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

[Advorsor]

Any chance anyone here would be selling their cams?

[rbg]

Shoot me a pm I have 272/280

[Advorsor]

pm’ed

[SamGrant951]

Just a datapoint, my 280/272 (reused stock followers) from the GB have been in for close to a year, lots of dyno pulls, 6 track days so far and some street driving, no issues. We broke them in off idle as I guess that's the worst beating a cam can take during break in? and used and have been using MoS2 from Liqui Moly. Pulled the valve cover and checked everything over - all wearing well so far, oil filter clean, no strange noises etc. Just in case anyone wasn't sleeping well at night after installing these, mine so far aren't showing any signs of failure. Will update if that changes!

[Mr.wReckless]

Just a datapoint, my 280/272 (reused stock followers) from the GB have been in for close to a year, lots of dyno pulls, 6 track days so far and some street driving, no issues. We broke them in off idle as I guess that's the worst beating a cam can take during break in? and used and have been using MoS2 from Liqui Moly. Pulled the valve cover and checked everything over - all wearing well so far, oil filter clean, no strange noises etc. Just in case anyone wasn't sleeping well at night after installing these, mine so far aren't showing any signs of failure. Will update if that changes!

When you say you broke them in off idle, just to clarify you ran them
1: @ idle for a while,
or
2: never @ idle (for what is practically possible)
?

And how many miles total?

Regards

[jet_dogg]

Schrick specifically advised me against breaking new cams in at idle.

[SamGrant951]

Mileage won't be anything compared to a DD as this is mainly just a trailered track car but its tagged and I drive it around a bit, and I made a point to drive it more than I usually would after install. I would assume if I was going to see some wear / hear some bad noises - after 6 track days of flogging the car going out in multiple run groups per day / taking passengers/students etc I would see something by now but who knows.

When we installed them we broke them in by keeping the revs up around 2-3k rpm for 10-15min and then I just started driving it / flogging it (never letting it idle at a red light etc) then dyno'd it, then right to the track where it seems to be pretty happy so far. We still need to do more tuning as my OBD2 wiring got buggered up during the dyno tuning, now replaced so should be ready to get it back on a dyno again.

Like I said just (1) data point on the good side so far and Ill be sure to report back if for some reason things go south.

[Syfon]

I've installed Cat 280/272 in my S54. Motor underwent a full re-build at 93,000km (~57,000mi).
Ran the motor in during first start-up (varying revs, ~30min).

So far have driven ~850km. Changed the oil several times and removed the valve cover for inspection. Nothing abnormal to report.

Over the last ~100km, I've been revving it out. See what happens after a tune and a couple thousand km.

[N44BF]

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

I haven’t been active on this forum since things moved from the old M3F. What happened with Leighton? I never participated in the group buys but seemed like a lot of people were happy when they started off?

[stash1]

I haven’t been active on this forum since things moved from the old M3F. What happened with Leighton? I never participated in the group buys but seemed like a lot of people were happy when they started off?

Oh lawd...

[N44BF]

Oh lawd...

Give it to me Stash.

[stash1]

Give it to me Stash.

Ehhh, well, maybe...maybe he started off w/good intentions? He did organize several GB's on here that did get ppl some discounted pricing on some popular items...but the first red flag was the whole Streamline fiasco! There were multiple communication issues, and then actual issues w/a couple of their products...they didn't live up to anywhere near the hype. He then quietly distanced himself from Streamline...leaving ppl to deal w/their sub-standard products on their own. He also started an OE CSL wheel GB right before M3F expired, but then turned into vapor man when the new forum was up and running...leaving ppl guessing where their money/wheels were. That's just plain scum baggy and irresponsible in my book. Maybe he had some personal stuff going on (who knows), but to just leave ppl high and dry is kind of inexcusable IMO. There's prolly some other stuff, but think that sums it up pretty well.

[N44BF]

Ehhh, well, maybe...maybe he started off w/good intentions? He did organize several GB's on here that did get ppl some discounted pricing on some popular items...but the first red flag was the whole Streamline fiasco! There were multiple communication issues, and then actual issues w/a couple of their products...they didn't live up to anywhere near the hype. He then quietly distanced himself from Streamline...leaving ppl to deal w/their sub-standard products on their own. He also started an OE CSL wheel GB right before M3F expired, but then turned into vapor man when the new forum was up and running...leaving ppl guessing where their money/wheels were. That's just plain scum baggy and irresponsible in my book. Maybe he had some personal stuff going on (who knows), but to just leave ppl high and dry is kind of inexcusable IMO. There's prolly some other stuff, but think that sums it up pretty well.

Ah okay so I didn’t miss anything at all
I witnessed those things go down but figured there could’ve been some developments since I’m not active on the new forum.

[RazorM]

Reviving the thread. You guys that are using Cat Cams with reused followers, happy with that? Any thoughts?

I am not sure if consensus about this generally moved somewhere or not, as many people here on on forum use new cams with reused followers.

I am thinking to buy a set of 280/272 Cat Cams and since there are no 320si rockers available now, reuse the stock followers.

[SamGrant951]

I forgot about this thread, so to update mine ended up failing at Road Atlanta, a chunk actually came off a lobe...cat cams warrantied the cams but I had to buy their oil bridge/new followers at a discount. They won't allow you to buy just the cams anymore and said no failures reported since that decision. Ive been busy with other projects and haven't had time to deal with it yet. I still think it was the bad batch of cams themselves more than it was reusing my followers personally....plenty had done it before without issue. It really was the group buy cams that seem to fail...