Cleaning cam lobes

[Guest]

Ineed to clean up some light rust off of the intake and exhaust cams for my 79 GS850. Looking for suggestions on the best way to do this. I need to get this beast back up and running. ( I'm suffering withdrawl symptoms)

Thanks

Scott D. Orbaker

[tkent02]

Electrolysis.

[Nessism]

Steelwool or gray scotchbrite will work too. Make sure you wash the cams in soap and water after you are done to remove any loose particulate matter.

[eil]

Steelwool or gray scotchbrite will work too. Make sure you wash the cams in soap and water after you are done to remove any loose particulate matter.

And then lightly coat with oil, or else it'll be back to the steel wool again in short order.

[scotto58]

Thanks guys for the ideas. I will make sure to clean off the lobes and oil them when I'm done.

Scott

[megatwin]

I would just clean them lightly with a brass brush to get any loose surface rust off.
Most are just surface hardened,and once you get below that they will wear out very quickly.

[Dogma]

I would just clean them lightly with a brass brush to get any loose surface rust off.
Most are just surface hardened,and once you get below that they will wear out very quickly.

If you do anything to get below a case hardening, you've already worn out whatever it was. Case hardening is usually at least 0.5 mm deep, more like 1.5, and GS cams are hard at least that deep. Cams get ground after hardening, so they're not nitrided or any surface only treatment like that.