supercharged_hp

Haha, yeah I was thinking they might have accidentally used a Toyota I-Force cam.

It's really weird considering that there's no drag on the cam like an injection pump and it never sees over 3000 rpm.

Dodge is deciding whether to replace the cam or the entire engine right now so I abandoned the truck here and am flying back home... or was planning to fly back, now my flight got canceled on account of a snowstorm in Salt Lake City and I'm stranded at the airport. It has been a tough week lol.

Copenhagenjunkie

I'll be in RS until 4am tomorrow then I leave with the wrestling team to Reno. Once again if you need anything give me a call. 389-0531.

We could get you a free ride to the SLC airprort tomorrow morning if nothing works out today. That airport would be better to be stuck in than the one here!

fredbert

A camshaft just doesn't break like that! There had to be some serious drag on it such as a seized bearing. And I would be surprised if you still have 24 straight valves and 6 pistons without holes in the top of them. Insist on a new engine unless they can prove to you there is no collateral damage. Good luck and please keep us posted.

FMB

An interesting read on DonM's site, about the Helix camshafts (an upgrade). Look at the paragraph for the 2nd picture. Apparently, it is common enough to engineer around it.

supercharged_hp

Found out they're replacing the engine under warranty, so that is good news!

J BODY

Just curious.....what engine oil? Just read something the other day relating to camshafts in Cummins and a certain brand was related between the two. PM me the info if you would.

Checkmate

see if you can buy the old engine off of them. :-)

supercharged_hp

J Body, I had the truck's oil changed just 500 miles before the camshaft broke at a Jiffy Lube while I was on the road. I requested Rotella T because that's what we use in our heavy fleet and it's a high quality oil. I wasn't watching them close enough to see if they really did use it but they definitely charged me for it. I made them use the Mopar filter I had in the truck.

Buying the old engine is a good idea... having a used CR cummins laying around at the yard couldn't hurt. Maybe I could get it rebuilt, port out the heads, throw a Helix 2 and some springs in her, get it fire ringed.

nitrousn

It would be nice to see a picture of the cam. It would also be interesting to see what caused it to break? Breaking at the front either tells you something further down the shaft either bound up breaking it or a possible defect is the cam casting itself. As far as I know there is only 2 cam bearings in that motor. At least the 12 valve motors only had 2. Thats an awful long shaft. The spring pressures are light. If oil was considered to be at fault you would think there would be some scuffing or gauling in some areas. As J-Body said he had heard of another breaking. Might be a coincidence on the rotella and cam failure as a big majority of diesels run the rotella. Bummer no matter what caused it.

J BODY

Here is the post that I read back in early Dec... lots of "friend of guy I know" etc... No mention of "broken" cam, but one would have to "assume" galling or failed lobes from the parts ordered. Again....lots of "heresay".

Just find it interesting and I guess since my truck is filled with Rotella, just as it has been for years, I am in test mode

I would urge the original poster to find out "where" the cam broke, and see what the break looks like: "twisting"?, clean break?, and "where" did it become two? Of course the odds are pretty great that they won't pull apart the old engine that far. I know I wouldn't on warranty time. Out with the old....in with the new.

Checkmate

Yes, there are only 2 bearings, one in front and one at rear, however it also rides on the block at points in between. Unless there is definate signs of siezure, I would definately suspect a defect in the cam itself.
I have to wonder what the dealer will do with the engine.
I would definately look into buying it, and if they "can't" maybe CASH would make it doable. (in a situation where Dodge would say it has to be scrapped) Cash might make it stay NEXT to the dumpster so to speak.

J BODY

There is a core on the engine and it WILL go back to Cummins.