Metal flakes near cam trays

[Lowlifee30]

is this normal or is something very wrong? m52 with 180k. Cams look to be in good shape. I could pull them to further inspect them. Junkyard engine.

[ForcedFirebird]

Looks like it was driven with no oil. Look at how poor the cam lobes appear. I would personally pull the cams and inspect before taking anything out of that motor.

[Lowlifee30]

You think the cams are shot?

[ForcedFirebird]

Without inspecting the cam journals, can't answer that question truthfully based on those pics. The cam lobes don't look to be in the best of shape, and generally aluminum dust in the oil means some bearing somewhere in the engine were wiped.

Pull the cam caps and check scoring...

[m3boost]

I have cams for m52 and also for 94 m50 if you need some.

[M3PO]

I would use a magnet to see if the metal is steel from the cams, lifters, or chains/sprockets or if it's aluminum from the cam bearing journals.

In terms of the condition of the cams, a large portion of the cam lobe doesn't wipe the lifter so it will be dull. As long as they are smooth and not chewed up, the cams are fine.

When I replaced my S50 cams with some VAC cams, the cams and the bearings were pretty scored (no visible metal though) and the engine ran just fine with great oil pressure. Not ideal, but not the end of the world.