Here's A Surprise!

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My 2003 Honda Element just recently developed a top-end ticking noise (2.4 litre engine). This vehicle has exactly 100,000 miles on it, and I have owned it since the 38,000 mile mark. Anyway, I looked in my manual and it says the first scheduled valve adjustment is at 110,000 miles. So I decided, with the top end noise, that I'd better check things a little early.

This engine has always been maintained perfectly, and I have been using Amsoil with 7000 mile OCIs for some time (with Pure One filters). When I pulled the valve cover, it looked absolutely beautiful and clean. However, as I set the valves I discovered that one camshaft lobe (exhaust, cylinder #1) had a damaged lobe. It is not on the ramp area, but rather it is on the heel of the lobe. It looks like the hardness "wore-off" and the lobe became pitted. Needless to say, the ticking will not go away until I change the camshaft. At $400.00, this kind of sucks. I am kind of in shock right now.

I wish I could post pictures here, but I don't know how.

Any ideas on what could have caused this problem?
 
I'm sure it's not the oil. Amsoil is a great product. Camshaft is probably defective from the get go.
 
Originally Posted By: tig1
I'm sure it's not the oil. Amsoil is a great product. Camshaft is probably defective from the get go.
Originally Posted By: Quest
humm...




+1 I have been running it for over 120K KM (65K Miles) with zero issues. It has actually made my engine so quiet I can't hear it running most times, and has eliminated my lifter ticking on cold mornings.

I would have to say your Cam was bad from the get-go.
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Highly unlikely that any oil could have prevented this. What I would do is scour the web for other folks with the same engine and see if there are patterns. Probably just an isolated case of a cam area not fully hardened, but it could also be that oil is not delivered to that area fully.
 
Bad cam or something else. Having Amsoil with in 3 feet of any oil lubricated part should be enough to protect!!!
 
ravenchris- All cars have defective parts somewhere and all cars eventually break.

Given the number of parts and the fairly low cost of vehicles I am surprised they are as reliable as they are.
 
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Cavitation. When air bubbles become rapidly pressurized, such as in a pump or journal bearing, destructive microjets of oil can collide with machine surfaces at extremely high velocities. Some have estimated that the velocities may approach the speed of sound. The result is a progressive localized erosion of these surfaces.
 
Originally Posted By: joflewbyu2
Cavitation. When air bubbles become rapidly pressurized, such as in a pump or journal bearing, destructive microjets of oil can collide with machine surfaces at extremely high velocities. Some have estimated that the velocities may approach the speed of sound. The result is a progressive localized erosion of these surfaces.


Wow,uh thats quite an explanation theirjoflewbyu2.
 
We need a comment from our resident engineers (Shannow and XS650 come to mind) on the acute dynamic aspects of backside of the lobe.

The isolated damage area does tend to discount a lubricant issue.
 
Originally Posted By: lexus114
Originally Posted By: joflewbyu2
Cavitation. When air bubbles become rapidly pressurized, such as in a pump or journal bearing, destructive microjets of oil can collide with machine surfaces at extremely high velocities. Some have estimated that the velocities may approach the speed of sound. The result is a progressive localized erosion of these surfaces.


Wow,uh thats quite an explanation theirjoflewbyu2.


Wiki it. It's quite detailed.

It would be a stretch for such a condition (or so I would reason) to be isolated to the one lobe and only on the down ramp.
 
Whoa guys! Maybe I did not construct my post correctly, but it was not intended to bash either Honda or Amsoil. I only meant to convey the shock I experienced when I pulled the valve cover.

Love it or hate it, I am a huge fan of Japanese products and Amsoil. Ten years ago, you would not have seen either in my garage.

The only North American vehicle I currently own is my beloved 1968 Pontiac GTO convertible. I have owned this car since 1985, when I began its restoration. The restoration was completed in 1987, and it was done to 100% original specs. I never thought I would say this, but I have lost almost all interest in this car. I respect the fact that this car was built 40 years ago, but by today's standards it is like using an outhouse when there is a flushing toilet two feet away.

I made the switch to Japanese products in the late 1990s after having lots to do with their incredible sportbike engines. Amsoil came about 2006, when I began to see great UOA results in the same Japanese sportbike engines.

Again, I do not blame either Amsoil or Honda for this particular failure. I guess I just had the perception that I was using the best of both worlds when I discovered the funky camshaft lobe.

Worse things can happen. I do get that.
 
Well Honda has had their goof ups with engines. Remember the 96 Accord oil seal that would come out of the front housing around the balance shaft. All of the oil would leak out suddenly and oops, there goes the engine. Happened to my son. Lost most of the oil in less than one mile. I had to fix the thing.
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Trust me, it's nothing you posted. People live for blaming something, or someone. Amsoil and Japanese cars are good targets.



So are American cars and M1. Targets that is.
 
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Originally Posted By: Pablo
Trust me, it's nothing you posted. People live for blaming something, or someone. Amsoil and Japanese cars are good targets.
+1
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I didn't take it that way, I was just stating the great luck I had with Amsoil products and why I thought it was most likely a factory defect.
 
This just proves all Hondas are garbage and I will never own one.

Oh wait, I thought we were talking about GM here...
 
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