inspecting new camshaft - is this normal?

[Pascal]

I just checked my new Eagle 2252 cam that I bought a couple of years ago and it has .003" dips at about 3 o'clock on 3 lobes and .0015" on one (with the lobe being 12 o'clock). I checked my old worn out cam and it had no dips. Is this normal or is there something wrong with my new cam? Has anyone else experience this? Will it cause me running issues on my waterboxer with hydro lifters? Thanks
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'84 Westy - 2.2wbx, GT Torque-Biasing Differential
'91 EA Cabby

[Ian Godfrey]

with 113 views and no replies I think we need a photo if possible showing the area you are trying to describe.

[Pascal]

This is the part of the lobe that has the .003" dip. Thanks

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'84 Westy - 2.2wbx, GT Torque-Biasing Differential
'91 EA Cabby

[mark tucker]

dips? at 3 oclock did you get the cb iceream scoop?? must be desert time!!! Ill hav some with caramill&chocolattee,and some buterfinger sprinkels please. I havent a cle as to what your trying to say, I reckon you beter get some pics up I have the eagle 2250 and it didnt come with any dip, just lube.but it has gone more than 70000 miles and still going strong.( with holy empi lifters of corse)

[mark tucker]

ok now you gots a pic up, do you have any way to be sure the cam is seated fully in the cambearings & not moving? is it allthe way across the lobe? I cant see an inverted lobe on a flat tappet cam. how wide /long is the dip? what does it do with the lifter on it? I doubt there is any issue with it, but you might want to contact cb & ask. then befor you do use it DEBURR THOSE LOBES EDGES!!!

[Pascal]

Here are more pics trying to show what's going on:

Bottom of lobe is zero

gradually drops to -.003

back up to zero

The cam is not moving. I've tried it several times and I get the same results. Yes its across the whole face of the lobes.

Thanks about the deburr advice. Also, do I take that grey coating off the lobes? ...this is my first time installing a new camshaft...
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'84 Westy - 2.2wbx, GT Torque-Biasing Differential
'91 EA Cabby

[mark tucker]

no leave the gray "coating" check the center bearing too for any out of shape. I have yet to see an aftermarket cam that was ground as good as the oe cams are, but the oe cams are junk for a profile.

[Ian Godfrey]

the lobes are meant to be slightly tapered, one side to the other, to match the slight 'dome' on the lifter.
So maybe the taper is turning into dips on the heel of the cam. Poorly machined? I have had good experiences with Web and Engle cams. Do CB grind Eagle cams in house I wonder.
yes, leave the coating on the cam.

[SBD]

Mark, what are you using to deburr the lobes? A fine sharpening stone or something similar?

[Ian Godfrey]

have a read on this post re cam issues, Page 1, 3rd post down.
http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=135738&view=unread#unread

I use a whet stone, some use a belt sander (be careful)

[Quokka42]

Interesting. I imagine it is just a slight glitch in the grinding process and can't imagine it will do any harm if the cam measures out to spec. You will be setting your valve clearance at the bottom of the lobe and the lifter is going to be pretty flat against the cam at the point shown anyway, with the rocker off the valve. The base of the lifter is quite a bit broader than the tip on your indicator!

I must admint I haven't measured a VW cam to that degree, though I have been meaning to. Has someone else here measured cams like that?

Try measuring the lift with a lifter instead and let us know if you can still spot the "dip."
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There has only ever been one man who was perfect, and they nailed Him to a cross.

[Pascal]

[Quokka42]

I suspect you are over thinking it - do it the correct way, with a modified lifter, or make a disk to sit in a lifter if you don't have a good spare. Just cut a piece of steel as close as you can to the inside diameter of the lifter and temporarily "glue" it in with a tiny bit of permatex. Lube your cam up well with a nice thick moly prelube and test it that way.

The grey coating is part of the surface treatment, and holds the prelube in there for the breakin.
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There has only ever been one man who was perfect, and they nailed Him to a cross.

[modok]

If I'm not mistaken that is an ancient hydraulic grind, this small runout of the base circle is probably not important.
Of course it is not RIGHT, but your not measuring it right either. Measure at the lifter with it supported by the bearing next to where your measuring. Then with these results ask CB about their antique grind, and they won't know, the darn master is probably worn out anyhow.

[Alstrup]

Think about where the cam stands at TDC

T

[mark tucker]

1 inch belt sander.

[SBD]

Don't have a belt sander. How about emery paper or crocus cloth? Or maybe a fine abrasive wheel on a Dremel? Might have a whet stone somewhere. Use it with oil?

[theastronaut]

I believe someone else posted similar findings years ago. If I remember correctly, the answer they got was that the low spot was an "oil trough"- allowing a slack spot in the valve adjustment so more oil could find it's way between the not-as-well-seated lifter and cam. Any truth to that? It kinda makes sense in a way. I have tried to find that post but haven't been able.
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[66brm]

Hydraulic cam, little dip in the base of the ramp, perhaps its there to help get some oil into the lifters?......thought I'd throw that one out there
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[Altema]