HELP just snapped cam!!!

[Green16v]

Going down the motorway and the revs died so i dropped the clutch in straight away to save any engine damage, first thoughts after checking oil and water was coil or dizzy so got towed home and replaced coil and dizzy. No joy so took dizzy off the rotor arm wasnt spinning so took oil cap off and watched the cam not spining but the cam pulley and belt was so took off rocker cover and to my amazment the cam has snapped in the middle!!!!!!!!

Its a nova GTE engine so are there any difference between the gte and gsi cam??
the engine has been turbo'ed is this something common or did i just have a weak cam??

Anyone in the midlands area have a cam willing to pick up tonight or tomoz PLEASE!!!!!!

Cheers

[Adam]

Gte and Gsi cams are the same.
You can fit any cam tho with a Pin drive end plate(1.4Sr/1.4Sri/Gte/Gsi) they will all "work"

Sometimes that can happen if the cam housing bottom surface isn't quite flat, so it puts strain on the cam.

Is the cambelt fine, not slipped?

[Green16v]

No cam belt not slipped, car just died. never had that happen before

[draper]

unlucky mate, taki it thats why you didnt make it to the meet this afternoon ?? was looking forward to seeing the turbo'd nova

[Stanley]

Has it had the head gasket replaced before?

If so, was the head skimmed?

If the head is warped, it will put strain on the cam and eventually snap it

[Green16v]

Yes mate i was coming to the meet maybe next time.

Dont know history of the engine's because i built one mint engine out of 2 gte engines., but engine had full strip and rebuild with gen parts.

[Adam]

Think i've got a gte cam in the loft.
Im in stoke, where in the midlands are you?
Walsall?

[Green16v]

just got one picking it up in an hour, local lad was throwing one away (crime) so ive got it for free.

[Stuart]

should have been in technical ;) and will be soon.


Youy ideally need to get the top of the head skimmed (parallel to the bottom once thats been done) if the head has ever warped (and if you didnt check then no offence but you live and learn).

[Phil GTE]

I went through 3 cams in a year - cheaper to swap one every 4 months rather than skim head and buy new headgasket etc


but I had a new engine waiting to go in. If yourkepping this engine, threat like a head gasket failure, plus I suggest you change the oil pump whilst your at in.