camshafted

[julianhj]

Just got a call to say my Griffs camshaft is probably the cause of pinking/rattling. Gonna cost me £800 if it's just new camshaft, lifters, timing chain etc - but may easily be double if more is found once properly investigated!

How common is this? Its in for its 48k service, thankfully still got 2 months warranty (with Motorway Direct) to go. Any ideas if warranty might stretch to it? I know they are notoriously tricky, but I purchased it the warranty to cover these kind of things...

Oh well

Edited to say; just searched through a few posts on camshafts - seems a relatively common fault...

>>> Edited by julianhj on Wednesday 5th March 18:06

[Graham B]

Yes, had this problem, mine was also pinking under acceleration... not cheap, think it came in around 2 grand.

Graham
Edited to say mine was around 32,000 miles when it went.

>> Edited by Graham B on Wednesday 5th March 18:29

[trefor]

Mine went at 29k - about 650 notes to fit a new one (independent specialist). Common problem on Rover V8 engines - oil doesn't get to the rear cam lobes causing them to wear or something like that.

I know of another that went at 24-25k.

Mines still fine at 50k on it's second cam BTW.

T/.

[Boosted LS1]

Friend of mine has a 3 stripped down tiv engines. He commented that they all have excessive wear in the valve train and suggests it could be because they are using quite high valve lifts.

[danny hoffman]

40,000 miles is typical - what oil did you use. If it was synthetic you might want to consider something different this time - I use Magnatec in my 350i.

Oooopps - which oil? I suppose there just might be another thread about this somewhere!

[GreenV8S]

48 K for a cam is better than average from what I've seen.

[HarryW]

Graham B said: Yes, had this problem, mine was also pinking under acceleration... not cheap, think it came in around 2 grand.

2 grand I'm about to get mine changed and even TVR Power will quote less than half of that, a good specilaist should be around a third of that. You must have more than a cam and the associated bits shirley for that.

Harry

[rubyV8S]

Had my camshaft replaced in November 2002, about £800 inclusive. The comment was that with only 35k miles on the clock, it was suprising the cam had worn so badly. However, looking at the other posts, maybe not so unusual after all

Get some quotes from different garages/specialists tho as some of the prices I got were as high as £1300!!(check the hourly labour rate, budget for about 10 hours to do the cam and bits, in my experience)
Good luck,

Mark

[HarryW]

rubyV8S said: Had my camshaft replaced in November 2002, about £800 inclusive. The comment was that with only 35k miles on the clock, it was suprising the cam had worn so badly. However, looking at the other posts, maybe not so unusual after all

Get some quotes from different garages/specialists tho as some of the prices I got were as high as £1300!!(check the hourly labour rate, budget for about 10 hours to do the cam and bits, in my experience)
Good luck,

Mark

Ruby/mark, did you notice much difference when you got it back , did you get the standard TVR51 cam or something different

Harry

[rubyV8S]

Sorry Harry,

having a bit of a problem with my ISP chucking me out!

Not being too technically minded, all I can say is that the guys that did the cam (TopCats) replaced it with one similar in profile to the original. Apparently it's a Kent, solid billett(??) cam but I don't know the spec number.

Seems a lot quieter now and pulls more smoothly at low revs. Still a bit of tapping noise but that's down to the old manifolds which were cracked and welded up at some stage. hopefully will have new stainless manifolds fitted in the next few weeks

Mark

[kevinday]

For more on cams look at this thread in the wedge forum:

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=28693&f=12&h=0

[shpub]

Cams can go for a variety of reasons. Mine went because the previous engine builder had not set up the preload correctly and this had damaged several of the rockers and the cam. Photos of the damage/debris is in the new Griff bible 2 BTW.

Costs depend very much on what you get fitted in terms of rocker gear. The 520 rocker assembly was about £1000, the Griffs was fitted with a steel (originals were alloy) at £300. Worth replacing the rocker gear and cam and tappets etc etc and not skimping.

The cam is usually marked with the type number on the end.

Steve

[mojorider]

Mmmmmm, mine is due for a 42k service, is this something you shoud have replaced as a preventive measure?

[kevinday]

I would say not, wait until the engine is making a tappety noise. Can happen at any time, no rules about it. My last R/Rover went at about 95K, my previous one had 135K and was still on the original. My 350 was fine when I sold it at 85K.

[nick61]

I replaced my 4L chim cam, lifters & oil pump at 46K, it cost me £500 for the bits to do it myself. It took me the best part of a day to just to set the pre-loads on the lifters. The whole job took me about 50 hours-I checked & double checked everything, as it was the first V8 I have worked on. The main time consumer is what you have to take off to get at the cam. I was quoted £1200 (12 hours labour) from an independant (without the oil pump). I wasn't convinced it was the tappets ticking until I got it out, one of the front lobes was only just a lobe!!. The engine seemed ok before (due to the size they are quite forgiving), but now he runs really sweet.
I think the conclusion-if it isn't used the cam 'dries out' is accurate.
Hope your problem is cured soon.
Nick

[julianhj]

Quick update - the garage are on the phone to the warranty people (oh god, fingers crossed). Also required: New engine mounts, new rad, new clutch master cylinder, bunch of minor bits and pieces.

Having all the aircon parts removed (system was non-working when I bought it) from the engine bay - will apparently help with cooling, and give a bit more power (hoorah!) Pipework inside cabin will of course remain. Anyone else had similar work done?

[shpub]

The air con is worth a grand or so on resale, and only saps a few bhp when it is on and doesn't effect the cooling except when it is on. You might want to reconsider this and get it working. common problem is a leaking pipe loosing the coolent. New pipe and recharge and away you go.

Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk

PS it also cools the fuel which helps prevent pinking...

[julianhj]

Assuming my air con system has suffered a major failure (condenser/drier etc.) anyone care to estimate how much it might cost to get back up and running?

[danny hoffman]

Mine was completely round on a couple of lobes, but it was still silent

[vodkakid]

Do you think the cam would be covered under a sprint warrenty