Topic: Cam color

[TN00TJ]

I bought a Hesco H-264-14B cam and it's solid black, including the lobes and bearing surfaces.

Is this normal for their cams or did a polishing step get overlooked?

[dwtaylorpdx]

The cams get a moly coating, Mine came drop shipped from clay-smith cams who I
think does the custom grinds for Hesco..  Mine was black out of the box.

Break it in EXACTLY as described in the instructions.

Also there are special oils now that still have the nickle-suphur compounds
in them to get the proper surfacing on the cam and lifters. The govt
mandated the sulfur be removed a couple years ago so standard oils don't
have enough to properly break in camshafts. I believe Richard Childress and
a couple others sell it. There are also some sulfur additives but I have not tried them.

Low or non detergent straight dyno oil for breaking it in if nothing else.
I did the whole break-in on mine then changed it for clean and did it again at 500 miles.

Dave

Dave

[TN00TJ]

Dave, thanks a million for the update and the info.

I'll do exactly as you suggest. We used to do the airplane motors the same way.

[dwtaylorpdx]

I'll bet Aeroshell has all the sulfur and zinc.... Hmmm ya got me thinking now....

Dave

[TN00TJ]

Yeah, but it's been SO many years. 

Aeroshell 50 wt for initial runup and break-in (25 hours, iirc), used STP honey and Aeroshell mix for assembly lube.

Used Lycoming lifter additive to "prevent" lifter spalling per an AD which I've forgotten.

Hmmm...

These days, I represent the airline to the Feds and our jet heavy mx vendors do the rest.