Is This Camshaft Reusable? Or Too Pitted?

[jmo2610]

Exhaust leaks...
So I found exhaust leaks at both flanges and at holes 5 and 7 on the manifold. I am very positive that I torqued these to proper specs. Is there an order you're supposed to tighten these (not on the manifold itself), but between the flanges and the manifold. Like, does tightening the manifold first cause the pipes at the flange not to line up properly?
What should I be looking for to fix this. I don't see any visible cracks. It's like it's just not sealed properly.

I did also use a brand new gasket for the manifold.

 

[West 1]

When tightening anything that has multiple bolts like the intake or exhaust manifolds, heads etc you always want to bring the torque down evenly and never all at once. So if torque spec is 20 foot pounds maybe you first bring the manifold up till all bolts are snug then maybe torque to 10 pounds bringing the torque up evenly so the manifold does not distort. If you torque 100% at one end and then jump and torque the opposite end odds are you will bend or crack your manifold. Final pass torque it to the required 20 lbs torque starting in the middle and going back and forth till all bolts are fully torqued, finish with one more pass over all bolts to make sure the torque held on all bolts. You touched many parts doing this job. First thing to chase the issues is hook up a scan tool, find what sensors are reading wrong and go look at them. Disconnect the wires to that sensor, inspect and re connect making sure they are on proper and fully snapped into the lock. This double check usually gets Rid or odd codes. It is very easy to connect a wire and find out later it was not fully seated so not reading correctly.

 

[jmo2610]

When tightening anything that has multiple bolts like the intake or exhaust manifolds, heads etc you always want to bring the torque down evenly and never all at once. So if torque spec is 20 foot pounds maybe you first bring the manifold up till all bolts are snug then maybe torque to 10 pounds bringing the torque up evenly so the manifold does not distort. If you torque 100% at one end and then jump and torque the opposite end odds are you will bend or crack your manifold. Final pass torque it to the required 20 lbs torque starting in the middle and going back and forth till all bolts are fully torqued, finish with one more pass over all bolts to make sure the torque held on all bolts. You touched many parts doing this job. First thing to chase the issues is hook up a scan tool, find what sensors are reading wrong and go look at them. Disconnect the wires to that sensor, inspect and re connect making sure they are on proper and fully snapped into the lock. This double check usually gets Rid or odd codes. It is very easy to connect a wire and find out later it was not fully seated so not reading correctly.

Definitely torqued the manifold that way. It's even a multiple pass one, starting with 11 ft/lbs and 18 ft/lbs on the second pass. At least that's what my printout says. And the pipe nuts at the flange were 26 ft/lbs.

Scan tool has shown a P219B and P0010. Double checked the 02 sensor on the passenger side to make sure it was seated properly and plugged in fully. It was. Though had to remove it because I loosened the nuts at the flanges to try to re-seat and tighten them. Started raining here so I haven't re-tested.

 

[West 1]

So P219B, bank 2 air fuel ratio is off, rich or lean we don't know but it is not correct. P0010 says the Cam position sensor is not reading correctly.

The P219B says the passenger side of your engine air fuel ratio is off, simple things like a leaking exhaust manifold gasket or cracked manifold could be sucking air into the exhaust before it gets to your Cat and now your air mixture is off at the O2 sensor before the Cat. Try spraying some brake cleaner around the exhaust manifold and gaskets engine running and while watching your Scan Tool reading the active O2 sensor readings at bank 2. If you see the O2 sensor readings jump as you do this you know it is sucking the brake clean spray into the exhaust through a leak. Could also be a vacuum leak on only bank 2, or maybe an injector not firing on bank 2. One injector not hooked up gives you one totally lean cylinder pumping extra air into that banks O2 sensor giving you bad readings. Variety of possible causes.

The P0010, either cam sensor is not reading properly, not Hooked up proper or bad wiring? You installed an aftermarket cam? Is it set up to send a signal to the GM computer or is your new cam missing the ability to send the signal. I am not sure where the cam sensor reads on this engine, maybe it reads off the timing set? Maybe it reads a wheel on the cam itself? The computer is looking for a signal and not getting it.

 

[j91z28d1]

isn't there something about cam sensor when you us a non vvt delete cam? that's a difference pig tail and sensor?

