cobrasvt]

Do you use synthetic oil? If so I remember when synthetics first came out we had problems with rust in model airplane engines, you had to use regular oil after running them or they would rust up real bad. Maybe the modern synthetics are different but I don't know for sure.

YMMV, Don



I use mobile 1 full synthetic. i have never heard of that before.