Cams pony up, or can they be cleaned

90'AWDTalonFroggy · Mar 6, 2017

Hello, I was mocking my motor up today. Putting everything I can back together to make sure I still have everything and to see what parts I need and/or replaced before I start purchasing everything for my rebuild. My goal for this car is 4-500 AWHP when all said and done, but just getting it back on the road for now. But I pulled my head out from my closest today that I had redone last February. It has been sitting there ever since I got it back covered by a towel. Like a D**B**S I never checked to make sure it was doing alright since it was inside and covered, and had a light oil film on it to help protect it till I installed it. Well when I pulled it out the cams looked like this and some of the Exhaust manifolds studs were stuck in the head and looked like they to were starting to rust, I'll eventually get them out and put new ones in, any good suggestions? If I don't have to buy new cams it would be nice since I am on a budget. Thanks in advance.

Also can anyone help with what turbo this is it don't say Mitsubishi on it and the numbers don't help I'm thinking its a ebay S16g, but I could be way wrong.

http://s346.photobucket.com/user/brandyfields2/library/?sort=3&page=1

91talonts1 · Mar 6, 2017

Hard to tell how pitted they are without taking the rust off the surface. They look pretty rough though, based on that pic I wouldn't run them personally. Are they aftermarket?

The compressor cover on that turbo suggests it's MHI, looks to be a small 16g.

90'AWDTalonFroggy · Mar 6, 2017

91talonts1 said:
Hard to tell how pitted they are without taking the rust off the surface. They look pretty rough though, based on that pic I wouldn't run them personally. Are they aftermarket?

The compressor cover on that turbo suggests it's MHI, looks to be a small 16g.

They look very rough LOL

, and I don't want to use them. I really want a set of comp cams. But I am on a budget. They are not aftermarket this head was redone with all stock parts last February, thankfully. Any Suggestions on cam potentials if I do have to get new ones?

I know it suggests MHI but it doesnt have Mitsubishi stamped on the compressor, don't they normally have it on there? I was thinking a S16g as well, but I can't move my wastegate actuator arm, so I was debating between rebuilding it and cleaning it all up, or buying a new one. But wasn't sure on what kit to possibly get, as I didn't know for sure the size of turbo.

91talonts1 · Mar 6, 2017

You could pick another set of stock cams up cheap.
No it won't say Mitsubishi on it. It will say TDO5H opposite of that tag in the pic with the serial numbers.
What I meant was the compressor cover is without a doubt MHI, no idea about the internals.

Murdertalon · Mar 6, 2017

I would clean those cams up and if pitted toss em. If they clean up nice and -it might be mostly surface rust, and they look good after cleaning I would probably use them. I have seen stuff surface rusted that cleans up pretty nice. If your on a tight budget I am sure you can get some other stock ones for not too much.

90'AWDTalonFroggy · Mar 6, 2017

91talonts1 said:
You could pick another set of stock cams up cheap.
No it won't say Mitsubishi on it. It will say TDO5H opposite of that tag in the pic with the serial numbers.
What I meant was the compressor cover is without a doubt MHI, no idea about the internals.

yea your right just a good excuse to get better cams LOL

.
AH gotcha well it definitely says TDO5H on it I have taken lots of pics of it trying to figure out what it is, but I try and upload pics and it tells me file to large need to get them to compress or just keep doing photobucket. But ill try and take a closer look for numbers on the turbo.

90'AWDTalonFroggy · Mar 6, 2017

"I would clean those cams up and if pitted toss em. If they clean up nice and -it might be mostly surface rust, and they look good after cleaning I would probably use them. I have seen stuff surface rusted that cleans up pretty nice. If your on a tight budget I am sure you can get some other stock ones for not too much."

If they do clean up nice Ill probably reuse them, any suggestions on what to use, I generally use brake cleaner for everything that isn't gaskets or on gaskets, anything specific I should use?

Marchev · Mar 6, 2017

Brake cleaner won't take that off. Your best bet is to get some 400 grit sand paper and try to polish them along with some scotch brite to finish. Take the cam off the head of course. If you have a local machine shop, or know someone that works at one, throw these on a lathe and they can polish them in minutes.

90'AWDTalonFroggy · Mar 8, 2017

Marchev said:
Brake cleaner won't take that off. Your best bet is to get some 400 grit sand paper and try to polish them along with some scotch brite to finish. Take the cam off the head of course. If you have a local machine shop, or know someone that works at one, throw these on a lathe and they can polish them in minutes.

I will probably just do that and take it to my machinist when I take in my block and see what he says about them as well and have him clean them up, He definitely has more experience in cams then I do.

1990TSIAWDTALON · Mar 8, 2017

Steel wool.

cheapracer · Mar 8, 2017

WOW, that rust looks pretty severe. You might be able to send them to a shop that does cam re-grinds. about $100 per cam and they can give you any profile you want. It can be a good way to go for the budget consious

Brembo · Mar 8, 2017

I think you should use some 1500 sand paper with some lube and send them until they look good. I don't think their is any bad rust just some surface rust. But I would take them out for that. Good luck and post back with the results.

90'AWDTalonFroggy · Mar 8, 2017

1990TSIAWDTALON said:
Steel wool.

Would that cause them to scratch and wouldn't I still need them to be polished by a machinist afterwards.

cheapracer said:
WOW, that rust looks pretty severe. You might be able to send them to a shop that does cam re-grinds. about $100 per cam and they can give you any profile you want. It can be a good way to go for the budget consious

Yea I thought so to. Didn't think of that route I'll have to look at that. I am budget conscious at this point. I am hoping that I'll still have roughly 2,000 left when I'm done with my rebuild then Ill start upgrading from there.

90'AWDTalonFroggy · Mar 8, 2017

Brembo said:
I think you should use some 1500 sand paper with some lube and send them until they look good. I don't think their is any bad rust just some surface rust. But I would take them out for that. Good luck and post back with the results.

I hope so myself. But yea definitely will take them out, Would like to keep the head as clean as possible.

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