 

[j91z28d1]

Definitely torqued the manifold that way. It's even a multiple pass one, starting with 11 ft/lbs and 18 ft/lbs on the second pass. At least that's what my printout says. And the pipe nuts at the flange were 26 ft/lbs.

Scan tool has shown a P219B and P0010. Double checked the 02 sensor on the passenger side to make sure it was seated properly and plugged in fully. It was. Though had to remove it because I loosened the nuts at the flanges to try to re-seat and tighten them. Started raining here so I haven't re-tested.

did you use the multi-layer steel gaskets? those seem to be the best. I've not heard much issues of ls manifolds leaking.

 

[jmo2610]

So P219B, bank 2 air fuel ratio is off, rich or lean we don't know but it is not correct. P0010 says the Cam position sensor is not reading correctly.

The P219B says the passenger side of your engine air fuel ratio is off, simple things like a leaking exhaust manifold gasket or cracked manifold could be sucking air into the exhaust before it gets to your Cat and now your air mixture is off at the O2 sensor before the Cat. Try spraying some brake cleaner around the exhaust manifold and gaskets engine running and while watching your Scan Tool reading the active O2 sensor readings at bank 2. If you see the O2 sensor readings jump as you do this you know it is sucking the brake clean spray into the exhaust through a leak. Could also be a vacuum leak on only bank 2, or maybe an injector not firing on bank 2. One injector not hooked up gives you one totally lean cylinder pumping extra air into that banks O2 sensor giving you bad readings. Variety of possible causes.

The P0010, either cam sensor is not reading properly, not Hooked up proper or bad wiring? You installed an aftermarket cam? Is it set up to send a signal to the GM computer or is your new cam missing the ability to send the signal. I am not sure where the cam sensor reads on this engine, maybe it reads off the timing set? Maybe it reads a wheel on the cam itself? The computer is looking for a signal and not getting it.

It's been raining here so I haven't been able to try the brake cleaner test. That's one I hadn't heard of.
As far as the cam, yes it's an aftermarket cam, and I replaced the timing cover to go with it, which doesn't have a spot for the VVT to plug into. So that plug is just tied up there, not plugged into anything. I was informed (seemingly incorrectly) that when you delete the AFM with a tune, that it also takes care of the VVT. That doesn't seem to be the case, at the moment.

 

[jmo2610]

isn't there something about cam sensor when you us a non vvt delete cam? that's a difference pig tail and sensor?

On the non-VVT cam and timing cover, there is nowhere for that plug to go. Not even a dummy plug. So currently it's just tied up with the rest of the harness.

 

[jmo2610]

did you use the multi-layer steel gaskets? those seem to be the best. I've not heard much issues of ls manifolds leaking.

I did. Loosened everything up, pipes included, and I'm going to replace the gaskets in there. Hoping that re-torqueing the manifold after it's been hot helps out that seal...?

 

[j91z28d1]

I did. Loosened everything up, pipes included, and I'm going to replace the gaskets in there. Hoping that re-torqueing the manifold after it's been hot helps out that seal...?

maybe but I think that was more for the old composite gaskets. I've never had a issue with these new style. I do run the Dorman studs with lock nuts thou so I can tighten them without worry.

 

[West 1]

While reading the O2 sensors on your scan tool you will see if the Bank 2 is running rich or lean. That will help guide your repair. I suspect it is Lean but you never know till it is checked.

 

[Geotrash]

On the non-VVT cam and timing cover, there is nowhere for that plug to go. Not even a dummy plug. So currently it's just tied up with the rest of the harness.

Your new timing cover should have a cam position sensor and there is an adapter harness that will adapt the connector for the cam position sensor (3-wire) to the engine harness (4-wire): https://a.co/d/eobRAnX

And...your new timing cover should look like this one (has the cam position sensor): https://www.summitracing.com/parts/TFS-30678505

 

[jmo2610]

Your new timing cover should have a cam position sensor and there is an adapter harness that will adapt the connector for the cam position sensor (3-wire) to the engine harness (4-wire): https://a.co/d/eobRAnX

And...your new timing cover should look like this one (has the cam position sensor): https://www.summitracing.com/parts/TFS-30678505

My new timing cover did not come with a harness. It was just the cover. I had to transfer over the harness and the harness bracket (which I modified) to make it work.

 

[jmo2610]

Okay, so at this point, I have no engine codes. At least no pending ones. I have stored ones. The truck drives fine. However, it does not idle fine. Pretty rough idling still. But no codes. Any idea where to look here?

