# Factory Cam Failure



## Banj (Jan 4, 2012)

This past weekend I noticed a noise coming from the motor that sounded like a turkey call. It's only noticeable when the motor is cold and it also creates a misfire. I took it in to Bartow Chevy and was told that the cam is causing the problem and needs to be replaced along with the lifters and a few other things. The car has 45,700 miles on it and is not driven hard. My warranty is paying for everything so money is not the issue. I'm just wondering if anyone has heard of a factory cam failure on these cars? Its a 2006 PBM A4 GTO.


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## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

I haven't heard of cams having issues.


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

Never heard of a cam failure it is a solid piece. Flat tappets cams were known to get flat after alot of miles or in-correct insulation. But you have a roller cam. The lifter could have failed what I've heard rumors on. Either the roller self distruct or the lifter not pumping up anymore.


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## zx14man (Apr 26, 2011)

You should ask to see the part of the cam that failed and take a pic so we can all see what happened...


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## Banj (Jan 4, 2012)

I didn't a cam could just fail but thats what the dealer is telling me. I will be sure to take pics of everything so everyone can see incase they have the same problem. Ill try to link video of the noise and misfire too. Thanks for the info


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## alaninin (Dec 4, 2010)

It sounds more like a lifter or rocker arm bearing. The cam is not usually the problem. I would like to see pics of the cam also.


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## alaninin (Dec 4, 2010)

Do they have to put the factory cam back in or do you get to choose? A nice mild cam will make it nice on the street. Free upgrade would be sweet.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

A lot of dealers are really hungry right now, I could see it being a rocker arm and then them charging for a cam. But, then again, you make a million parts it's hard to get a million good ones.


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## 6QTS11OZ (Mar 27, 2005)

I doubt it's the cam. It's probably a faulty lifter. They have no clue what it is that's why they're changing the cam, lifters and a few other things like you stated. The sad thing here is that many workers in the service department of dealerships are pretty clueless. It's easy for them to guess at what's going on because the parts are normally readily available and so many customers, who really aren't mechanically inclined, put their trust in them.

Different story but still at a dealership. A friend of mine just purchased an '08 Corvette that the salesman said had the 2LT performance package on it. My friend runs the V.I.N. when he gets home and finds out that it has the 3LT package instead. According to my friend that's like a $7000 difference in price. You'd think the someone would have known that because that's a big chunk of cash that the dealership lost. Pretty sad for them but great for my friend.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Turkey call... as in a cyclical chirp/squeak sound?

If a roller on a lifter has seized, or the axle bearing about to go out - I suppose it could make a sound like that. So could a rocker arm that's starved for lubrication on the pivot point or the pushrod pocket. None of that would create a misfire though. A misfire, if it's caused by a mechanical problem as opposed to an electrical/ignition problem, would likely be the result of a lifter that's failing to "pump up" or a "wiped/damaged" cam lobe. A cam lobe isn't going to fix itself when the engine warms up, but a lifter might. It could also be an oiling problem - one or more lifters is being starved for oil due to some debris or other problem causing a restriction in the feed passage until the oil heats up and gets thin enough to flow around it.

Fixing the problem though, you'd want to remove the cam and inspect it to make sure that it doesn't have damaged lobes --- and the labor cost to do that would be the same as replacing it. Truth is, no one's going to know what's causing it until they tear into the whole valve-train and even then the problem may not be obvious, so the 'safest' approach for the dealer to take is to just replace 'everything' - take the scatter-gun approach and figure that if they replace it all they're bound to fix the problem.

Bear


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## Banj (Jan 4, 2012)

Thanks for all the info! I took two videos yesterday of the noise so everyone could somewhat hear it in case they experience that same thing. I'll post it later tonight. I was able to buy a warranty for the car which is going to take care of everything but it doesn't take effect until Jan 27th so until then I'm still driving the car around. Since the dealer is going to replace the cam anyways, I'm going to see if I can buy a mild one and them just put it in while they have it apart instead of putting a stock one back in. I'm not sure how well that's going to fly though. Alaninin mentioned a mild cam. Any suggestions? I'm not looking to build a ground pounder, just a fun daily driver.


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## Banj (Jan 4, 2012)

Update:
2012-01-14_17-40-47_42.3gp - YouTube can't really hear the turkey-ish noise but you can def. hear clanks and other racket. I'll get some exhaust clips soon too.


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## svede1212 (Nov 1, 2005)

What happens is the lifter either fails outright or turns in the tray and wastes the cam lobe so yes you could have a bad cam too.


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

Banj said:


> Update:
> 2012-01-14_17-40-47_42.3gp - YouTube can't really hear the turkey-ish noise but you can def. hear clanks and other racket. I'll get some exhaust clips soon too.


Hard to tell, sounds like the lifter is not pumping up. You'll have more lash then it suppose to. The valvetrain has alot of slack so it makes a claking noise. The knock sensors is picking up the noise and the computer can't correct so it throws a misfire. The engine to me sounds normal running wise, so the cam sounds like its in good shape. A destroyed lobe on a cam makes an engine runs like crap.


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## nardulli (Sep 13, 2009)

If the noise resolves at ANY time, it's not a cam. A cam issue either is or isn't. IT's not gonna get any better with temperature. The LS2 is really sound and had not shown a history of top end / valvetrain faults.


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## Banj (Jan 4, 2012)

So I finally have it apart and here are my findings. It should be back together in a couple days with a comp cam kit. I hope by posting this, it can maybe help someone else out that may be experiencing something similar.


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## psycho1000r (Dec 14, 2007)

did you end up gettinga different cam? if so i hope youre replacing the springs and puchrods as well.
plus you will need to tune the car with the new cam. what are the specs??


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## Banj (Jan 4, 2012)

I got a kit from Comp Cams, which includes, springs, rods, cam, lifters, timing chain and gear. Its the Extreme RPM series. Don't have the specs handy at the moment but its nothing massive. Just a little extra pep


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## billyjack2 (Oct 21, 2011)

You might not be able to(or maybe you already have), but if you have some time and a spare car I would go through the engine. Better to be safe and replace a bearing with a gash then to put it all back together and have to break again soon. 



Banj said:


> So I finally have it apart and here are my findings. It should be back together in a couple days with a comp cam kit. I hope by posting this, it can maybe help someone else out that may be experiencing something similar.


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## Banj (Jan 4, 2012)

Well, its been down for 3 and a half weeks now. Everything is being cleaned up and put back together. I hope to not have any more problems. I miss driving it.


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## SShep71 (Aug 22, 2008)

You should split the oil filter and see if any metal particles made it through to the engine side of the filter. If they did you have more on your hands other than a cam swap. Any race shop should be able to do it. There is an actual tool that is designed to cut "split" filters otherwise you contaminate the filter yourself and get a false reading.


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