Reuse stock camshaft?

[stickybones]

Can a used camshaft be reused without harm? New lifters will be installed and breakin will be appropriate. The reason I ask is that I'm sick of the chit, chit, chit, chit, chit, chit diesel noise of the my Comp 206/206 flat tappet cam with Sealed Power(?) lifters. I want QUIET again. The stock cam never made my car sound like a POS like this setup does. Although I still have the stock lifters, I don't have them categorized by lobe so therefore I can't reuse them. I actually prefer to go with a new "performance" cam since I have no way of knowing if my stocker is still in spec and I like the performance of the 206/206. recommends an Erson 208/208 per the search and says it's quiet. My only concern with another non-stock cam is that it too may result in a noisy combination. Anyone local to me have a performance flat tappet cam setup that they claim is quiet that I can hear and compare?

BTW, the stock cam was replaced when my engine was rebuilt after I snapped the timing chain.

If TurboJim or gbsean are lurking on this thread, they're probably shaking their heads at my foolishness.

[NJBuickRacer]

The last 206 I installed was quiet...What is your lifter preload?

[Steve Wood]

The cam should be quiet. Beyond the preload, try a set of GM lifters...there have been a lot of cheap import lifters that have flooded the market the past few years.

Personally, I have never had problems putting a new set of lifters on an old cam. These days, I see a lot of people horrified by the thought. Of course, I see a lot of things that worked for years that supposedly won't work these days.

[Orlando_87GN]

If you are going through the trouble of removing your old cam why use a used one? The risk of saving $50 is not worth it. Buy a new cam kit. Most come with lifters. The one I would recommend is the Edlebrock 204/214 from Summit at ~$125.

[GNVYUS 1]

Check preload, if ok and noisy then I'd think the next cheapest way to go is GM lifters and try again. The stock camshaft is lame and not worth the lobe risk since it's already been used and not as powerful.

[stickybones]

I checked preload as best I could with everything still assembled. (I used an adjustable pushrod, tightened it to "zero" lash, took it out and compared it with the pushrods in there.) I came up with ~0.055 to 0.060" preload on average for the ones that had reasonable access to get to. I shimmed the rocker shafts with 0.020" shims to reduce preload. Neither setup made a discernible difference in noise in my opinion.

Originally Posted by Orlando_87GN

If you are going through the trouble of removing your old cam why use a used one? The risk of saving $50 is not worth it.

You're right Mike, but the only reason I was going back to stock was NOISE. I'd prefer a performance cam, but unless I know it'll be quiet, I don't want to go thru the trouble and end up with the same issue.

I guess I can try Steve's and Mike's (lots of Mikes here) idea and just replace the lifters with another set purchased from GM. (They show up in GMPartsDirect.) Maybe the lifters I have in there now are junk. At least that way I can spare myself the trouble of pulling the cam. I assume I can just glob some breakin lube on the base of the new lifters, drop them in the bores, put it all back together and run the breakin and see...or hear. At least this will only be a ~$150 in parts with much less labor if it were to fail.

I'll see if the local stealer has 12 lifters for sale.

Thanks
Mike

[Orlando_87GN]

You're right Mike, but the only reason I was going back to stock was NOISE. I'd prefer a performance cam, but unless I know it'll be quiet, I don't want to go thru the trouble and end up with the same issue.

I understand and share your concern. I hate noisy cams as well. The Edlebrock cam is silent. The loudest noise I hear under the hood is the injectors ticking which is why I recommended it. New cam, new lifters and it even comes with the lube you need. For $125 it's an easy and safe choice.

[VETHNTER]

i have the 208/208 with sealed power lifters. car sounds stock.

[Just a Six??]

Erson & GM Lifters is Super Quiet!! I think its the Lifters tho & not so much the cam choice that makes noise. get GM Lifters!

[gbsean]

Originally Posted by stickybones

snapped the timing chain.

If TurboJim or gbsean are lurking on this thread, they're probably shaking their heads at my foolishness.

when you were over the other week...I didn't think it was noisey.....at least no more than any other car....not so that it focused my attention.....get a set of ear plugs....

[ULYCYC]

You may want to try shorter pushrods and get the preload in the .025-.030 range and toss the shims. What you have now is .040 +- some and thats on the edge of too much preload.

[stickybones]

Originally Posted by gbsean

when you were over the other week...I didn't think it was noisey.....at least no more than any other car....not so that it focused my attention......

That's part of the problem with internet diagnostics (although that's not the case with you and Jim...you actually heard the car). What's noisy and annoying to me sounds normal to others. Your car and TurboJim's have roller cams and a much louder exhaust then mine which helps drown out the underhood sounds and prevents me from making a clean comparison between our cars.

That and the fact that it seems every car reacts somewhat differently to the "same" parts. For whatever reason, my combination is too loud for my taste, but others with the same parts have no issues.

If I decide to just swap lifters, I'll be able to more accurately measure the current preload because I'll have the intake off.

Ed...are you saying that too much preload can also cause excessive noise? Most, if not all of the search results focus on too little preload causing the dreaded tick.

[ULYCYC]

Originally Posted by stickybones

Ed...are you saying that too much preload can also cause excessive noise? Most, if not all of the search results focus on too little preload causing the dreaded tick.

Too much preload can prevent the lifter from pumping up with oil and function like a hyd lifter. I'm not saying it's your noise (could be) but it has to be set correct.

[TwoBuicks]

Check your original cam to see if there is a groove on the number1 bearing journal. Most of the original cams did not have this groove, as the groove was in the block for oil transfer to the drivers side lifters. Most aftermarket cams HAVE this groove in the #1 bearing journal of the cam so the cam can be used in either design block. I had my groove spray welded closed (before I went to the billet roller cam) and my "206" cam was quiet, but that was before it started going flat! Mark

[stickybones]

My stock cam does not have this groove. I don't know if the 206 cam in there does.

What are you saying; that this groove could somehow be contributing to the noise?