Cam shaft and rocker arm wear?

[alexdecker]

Hey

Took apart my top end today. Noticed some irregularities in the surface on the lobes and rocker arms. Attached some pictures. What are the standards for this? Still good? Not all of the wear can be felt with my fingers or nails - only some of it.

If not, do people usually get these fixed, or just buy new ones?

- Alex

[Bryanj]

What exact bike is this, early 500/550 cam covers can wear the rocker spindle holes oval allowing odd wear patterns.
Difficult to tell wear by pictures but if feelable wear you need different parts

[alexdecker]

This is from a 1978 CB550F. The wear is feel-able on some if the lobes and rocker arms…

- Alex

[Bryanj]

That should have the later cover with locked shafts which probably means lack of oil changes or wrong oil used.
Cams and rockers from any 500/550 are the same and earlier, unpined, covers will fit complete or provide internal parts.
You can get reprofiled cams but mostly from the states. Usually lots of used parts on fleabay.

[Oddjob]

Although the shafts can be locked, and yours are as I can see the pins, the shafts themselves can wear, especially if the oil isn't changed regularly. Pull the shafts and see what they look like. Be aware though that if they are worn they are very difficult to find and expensive when you do so. Get the cam reprofiled, might as well have a better profile while your at it, add 5 degrees of overlap and 10 degrees of duration. Get the rocker arms done at the same time or find good ones on Ebay.

[alexdecker]

I do indeed have the newer cover. Ok, so all agree that I need to do something about the wear? Damn. Gotta find someone in Copenhagen who can handle that then. US eBay (and also England since #@%$) is a no go for me

[alexdecker]

If I find a new cam shaft, I should replace all the rocker arms as well, right? Is there anything else I should be concerned about regarding the cam shaft? Does it need a new sprocket as well when replacing?

[Oddjob]

Only if it shows signs of damage.

[Bryanj]

I for one would happily act as middle man and resend parts as a "gift" to you. If rockers pads are in good order no need to replace, chances of finding a new cam at an affordable price is rare

[Oddjob]

I saw a NOS camshaft the other day on EBay, expensive though.

[alexdecker]

Ah, I was under the impression that they all had to be replaced at the same time, as they get worn together. Anyways, no matter as the rocker arms are worn as well, so will have to fix the whole bunch. There shouldn’t be trouble in reusing the rocker arm shafts, right?

[alexdecker]

I for one would happily act as middle man and resend parts as a "gift" to you. If rockers pads are in good order no need to replace, chances of finding a new cam at an affordable price is rare

Thank you! I’ll definitely keep you posted on that if the need comes

[Oddjob]

You need to check the rocker shafts, which you'll need to remove to remove the rocker arms anyway.

[murdock]

deberias de medir las levas , creo que los limites estan en el manual .
si no quedara otra opcion se pueden rellenar con soldadura , un tornero sabe hacer ese trabajo , aunque puede que ese trabaja ya se a echo , se ven poros en el metal
revisa los ejes

You should measure the cams, I think the limits are in the manual.
If there is no other option, you can fill them with welding, a lathe operator knows how to do that job, although it is possible that this work has already been done, you can see pores in the metal.
check the shafts

[alexdecker]

I saw a NOS camshaft the other day on EBay, expensive though.

I wrote with an eBay seller who is selling one that is new. He is telling me that the part number is 14101-323-000EH, but he is warning me that the cam shaft is only 27hp. I am not even sure what he means, as I have only been able to find one part number for the cam shaft in an CB550F (for all the CB550 actually), and his part number fits that.

Am I missing something here?