2010 Accord--Pitted cam lobe pics

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What do guys think caused this? 2010 Accord at 250k miles. Just one lobe is pitted. I was hearing a tick, so I pulled the valve cover to adjust the valves.....
 

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That type of damage (looks like chunks missing from the cam lobe or follower surface) can be an oil related failure. It can be brought on by corrosion, although I would guess insufficient viscosity first, followed by low ZDDP content. The other part of this equation is insufficient hardening of the cam lobe or follower.

If it were starved for oil there would likely be circumferential grooves.

This kind of failure is also common on Lycoming aircraft engines. The total lack of ZDDP in aircraft engine oil means that oil viscosity alone must do the job. Which, it can't always do, especially when oil changes are extended, insufficient viscosity is chosen, or engines are allowed to sit for extended periods of time. You may notice in the pic below that some tappets are bad and others fine.



images
 
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A quick Google search shows that people have posted about spalling of the exhaust cam lobe(s). Typically, it's found on just 1 or 2 lobes and always just on the exhaust cam -- as is seen on my engine. About 80k miles ago, the timing chain and everything that touches it was replaced, including the VTC Actuator and VTC Solenoid. No visible problem with the cam was seen at that time.

I always run 30 or even 0w40 in this car. I have always ran high grade oil -- Mobil 1 or Renewable Lubricants. After the timing chain change, I dropped my OCI from 9k miles back down to 5k.

I'm a little disappointed in finding this.

You think I should just run the car as is until it starts to run poorly? It runs great still, but there is a tapping noise coming from this problem. I'm not sure I want to spend $1000+ fixing this issue on a 13 year old car with 250k miles on it that has slight front end damage from a deer collision.....
 
A quick Google search shows that people have posted about spalling of the exhaust cam lobe(s). Typically, it's found on just 1 or 2 lobes and always just on the exhaust cam -- as is seen on my engine. About 80k miles ago, the timing chain and everything that touches it was replaced, including the VTC Actuator and VTC Solenoid. No visible problem with the cam was seen at that time.

I always run 30 or even 0w40 in this car. I have always ran high grade oil -- Mobil 1 or Renewable Lubricants. After the timing chain change, I dropped my OCI from 9k miles back down to 5k.

I'm a little disappointed in finding this.

You think I should just run the car as is until it starts to run poorly? It runs great still, but there is a tapping noise coming from this problem. I'm not sure I want to spend $1000+ fixing this issue on a 13 year old car with 250k miles on it that has slight front end damage from a deer collision.....

I wouldn’t. It’s only going to deteriorate further, and probably pretty quick. All of that fine iron will end up in the oil.

JMO either fix it, or unload it.
 
A quick Google search shows that people have posted about spalling of the exhaust cam lobe(s). Typically, it's found on just 1 or 2 lobes and always just on the exhaust cam -- as is seen on my engine. About 80k miles ago, the timing chain and everything that touches it was replaced, including the VTC Actuator and VTC Solenoid. No visible problem with the cam was seen at that time.

I always run 30 or even 0w40 in this car. I have always ran high grade oil -- Mobil 1 or Renewable Lubricants. After the timing chain change, I dropped my OCI from 9k miles back down to 5k.

I'm a little disappointed in finding this.

You think I should just run the car as is until it starts to run poorly? It runs great still, but there is a tapping noise coming from this problem. I'm not sure I want to spend $1000+ fixing this issue on a 13 year old car with 250k miles on it that has slight front end damage from a deer collision.....
How is the top-end of your engine so nasty?
 
A quick Google search shows that people have posted about spalling of the exhaust cam lobe(s). Typically, it's found on just 1 or 2 lobes and always just on the exhaust cam -- as is seen on my engine. About 80k miles ago, the timing chain and everything that touches it was replaced, including the VTC Actuator and VTC Solenoid. No visible problem with the cam was seen at that time.

I always run 30 or even 0w40 in this car. I have always ran high grade oil -- Mobil 1 or Renewable Lubricants. After the timing chain change, I dropped my OCI from 9k miles back down to 5k.

I'm a little disappointed in finding this.

You think I should just run the car as is until it starts to run poorly? It runs great still, but there is a tapping noise coming from this problem. I'm not sure I want to spend $1000+ fixing this issue on a 13 year old car with 250k miles on it that has slight front end damage from a deer collision.....
Follow the post by Javier. You can see the camshaft is varnished worse around the cam lobe with the issue than the others. You need to confirm you have sufficient oil flow matching the rest of the camshaft.

After you’ve done this and rectified any blockages (oil fed rockers blocked?) then it’s upto you if you run it and kill it then send to the crusher or fix it now as no one can say how long you will get out of that cam.
 
The oil being used + OCI have to be considered = a failure. Not exactly for the corrosion but the gunk in the engine.
Still , strange that one spot ONLY , metal failing like it is. Something could have happened during manufacture or even in storage to start corrosion. Like to know what any of our Honda techs thinks or has seen similar? I have seen new parts ruined by not being covered , boxed or wrapped properly in storage.
 
Did oil become too acidic (from lack of change) and wear the cams much sooner ?
 
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