Yes mustangmark, this is method I plan on using tonight, as long as the hurricane winds slow down a little this evening. Thanks for the tip!

Rob, I would agree with the way mustangmark suggested. I've run solids on hydraulic for years with no issues but the cam must be a steel billet with a cast iron gear. If it is a cast cam the lifters will beat the snot out of the lobes in a short period of time. The bottom of the cam is not totally round, it dips in before opening. If you need a hand give me a call 889-0928. I'm not that far from you. JimV

Thanks JimV, would this cam have billet lobes, and a cast dist gear? Crane hydraulic roller special part #168731 grind #hr-226/345-2s-12ig. I have been wrenching all my life, just never had the chance to do the internal engine stuff. With some good instructions I should be able to tackle this. I printed of the same detailed instructions that mustangmark suggested, so I can have them right in front of me while I do it.

Well not the best night, re adjusted lash on all valves tonight which went really smooth. Took them to .010 like the engien builder said. Well after learning how to properly do it, realized they where all within .002 of .010 already. Even the one that was measuring .040 before. Well what I realized is that as the cam turns this one rocker/cam lobe would loosen up to about .040 as the cam turns. So basically my heart sank right there and then, cause I knew it was the cam. I adjusted it anyways so that when it came to the loosest part on the lobe is was measuring .012, re assembled everything and fired for just a second or two. Yep still knocks. Shut it down, pulled oil filter and cut it open with tin snips. It has a fair amount of very very small metal particles, sitting on the bottom of the fiilter housing. So I have come to the conclusion I have a **** cam lobe, does that sound correct? Next question is the rest of the motor trashed cause it ran for a little while with the metal in the oil? It still runs sweet, but I am not sure how to proceed forward at this point. My feelings are this, pull both motors, new more agressive cams, new hydraulic roller lifters, and new push rods for both. It is so freaking windy out there. Had this boat 6 days, feeling pretty sweet right now!!!

that really sucks, another big block that had the cam for dinner. does anyone know how they where broke in. did they use joe gibbs or other brand to break them in? remember break in break in is very important.

So what is the most aggressive cam I can run in these things with stainless marine wet headers. If I am redoing these things I want the end result to be better and nastier sounding than what i started with. Also I want to run prochargers on these in the future, at 5 pounds boost. Is there a good cam that I can run for a season or two as NA motors, but will respond well to the blowers when the time comes. I just hate to do all this work, and spend all this money just to have the same set up I started with. Would really like something that sounds mean!!!

I would go with the crane 168741 cam. Its a bit more aggressive than the ones you have now, and work very well with blowers. I would skip the prochargers, and stick with a roots style blower. I know too many guys with prochargers and spend lots of hours trying to get them to work properly. Once setup they make lots of power, but theres a reason all the big builders are still using roots blowers even on 1000+hp marine motors.

Introduce yourself to jimv. he is close to you. Let him help you get your motors straightened out. i agree you should switch to hydraulic roller lifters.

For all you know, you could have valve springs binding, too stiff of valve springs, etc. JimV will be able to get you going in the right direction.

Sucks, but at least you have all winter to go thru them, and come spring, you will have some bad a$$ motors. Hopefully you maybe just need fresh bearings in the bottom end. The cam material will get in them. Hopefully you cought it fast enough where the crank/rods didnt get hurt. It sounds like you'll be ok.

oh, BTW, if you want it to sound MEAN, while you have the motors out, bring your tailpipes to a good stainless welder. Have them extended all the way thru the transom (eliminating the rubber hose connectors). Run them dry out the back all the way. It will sound mean. Then when you put 5-6psi of boost thru the motors, it will sound REALLY mean. However, at that point, you'll probably be making 700+hp and blowing drives, which dont sound mean!

Fixx
 

you say the engines only have 5 hr's on them? talk to the builder and see if theirs any warranty!! also cut open the oil filter on the other motor and compare the metal particles,could be from brake in..if the cam is going south it usually starts at the top of the lobe and not the side..

as for your next cam talk to bob madara @ marine kinetics,he is to cam god on here..

Rob, sorry to hear. You need to now accurately assess what are the problems and now need to take a systematic approach on how to fix the problems. Take JimV up on the phone call and talk to him. He setup my cams and heads. Going extreme is just going to be more problems long term. BTW I run some radical cams with my with my Stainless Marine exhaust, but they are dry to the tips.

When I cut open my oil filters there was a little flakes in them from break in. No problems.