How to Care for Your Lycoming Camshaft

Often called the Achilles heel of the Lycoming engine, here’s how to keep that camshaft doing what it should.

Thursday, May 05, 2022 at 08:41 AM ET

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It is easy to look at the camshaft and tappet body using a flashlight and inspection mirror. [Photo: Richard Scarbrough]

Key Takeaways:

Finding "metal" (flakes in engine oil or on piston skirts) signals serious internal engine wear, with ferrous metal indicating potentially costly damage to rotating parts like the camshaft.
Lycoming engines are particularly susceptible to camshaft and tappet body failures, a vulnerability attributed partly to their design position that hinders oil distribution, leading Lycoming to recommend new replacement parts.
The primary cause of camshaft and tappet failures is engine inactivity and resulting corrosion; thus, owners are advised to fly their aircraft regularly, perform frequent oil changes (every 25 hours) and filter inspections (every 50 hours), or ensure proper long-term engine preservation.

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You are making metal. I am sorry about that. Everyone needs to take a deep breath and back away from the screen for a minute. Better? OK, let’s try this again. If you know, you know.

If you don’t know what that means, consider yourself among the lucky few owner-operators who have not heard that term. Allow me to break it down for you. The phrase “making metal” occurs when someone finds tiny metal flakes in the oil, typically in the oil screen or oil filter. Do people even still use oil screens instead of a filter these days? Yes, and they are excellent at stopping rocks from flowing through your engine.