BC3 cam & follower issue

[td25c]

Question is, is this camshaft salvageable or should I just put a new one in it.?

As mentioned up thread best course is replace cam & followers .

However ……. Story time , gather around everyone
Had a very similar problem while in framing a small cam 290 Cummins in my 1973 White years ago . One cam lobe looked a little " sketchy " but not flaking out or loosing metal yet . Noticed the cam follower roller looked far worse then the cam lobe . Yep …. Pulled the cam follower assembly , buffed around on the cam lobe a little with some emery cloth and replaced the bad roller . The joy of building a Cummins out in the driveway .

Never had any issues with it and truck made it to retirement .


When they start to give up the ghost you will notice flaking similar to this .

 

[StanRUS]

Never had any issues with it and truck made it to retirement .

td25c,
Linear lines on the camshaft like your example photos can be a tip-off that maintenance practices need improvement. Dirt in the oil from poor fill/refill practices like using galvanized 1 gallon can etc.

Pre-filling oil filters. Cummins okay per service manuals, Cat do not per engineers. Plug inner filter-thread bore with plastic cap and carefully fill with clean oil (outside to inside). Or use primer pump.

Cummins Biggest Cam Road Trucks
K-series 1150s were the highest horsepower engines ever installed in OEM US trucks starting 1976 with the KTA600 (23lb/ft torque per 1psi turbo boost). 5 trucks were built with KTTAC-HVT 750Hp engines; a few simple adjustment for 1,250+Hp / 66lb/ft torque per 1psi turbo boost. KTTAC = twin compounded turbos, aftercooled HVT = hydraulic variable timing.

Pete 379 glider Heavy Haul, 24K front axle, 4'9" rear axle spread 46,900lbs permitted, Murray 9 axle/75Tons / KTA700Hp+. Easy install requiring no extras holes drilled in the frame rails. Turn oil pan around and extend the pick up pipe tube for front sump. Engine retired/replaced with C18 600Hp

Australians are using Ks electronic update QSK19 for pulling 140T Road Trains.

Truck Puller K19 Modified approx 4KHp @ 4,000Rpm

 

[td25c]

td25c,
Linear lines on the camshaft like your example photos can be a tip-off that maintenance practices need improvement. Dirt in the oil from poor fill/refill practices like using galvanized 1 gallon can etc.

Like I tell the Wife every time she blows up at me ……. " Well … At least now I know that we have room for improvement ".

No end to it . LOL !

All BS aside I am eager to see what My buddy's camshaft looks like in the 1979 KW big cam 290 ?

Will find out after he drops it off in a few weeks .

 

[StanRUS]

All BS aside I am eager to see what My buddy's camshaft looks like in the 1979 KW big cam 290 ?

BC 290s weren't hard on cams. Take few pics

If you're going to do a U-tube movie, a least do procedures right.
Example: Head bolt torquing; helper gripping torque wrench ahead of the handle. NTC-855 BC @ 285lb/ft final torque? Wrong unless the engine is BC4 with 1" longer head bolts.

Engine out of frame overhauls, I position so I can use body weight down pressure for torquing mains, rods, head bolts.

 

[td25c]

BC 290s weren't hard on cams. Take few pics

Cam looked fine the last time we had it open ( 18 years ago ) .

Engine acts like a piston failure . No knocking yet & still pulls good but massive blow by .

Cam might be in fine shape . Never know until ya open them up ?


Should be interesting . Will post a few pictures of it .

 

[RZucker]

BC 290s weren't hard on cams. Take few pics

If you're going to do a U-tube movie, a least do procedures right.
Example: Head bolt torquing; helper gripping torque wrench ahead of the handle. NTC-855 BC @ 285lb/ft final torque? Wrong unless the engine is BC4 with 1" longer head bolts.

Engine out of frame overhauls, I position so I can use body weight down pressure for torquing mains, rods, head bolts.

That bonehead is Jerking a torque wrench? And yeah, the grip point is wrong too.

 

[td25c]

BC 290s weren't hard on cams. Take few pics

Camshaft looked ok . Piston ….. Not so good . LOL !



We dropped in new pistons , sleeve's & bearings on the bottom end .

New turbo , injectors and radiator core on top side .

1979 KW back in action .