 

[j91z28d1]

any miss fires at idle?

 

[jmo2610]

any miss fires at idle?

If there are, they're subtle. Like nothing to the point that it feels like it's gonna die. It will rev up a little at times, and it sometimes "catches" when I first accelerate. But it's mostly just a very uncomfortable idle.

 

[Geotrash]

If there are, they're subtle. Like nothing to the point that it feels like it's gonna die. It will rev up a little at times, and it sometimes "catches" when I first accelerate. But it's mostly just a very uncomfortable idle.

I've looked through this whole thread again and haven't seen where you've said which cam you went with. If it's here and I still missed it, I'm sorry for the hassle. What are the specs?

I’m asking because any aftermarket cam needs to be tuned to run well, especially at idle.

I have a professionally-made tune file for the cam motion stage 2 truck cam in my 2012 6.2 L. You’re welcome to it if it would be helpful, if you can get a copy of HP tuners and the MVI3 device to work with.

 

[jmo2610]

I've looked through this whole thread again and haven't seen where you've said which cam you went with. If it's here and I still missed it, I'm sorry for the hassle. What are the specs?

I’m asking because any aftermarket cam needs to be tuned to run well, especially at idle.

I have a professionally-made tune file for the cam motion stage 2 truck cam in my 2012 6.2 L. You’re welcome to it if it would be helpful, if you can get a copy of HP tuners and the MVI3 device to work with.

Here is the link to the cam I have.

LSXceleration Stage 1 NSR Truck Cam 206/212 .515/.522 HR110

Find LSXceleration Stage 1 NSR Truck Cam 206/212 .515/.522 at LSXceleration with Free shipping on qualifying orders!

www.lsxceleration.com

Further investigation follow up:
It doesn't really feel like a miss. My neighbor (a retired airplane mechanic) thinks it sounds like a vacuum leak. Every video I've watched to test for that has an admitted risk of causing a fire...
Any tips on how to find a vacuum leak? I've looked for obvious cracks in lines. Slightly wiggled lines at the connections. Nothing changed. Short term trim levels fluctuate between negative and positive percentages, but never more than 10% either way. No clue if that is normal.

And just to be thorough, since I'm not sure the wires have ever been changed, I put on new plug wires. Put in new plugs when the heads were off. Might as well just keep throwing parts and money at it.

 

[j91z28d1]

10% actually sounds like a lot to me. might actually be a leak? at first I was like that looks like a cam spec that could use some adjustments, but then I saw 10% fuel chance from moving stuff. if I remember right, last time I left off the clean air side of the intake to valve cover, that leak was about 10%.


I've sprayed all kinda of stuff on hot engines looking for vac leaks, never worried about a fire, it's not that hot. I could possibly have a coil arcing I guess, but just don't spray like crazy. short little burst is all that's needed to show up in the short term trims, and if it did flash, I would only be for a sec.

 

[Fless]

Further investigation follow up:
It doesn't really feel like a miss. My neighbor (a retired airplane mechanic) thinks it sounds like a vacuum leak. Every video I've watched to test for that has an admitted risk of causing a fire...
Any tips on how to find a vacuum leak? I've looked for obvious cracks in lines. Slightly wiggled lines at the connections. Nothing changed. Short term trim levels fluctuate between negative and positive percentages, but never more than 10% either way. No clue if that is normal.

Checking for vacuum leaks can be done by using an UNLIT propane torch, flowing a small to medium amount of propane around the suspected leak areas. Watch the short-term fuel trims and/or listen for rpm changes or the idle to smooth out a little.

Watch the STFTs at idle; if they're fairly positive (like +12), raise the idle to 1500 or 2000 rpm to see if they come down significantly. That could indicate a vacuum leak, since the increased air volume will affect the vacuum issue.

Generally the short- and long-term fuel trims should add up to less than 10% either way -- 10% is not a terrible value to have but it's on the margin of being good. 5% total is a good goal to have, but the STFTs will vary some, which shows the O2 sensors working with the ECM. So STFT of +6 and LTFT of +7 would add up to +13 which is not good. And STFT of +6 and LTFT of -3 = +3, which is virtually perfect.

If it hasn't been checked, look at the MAF value in g/s (not lbs/min) at idle and that should be very close to the engine displacement in liters. Anything out of whack there (technical term...) will cause issues with the fuel trims and idle.