Is there any thing that can be done to improve the oiling to the cam and lifters?  We did an engine break in run on the dyno (25 minutes) and post run inspection showed that the cam lobes were damaged on three of the center cylinders.  Would adding a couple of grooves off the center cam bearing help increase the oil splash in that area?  Or is there an oil galley that could be tapped into to add a spray bar?  I am running an Isky (Y-280-I-11) cam with Mummert heads. 

bob, doubt you would have to go to that length as these engines have been around a long time without doing that. you dont mention lifters, spring pressures oil, cam lube procedure etc there could be variable reasons.that will raise all of the usual issues.Ted is best guy to answer based on his wide actual knowledge of these engines.



  AussieBill            YYYY    Forever Y Block     YYYY

 Down Under, Australia

Were the lifters NEW, or resurfaced?

AussieBill's questions are good ones, AND I also would value Ted Eaton's, John Mummert's, Royce Brechler's, and Tim McMaster's comments to name four that come to mind immediately as individuals who deal with this stuff on the basis that I do not as a hobbyist.

Somewhere I picked up a recommendation that IF you are using elevated pressure valve springs with your camshaft, break the cam in with stock springs and then change them out.  Faulty memory, or old wives tale?  

Sorry to hear that you're experiencing this grief after all of your work, Bob.  UGH!   


NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

Charlie, I would very much like to find out about that "old wives tale" myself as I have 115 lb springs in my rebuilt 56 heads going on my new engine. I will not be breaking it in for quite a while but I certainly don't want to screw up my cam. (Or anything else for that matter). I do have a set of stock springs if I need to change them out for break in.
I hope someone chimes in on this.
Rowen

Rowen
55CV
Woodland, Ca

Break in the camshaft with the springs you are going to run all the time.  If you lubed everything properly, and did a pre-oil pressure check of the rocker arms getting oil, you should have not had a problem.  If you turned the engine over several times without actually running it, the spring pressure may have wiped the lube off the camshaft.  Joe-JDC.

JDC

Yes, these were new lifters.  As for the valve springs, these were the ones that JM assembled the heads with.  BTW the rocker assemblies are new as well.  I ordered the entire rebuild package from JM and assumed that he used the right springs for the cam.  The engine internals were properly lubed and it fired right up.  It was run between 2500 and 3500 rpm.  As for the oil, it was break in oil and would be swapped out for dinosaur oil after we finished up with tuning the EFI (using a carb for the break in runs) on the dyno.  Just another little set back with this engine.

There is no need to modify the oiling system, though you need to be sure that it is functioning correctly.  From Ted's site, a list of causes for cam failure, most of which have nothing to do with lubrication

http://www.eatonbalancing.com/blog/2012/11/06/camshaft-and-lifter-failure-causes-2/



Lawrenceville, GA

Thanks Charlie.  It looks like a good list of items to check before we fire it up with the new cam.  BTW the wife and I are only four months from completing our relocation to Savannah.   So I only have a couple of months to get my truck back together...the bodywork is going to the painter tommorrow (Friday).  I should be hauling it along with the rest of my garage stuff to the new house in March.
Bob

As a retired Automotive Instructor, and builder of dozens of engines over my life time, I still have to disagree with changing out valve springs on camshaft break in procedures.  It is not a good idea, nor is it necessary.  No factory does it on their high performance engines, and it is not taught in basic engine building courses.  Yes, some folks swear by this procedure, but it is unnecessary, and a waste of valuable time.  I have built and raced Ford vehicles since 1962 when I rebuilt my first 292.  Sorry, but I will stand on my statement, "Break in the engine with the springs you are going to run.".
Joe-JDC

JDC