Is This Camshaft Reusable? Or Too Pitted?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

West 1

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2023
Posts
68
Reaction score
95
While reading the O2 sensors on your scan tool you will see if the Bank 2 is running rich or lean. That will help guide your repair. I suspect it is Lean but you never know till it is checked.
 

Geotrash

Dave
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2018
Posts
6,507
Reaction score
16,187
Location
Richmond, VA
On the non-VVT cam and timing cover, there is nowhere for that plug to go. Not even a dummy plug. So currently it's just tied up with the rest of the harness.
Your new timing cover should have a cam position sensor and there is an adapter harness that will adapt the connector for the cam position sensor (3-wire) to the engine harness (4-wire): https://a.co/d/eobRAnX

And...your new timing cover should look like this one (has the cam position sensor): https://www.summitracing.com/parts/TFS-30678505
 
OP
OP
J

jmo2610

Member
Joined
May 5, 2013
Posts
55
Reaction score
48
Your new timing cover should have a cam position sensor and there is an adapter harness that will adapt the connector for the cam position sensor (3-wire) to the engine harness (4-wire): https://a.co/d/eobRAnX

And...your new timing cover should look like this one (has the cam position sensor): https://www.summitracing.com/parts/TFS-30678505
My new timing cover did not come with a harness. It was just the cover. I had to transfer over the harness and the harness bracket (which I modified) to make it work.
 
OP
OP
J

jmo2610

Member
Joined
May 5, 2013
Posts
55
Reaction score
48
Okay, so at this point, I have no engine codes. At least no pending ones. I have stored ones. The truck drives fine. However, it does not idle fine. Pretty rough idling still. But no codes. Any idea where to look here?
 
OP
OP
J

jmo2610

Member
Joined
May 5, 2013
Posts
55
Reaction score
48
any miss fires at idle?
If there are, they're subtle. Like nothing to the point that it feels like it's gonna die. It will rev up a little at times, and it sometimes "catches" when I first accelerate. But it's mostly just a very uncomfortable idle.
 

Geotrash

Dave
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2018
Posts
6,507
Reaction score
16,187
Location
Richmond, VA
If there are, they're subtle. Like nothing to the point that it feels like it's gonna die. It will rev up a little at times, and it sometimes "catches" when I first accelerate. But it's mostly just a very uncomfortable idle.
I've looked through this whole thread again and haven't seen where you've said which cam you went with. If it's here and I still missed it, I'm sorry for the hassle. What are the specs?

I’m asking because any aftermarket cam needs to be tuned to run well, especially at idle.

I have a professionally-made tune file for the cam motion stage 2 truck cam in my 2012 6.2 L. You’re welcome to it if it would be helpful, if you can get a copy of HP tuners and the MVI3 device to work with.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
J

jmo2610

Member
Joined
May 5, 2013
Posts
55
Reaction score
48
I've looked through this whole thread again and haven't seen where you've said which cam you went with. If it's here and I still missed it, I'm sorry for the hassle. What are the specs?

I’m asking because any aftermarket cam needs to be tuned to run well, especially at idle.

I have a professionally-made tune file for the cam motion stage 2 truck cam in my 2012 6.2 L. You’re welcome to it if it would be helpful, if you can get a copy of HP tuners and the MVI3 device to work with.
Here is the link to the cam I have.

Further investigation follow up:
It doesn't really feel like a miss. My neighbor (a retired airplane mechanic) thinks it sounds like a vacuum leak. Every video I've watched to test for that has an admitted risk of causing a fire...
Any tips on how to find a vacuum leak? I've looked for obvious cracks in lines. Slightly wiggled lines at the connections. Nothing changed. Short term trim levels fluctuate between negative and positive percentages, but never more than 10% either way. No clue if that is normal.

And just to be thorough, since I'm not sure the wires have ever been changed, I put on new plug wires. Put in new plugs when the heads were off. Might as well just keep throwing parts and money at it. :doh2:
 

j91z28d1

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2022
Posts
3,205
Reaction score
3,977
10% actually sounds like a lot to me. might actually be a leak? at first I was like that looks like a cam spec that could use some adjustments, but then I saw 10% fuel chance from moving stuff. if I remember right, last time I left off the clean air side of the intake to valve cover, that leak was about 10%.


I've sprayed all kinda of stuff on hot engines looking for vac leaks, never worried about a fire, it's not that hot. I could possibly have a coil arcing I guess, but just don't spray like crazy. short little burst is all that's needed to show up in the short term trims, and if it did flash, I would only be for a sec.
 

Fless

Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Apr 2, 2017
Posts
12,123
Reaction score
24,713
Location
Elev 5,280
Further investigation follow up:
It doesn't really feel like a miss. My neighbor (a retired airplane mechanic) thinks it sounds like a vacuum leak. Every video I've watched to test for that has an admitted risk of causing a fire...
Any tips on how to find a vacuum leak? I've looked for obvious cracks in lines. Slightly wiggled lines at the connections. Nothing changed. Short term trim levels fluctuate between negative and positive percentages, but never more than 10% either way. No clue if that is normal.

Checking for vacuum leaks can be done by using an UNLIT propane torch, flowing a small to medium amount of propane around the suspected leak areas. Watch the short-term fuel trims and/or listen for rpm changes or the idle to smooth out a little.

Watch the STFTs at idle; if they're fairly positive (like +12), raise the idle to 1500 or 2000 rpm to see if they come down significantly. That could indicate a vacuum leak, since the increased air volume will affect the vacuum issue.

Generally the short- and long-term fuel trims should add up to less than 10% either way -- 10% is not a terrible value to have but it's on the margin of being good. 5% total is a good goal to have, but the STFTs will vary some, which shows the O2 sensors working with the ECM. So STFT of +6 and LTFT of +7 would add up to +13 which is not good. And STFT of +6 and LTFT of -3 = +3, which is virtually perfect.

If it hasn't been checked, look at the MAF value in g/s (not lbs/min) at idle and that should be very close to the engine displacement in liters. Anything out of whack there (technical term...) will cause issues with the fuel trims and idle.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
132,675
Posts
1,872,385
Members
97,481
Latest member
TooManyCars
Top