A used camshaft is a practical replacement for a worn or damaged cam, but two things make it a purchase worth slowing down over: camshafts are easy to misidentify within an engine family, and a failed lobe is very often a symptom of something else rather than the root cause.

Find out why the original failed

Camshaft lobes wear against lifters or followers, and that interface depends on oil supply and on the condition of the mating part. A wiped or flattened lobe commonly comes with a collapsed or scuffed lifter, a blocked oil feed, a failed follower, or an oil that was wrong for the engine. Fitting a replacement cam without addressing the cause tends to reproduce the failure.

Ask a technician to inspect the corresponding lifters or followers, the oil feed to the head, and the general condition of the oil and filter for metal. Our oil pump guide covers the pressure and supply side if there is any doubt about oil delivery.

Identify the exact grind

Within one engine family a camshaft can differ by lobe profile, duration, lift, journal sizes, the position and pattern of any trigger or reluctor ring, the drive arrangement at the nose, and whether it is an intake or exhaust cam. On engines with variable valve timing there is usually a phaser or actuator that must match. Manufacturers stamp or cast an identifying number on the cam; record it from your original and photograph it.

Pair that number with your VIN through a VIN-based part request. Vehicles from the same model year can carry different cams depending on engine code and emissions configuration, so the badge on the car is not a specification.

What to inspect on a used cam

  • Every lobe, not just a sample: ask for photographs along the full length. Flattening, pitting, scoring and edge chipping all matter.
  • Bearing journals: scoring or discolouration suggests an oil supply problem in the donor engine.
  • Nose, keyway, dowel and thrust surfaces: damage here affects timing accuracy and cam position.
  • Trigger or reluctor ring: present, undamaged and the correct pattern.
  • Straightness: a cam should be checked for runout; ask whether that was done on this unit.

What usually needs replacing alongside

Most engine builders will not reuse the old lifters or followers on a new-to-you camshaft, because the wear pattern of each pair is matched. Timing components, seals and gaskets are usually replaced at the same time simply because the engine is already apart — see the timing chain and belt guide for what that job normally includes. Ask your installer what they recommend before you compare prices, so you are comparing the whole job.

Before you commit

Confirm the cam identification number, whether it is the intake or exhaust cam, the condition of every lobe, and whether any phaser or actuator is included. Ask how it will be packed, since a camshaft is easily bent or nicked in transit. Our 30-day limited warranty (up to 90 days on select parts, where your quotation says so) covers the part itself, not labour, installation, diagnostics or any other repair cost. Returns must be requested within 7 calendar days of delivery and need a written RMA from us before anything is sent back.

Use the camshaft quote page or the part request form, and send your VIN, engine code and the number from your original camshaft.