Who has had Crane Cam Failure?

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MrShoeBoy

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Cincinnati, OH

• Jan 4, 2007

• #1

Who has had a Crane cam or lifter failure in a Jeep motor? If you have had a product of Crane fail for what ever reason could you please post up or send me a PM or email with details on the history of the motor, what failed, causes if any, and general use the vehicle the motor was in. I am trying to put together a research project on cam failures after I have had two go down in my Jeep motor and figured I would start with Crane.

Thanks

 

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bigolexj

NAXJA Forum User

Location

In an RV

• Jan 4, 2007

• #2

Well, it's not a jeep motor, but I have a 5.0 SBF motor in my XJ and it had a crane came that was bad from the factory. Crane warrantied the cam, but of course, i had to replace the motor myself. Good thing I had a 306 sitting on a stand.

 

D

Dr. Dyno

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Al Ain, UAE

• Jan 4, 2007

• #3

Posted about my Crane cam/lifter failure in JU speed freaks.

 

FELIX

Who Knows, Ask Who

Location

Camarillo, CA

• Jan 5, 2007

• #4

I'm starting to see more & more of these post recently.

Not looking good.

Rob $.02

 

I

imis_idora

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Youngstown Ohio

• Jan 5, 2007

• #5

It's not the cam it's the oil you used to break it in with. The oil manufactures have removed something from the oil (zinc maybe) and it is causing the cams to wear out very quickly. Next time you install a cam use plenty of assembly lube and only use Shell Rotella oil to break the cam in with.
Every major cam manufacturer that I know of currently recomends the Shell Rotella for break in.

 

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Bender

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Cambridge, Ontario

• Jan 5, 2007

• #6

That doesn't explain why some guys are seeing failures with over 20k miles on their cams and the failures are limited to only one or two lobes on those cams. If it was indeed an oiling issues I'd expect to see wear on all lobes.

 

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MudDawg

NAXJA Member #728

Location

Central Florida

• Jan 5, 2007

• #7

I have found some references to lobe failures with synthetic oil being caused by the lifter failing to rotate due to the reduced friction from some synthetic oils....in operation the lifter rotates in the bore because the cam is ground with a slight bevel on the lobe...if the lifter fails to rotate, it will wear in one spot...then the cam lobe goe to hell.....I'm playing it safe by using mineral oil and GM E.O.S. in my motors.

 

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Dr. Dyno

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Al Ain, UAE

• Jan 5, 2007

• #8

Bender said:

That doesn't explain why some guys are seeing failures with over 20k miles on their cams and the failures are limited to only one or two lobes on those cams. If it was indeed an oiling issues I'd expect to see wear on all lobes.

Click to expand...

Yeah, you're probably aware that my Crane cam/lifter failure occurred after more than 30k miles, and I don't believe the oil was to blame either. I was using Mobil 1. One of my two failed Crane lifters had collapsed but had no wear at all, so how could that be caused by the oil lacking ZDDP?
How could my cam still have 11 good lobes if there was an oiling problem?

 

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MrShoeBoy

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Cincinnati, OH

• Jan 6, 2007

• #9

I know that a lot of these posts have been popping up, but who has had one fail on them? I want to talk to the people who first hand have had one die from Crane. I understand the oil thing, and it was not the case on this failure. I know about Dinos failure, so is there anybody else?

Thanks,

AARON