Camshaft Q

[Joe Kelsch]

Is it possible to have your camshaft in backwards?

My car runs like crap. It has lots of power, but the computer will take up to 19 degrees out of the timing according to the scanmaster. My brother thinks this may be the case since my cam sensor was in backwards when I got it. It ran...but backfired...a lot. We spun it around and it runs better, but still crappy. The plugs are clean, all my electronics seem to be in order. Boost is around 15-16 lbs. Fuel pressure is 43 lbs with the vacuum line off. I do need to put my new engine mounts in since the motor bounces around. I'm spinning my wheels here. I need some new suggestions.

 

[750H.P.V6]

Short answer is NO. It is possible to have the cam sensor in backwards like your brother said. If it was 180 degrees out the car would stumble and hesitate most likely due to the injector sequence being wrong. Have you pulled off the valve covers to verify all the rocker arms move ie:the cam doesn't have a flat lobe or lobes?

Neal

 

[Joe Kelsch]

I haven't pulled the valve covers yet. I'll try that sometime this week. A wasted cam would do all the things that I've said. But the plugs look good. They all have a normal burn pattern and don't have any oil buildup, so I never assumed the cam would be bad.

 

[750H.P.V6]

Joe,

Having a flat cam lobe can show up in different ways depending on how bad it is. Worst case scenario if an exhaust lobe is gone then the cylinder with the flat lobe actually fights against the other 5 under boost. Air is being forced in and can't get out. Typically you will see a large amout of knock retard at a low boost level, the car won't perform and to a trained ear sounds like it runs on 5. This may or may not be your problem but it's worth checking.

Neal