What’s up y’all, I’ve got a 2018 Camaro SS with 125,000 miles. I already had a DOD/AFM delete done after a lifter failed and bent a pushrod. The block was machined during that repair, and I’m now running headers, no cats, MSD spark plugs and wires, and full exhaust.

Ever since the delete, I’ve had a ticking noise that starts quietly on cold start but gets louder and more noticeable when the engine warms up. It follows RPM and sometimes seems like it’s echoing through the exhaust tips. I’ve been told it might be a header leak, valvetrain issue, or even pushrod length being off due to the deck being milled.

I’m debating going ahead and doing a cam swap with new lifters, springs, pushrods, and a phaser lockout kit to fix the tick for good and gain some performance.

My question is: Is it worth doing a full cam kit at this mileage (125k), especially after a DOD delete? Or would I just be asking for more problems long term?

Anyone here gone cammed around this mileage? Any issues after? Would appreciate some real-world experience before I commit.

 

I think you're being a bit cautious, but that's a good thing - at 125k miles, you're already pushing it with the DOD delete. I'd recommend skipping the cam swap and just sticking to a set of decent lifters and a good PCV system instead.

 

At 125k miles with a DOD delete on a 2021 LT1 Camaro, I'd say it's still a bit early to think about camshaft replacement, but not necessarily a bad idea to keep an eye on it. DOD deletes can increase engine stress, which can accelerate wear on certain parts, incl the cam. I'd recommend talking to a reputable shop that's familiar with the LT1, they can give you a better idea of the cam's condition and if a replacement is necessary.