David Ware - Pinned Cam Failure # 395

new 4/7/04, updated 4/11/04

Big Wow.

As some of you know, I sold my SHO a little while back. The guy who bought it understood all about the cam issue, indeed Phillip (aka Baby Brudder to those of you who attended camfest OKC. ) is the one who just called with the diagnosis and is the one who put this guy onto the car in the first place. So, SHOSHOP if you're listening, and even if you're not, SOMEBODY will be a bit happy that Roger (the OKC welder), under Kirk's direction, went ahead and welded them. So, we have an extra set that will be going back in.

Upon initial assessment (which is optimistic to say the least) it appears that a roll pin worked its way loose, and landed on the head between a cam lobe and the sprocket. There doesn't appear to be any valve or piston damage, but alas it's still early. I'm leaving in ten minutes and heading over there to get a few (few hundred) photographs of this developing twist in the WELD or PIN debate that's been raging since the dawn of SHOCAMFAILURE.

And Kirk hates to tell me so, but he told me so. And you were right dude. We should've welded those beyotches when you were here. Anyone with PINNED cams, you got another problem as predicted long ago. Get them pins welded, they're hell on the inside of your motor.

Wasn't this a Ford authorized correction? I paid a thousand dollars for those muthrfluggers and another 1450 dollars to have them installed.

So, does this qualify old NiteSHO as a dual cam failure? Larry and the boys, you can bet yer ass those pics will be forthcoming ASAP. They aughta make for some interesting "evidence". Lemme know if you need the cams themselves.

Tom from SHOSHOP, thanks for your worthless products. The pulley's didn't work. (until someone Kirked the steering pulley LOL) The cams failed and the flex pipe for the 3rd cat is rusting NICELY. Can I get my money back? Ahahahahahaa.....I thought so.

In conclusion, if anyone has an pearls of wisdom for the victim (who will remain nameless for now), other than the obvious condolences, send them off list at my other addy: davidware@sbcglobal.net

(hah, the green underglow still works tho! )

Happy weekend, It's miller time!

Dave, the SHO owner formally known as NITESHO
74000 approx miles at time of PINNED cam install
84,590 miles when I sold it
91384 miles when the ROLL PIN SCHYT THE F****** BED
$2,450 down the schytter
$__????___ to fix it back again
Timing $___ priceless (sorry dude LOL)

I tried real hard not to cuss during the composition of this email.
Sorry about the failures and the veiled attempts to cover them LOL

I think Ford had the same experience, longevity of pinned cams could be greatly improved by tack welding the pin in place.

see also Kirk & Buford on Pinning

This is a 2nd failure, same car see also http://www.v8sho.com/SHO/DavidWare%20CamFailure.htm. Original cams were swapped out with pinned cams when they started clicking, those whis pinned cams should inspect them from time to time.

Buford

Since very early on, virtually the first day of the pinned/welded "debate", welding has been very much proven.

Pinning was NEVER a Ford approved repair, but, as you probably know, we did get a report from within Ford (not through official channels) that some destructive testing was done to several cams with pinning (done by Ford I assume) beating welding by a noticeable but unimportant margin (both appearing to be longer lived than the car was likely to go).

Welding the pins to the sprocket after pinning, has been a recommend addition to the pinning procedure for some time now.

Too bad this happened, but in all fairness, you can't assume that ALL pinned cams, by SHO Shop or anyone else, will fail in a similar fashion. It doesn't sound good, but try not to make the leap to that conclusion without proof, and it isn't there now.

Personally, I have always advocated welding, because it is much less expensive, proven and easier to do. I would also say it would also be harder to screw up. I had my SHO welded. (Doug at FPS, one of the early cars to be welded).

I don't remember all the details, but did the guy you sold the car too, get the cams pinned or did you?

From what you mention here, the cams were pinned, and then they were welded in the typical fashion, and the pins were not welded in as now recommended?

If that is the case, isn't it just a little bit possible that the welding in addition to the pinning caused the pins to be more susceptible to coming loose? Don't jump all over me, I am just asking, trying to understand what happened without blaming everyone before knowing all the facts.

Don Mallinson

Hello, is this thing working. Could have sworn this was just mentioned about pins coming out, of course the one I am glad there doesn't seem to be the damage. Hmmm....

Carter Fuji

The only Ford authorized fix was the Locktite. I believe they said that pinning would last longer than welding, though.

Paul L Fisher

Loctite may be authorized, don't know if I would call it a repair?

Tim

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