Camshaft Service Video

The camshaft controls when your engine's intake and exhaust valves open and close. Its lobes push against the lifters in precise synchronization with the crankshaft. Wear on these lobes can disrupt valve timing and affect combustion.

This video compares a healthy cam lobe with a worn one and shows where wear patterns typically begin. It also explains how a scuffed lifter can reveal early damage before the engine starts running rough.

Camshaft wear typically begins when the lobe's hardened surface breaks down, often due to oil starvation or extended oil change intervals. As the lobe loses its original shape, it may no longer fully open the valve. The lifter riding on the worn cam lobe can also become damaged. Metal particles released into the oil can accelerate wear in other valvetrain components. As a result, camshaft damage can lead to more extensive engine problems over time.

A persistent ticking sound from the top of the engine that continues after the oil warms up may indicate a camshaft problem. Other signs include a rough idle that smooths out at higher RPM and misfire codes associated with a specific cylinder. Highway commutes on I-55 place engines under sustained loads that can make camshaft wear more noticeable than during city driving. A worn cam lobe may still function at idle but fail to open the valve fully at sustained higher RPM.

If your engine is showing these signs, check engine light diagnostics is usually the right first step to isolate which cylinder and which cam event is affected.

Parks Automotive starts by removing the valve cover to inspect the cam lobes and lifters. We also check the oil for metal particles and review live data to compare camshaft and crankshaft position sensor signals. This work falls under our broader  engine diagnostics services. We determine whether a cam problem is a standalone repair or the visible symptom of an upstream lubrication or timing issue.

If replacement is necessary, we remove the valve cover and, when required, the timing components. We then replace the camshaft and all lifters that operated against it. Before the break-in procedure, we refill the engine with fresh oil and install a new oil filter. We source matched camshaft and lifter sets when required, since reusing worn lifters with a new camshaft can quickly damage the replacement parts.

Call Parks Automotive at (573) 335-2599 to have a suspected camshaft issue looked at, or find your trusted mechanic in Cape Girardeau, MO, online. Drivers from Jackson and Scott City bring their vehicles to us for valvetrain work as part of routine engine care.