ALH Cam Wear

2003 ALH with unknown history purchased at 273k-km. I suspect that the car was ‘serviced’ at a quick lube type place. With few miles but 6-7yrs on the timing belt (verbal, no paperwork) I decided do a belt and check the cam. After seeing some lobe tip wear and pitting I pulled the cam and ONE of the lifters has stopped spinning. The bore in the head looks undamaged and the lifter spins freely in the bore with the cam removed.

New cam and lifters on the way. The point of this post is to show that even minor looking cam wear (when seen in situ) can reveal bad lifters. You could not tell the lifter was damaged with with cam installed. The cam bearing journals looked great.


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e7Z-7Ex7AktowPTnVPoeA7a72Shi-yy2/view?usp=drivesdk
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1meZOV6UWyuAlmOKyyxznVQ_aYwDhR2KU/view?usp=drivesdk
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u_dcplQ1pkIHM_Wyo5HUICzt8pPX-YPZ/view?usp=drivesdk

I know bow ties are supposed to be fancy, but not on our cam followers! Good catch!

I would agree with your assessment. Good oil is a must, and quick lube places aren't selling that. I bought a Golf that had 206k miles which ended up needing a new cam and lifters. Cam lobe tip wear showing small pits just as in your photo is what pointed it out to me (and PeterV, in whose garage I was at the time). My car came with a few receipts, at least one of which was for a quick lube service. Who knows what they put in.

Cheers,

PH

Speaking of quick lube places (I know its off topic) I wouldn't trust them to change the oil in a 1980 honda accord. You never know what sludge they are putting in. And don't forget about the gobbs of paint they'll put on your drain plug.


If you aren't going to change your own oil, find a reputable shop and have them do it. It'll cost more and it'll take em longer but you should be getting a better product. (I run a small garage and carry a grudge against the paint markin grease monkeys @ quick lube centers.)

I don't follow - what's the paint for on the oil drain plug?

I think it's to hold the drain plug in. LOL


No seriously every quick lube that I know of does it. I think the mark it after they tighten it so if someone ever tries to claim that they didn't make it tight and it came out, they could "prove" they tightened it.


Another annoying thing they do sometimes is stack seals on the drain plug. Each time the change oil they'll throw another one on and not take off the old one.