BIG PROBLEMS!!

[Craig]

1983 GS1100. New cams from APE...longer duration and higher lift. Rebore to 1166cc. 750 oil pump gears. The #4 exhaust cam lobe is shot!! The engine ran for about 4 hours and I was noticing the the valve adjustment was getting sloppy, so I pulled off the cover and went to adjust the lash, and the lobe has worn away. The rocker pad is also shot. I turned the engine over (with the plugs out) with the starter motor, and I am seeing oil on the lobe surface, so I think I am getting oil where it should be. I went and looked at my old cams, and they are showing no signs of wear. Could I have a bad cam? Did it not get hardened properly? Any ideas??. I have ordered a new rocker arm and I will put my old cams back in so that I can ride my bike, but I am now out $400.00 cdn. for the new cams!!

Frustratingly yours...Craig

[SqDancerLynn1]

What kind of valve springs do you have?? What kind of breakin did you do? Do you have hardened rocker pad?
Replacing the stockers back in make sure to replace the #4 ex rocker. You should be able to send the cam in and have it welded and remachined

[gsbill]

Did you call Jay at APE yet? They are good people..Call them..Its sometimes hard to get thru to Jay, but dont give up...They will help you.

Regards,
Bill F.

PS...Did you make sure that the oil pump gears engaged the back side of your clutch basket? Its an easy mistake to mis-assemble those parts..

[Anonymous]

flat

did you use new or refinished rockers, if refinished did they have the correct radius? does the cam you used requirer a modified radius, if you used your old rokers on a new cam, may lead to early failure do to cross patterning on the rocker heel

[Craig]

I used the heavy duty springs form APE. No, the rocker pads were not welded, but stock. The break-in was done as per the instructions that came with this cams. As far as having the gears meshing on the oil pump, if they were not meshing, I think I would have had problems alot sooner and of a larger magnitude.

Craig

[RacingJake]

Were they WEBB cams.

[gsbill]

Not the actual gears meshing...The nubs on the drive gear need to fit in a slot on the back side of the clutch basket...Just helping you think....

[Craig]

Yes, they are Webb cams. The surface on the cams seemed to be fairly rough and coated with a black coating prior to installation.

Craig

[gsbill]

Those cams do have a warranty.

[RacingJake]

I've never seen or touch a WEBB cam, but I have heard from different people from different WEB sites say that WEBB cams do have some longevity problems. Maybe it's a quality issue?.