I think i may have a snapped camshaft

Josh Slade

Club Member
So i was trying to get the car started and heard it was making no compression, so i did a compression test and confirmed that. I took the cam cover off and saw that when i was turning the engine over the cam gear was moving but the camshaft itself wasnt, the camshaft does move using some vice grips, and i know the engine isn't seized. I'm thinking either the woodruff key has sheared off, or the camshaft has snapped under the first cap. What do you guys think? And will all my valves be completely bent up?
 

jonbills

Membership Secretary
Site Administrator
Cams can break, but most likely the dowel between the cam and sprocket has come out or sheared I would think. At this point, no downside to taking the sprocket off to find out. Wedge the chain first though.
If you've turned the engine over, there will be bent valves - the ones that are open.
 
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jonbills

Membership Secretary
Site Administrator
If you get the crank to say 90 ATDC, none of the pistons will be at the top (I think!) and you really should be able to turn the cam with your vice grips (once you've secured the cam chain and disconnected the sprocket) if you can't, it would suggest the head has seriously warped and the cam is binding in its towers.
 
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Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Josh, you are going to have to bite the bullet and take the head off. To do that you will have to take the sprocket off (be careful with chain and the sheared? dowel).

This is not such a big job as you might imagine.
 
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Josh Slade

Club Member
So i had a look yesterday, it seems the cam sprocket has come loose from the camshaft. I'll take the head off and see what the condition of the valves are. Cheers for the help guys
 
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