FYI: It looks like a significant portion of s54 Cat Cams are failing

[Obioban]

https://www.e46fanatics.com/threads/cat-cams-installation-problem-no-pressure-regulator-valve-on-oe-cams-to-transfer.1272353/

[Radekxpl]

Yes to be specific it’s NOT all CatCams only the ones from that group buy Leighton was running on old M3forum.


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[Obioban]

Yes to be specific it’s NOT all CatCams only the ones from that group buy Leighton was running on old M3forum.


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Oh? What was different about them? Have to admit I didn't really pay attention to the GB as it was happening, as I already had cams.

[jbfrancis3]

Those were the "billet" CatCams?

[Sharocks]

Anything run by Leighton was terrible.

Those were the dark days.

[repoman89]

Anything run by Leighton was terrible.

Those were the dark days.

I started to get suspicious of that dude when each time I asked him for a quote for a CSL trunk it was just the Schmiedmann price after shipping +$100. “Group buy” lol. Ordered it from Schmiedmann instead.

[Radekxpl]

Oh? What was different about them? Have to admit I didn't really pay attention to the GB as it was happening, as I already had cams.

They were the billet ones, which had hardening issue causing permanently failure specially if installed with existing follower hardware, most people did installed them that way which accelerated the wear/failure even more. ask me how I know 🤦 well thankfully that story had happy ending and all is good now👍.


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[Mr.wReckless]

They were the billet ones, which had hardening issue causing permanently failure specially if installed with existing follower hardware, most people did installed them that way which accelerated the wear/failure even more. ask me how I know 🤦 well thankfully that story had happy ending and all is good now👍.


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I was a part of this GB and I haven't fitted my cams yet. Not sure I'm gonna bother now if there's questions to the hardening process. Who at catcams did you contact to resolve your issue? Mind sharing a contact e-mail via PM if so?

Regards

[maupineda]

I was a part of this GB and I haven't fitted my cams yet. Not sure I'm gonna bother now if there's questions to the hardening process. Who at catcams did you contact to resolve your issue? Mind sharing a contact e-mail via PM if so?

Regards

HRC can be measured, should de 55-58 RC. If not then just return them.

[Mr.wReckless]

HRC can be measured, should de 55-58 RC. If not then just return them.

Doing followers adds so much labour to this job. I was hoping to avoid that but not sure if I dare now. Maybe I should just do a pre-emptive head gasket over next winter storage and do it with the head off the engine and out of the car..

HRC and RC refers to hardness on the Rockwell scale?

Regards

[SandeepM3]

Anything run by Leighton was terrible.

Those were the dark days.

lol This! "Im doing this for no benefit to myself. Only for the community" pshhht

[maupineda]

Doing followers adds so much labour to this job. I was hoping to avoid that but not sure if I dare now. Maybe I should just do a pre-emptive head gasket over next winter storage and do it with the head off the engine and out of the car..

HRC and RC refers to hardness on the Rockwell scale?

Regards

Yes, Rockwell C scale. I once used aftermarket cams on a renault sport Clio and I measured 44-46 RC, they were fine for the miles I had the car but I always felt they were “soft” but they used hydraulic lifters with roller followers, for our engine you do want 50+ HRC.

all you need is measure two base circles just to have two data points.

If I was doing this I would save and do followers too as insurance policy if you plan to keep the car for long.

[02_lsb]

Between this and airbox thread... what a week.

[jet_dogg]

Cheap parts are more expensive in the long run.

[maw1124]

I was always warned that this car is “allergic to aftermarket parts”. Experience seems to be bearing that out, more or less, with some very specific exceptions — tunes, exhaust. But anything in the engine?!?! FOH, I ain’t buying it. BMW M fettled with the inline 6 until they couldn’t do it any better and gave up; and I’m going to improve upon that finished product?

🤨🧐🤔

Not likely.

maw