My Monkey Wrench experience - LotusTalk

NHG35GUY · 06-12-2009, 10:18 AM

Huge props to the guys at Monkey Wrench racing. I needed cams for my 2005 Elise as the factory cams were wearing prematurely. Once a closer look at the cams and rockers was available, it was noticed that the rockers needed to be replaced too. With short notice, Monkey Wrench was able to get rockers out the Guys at Synaptic 3 for install. There was a small snafu with a shipping mistake, and Greg took care of it immediately! They are on their way to be installed!

FREAKING AWESOME!

Thanks again for the quick response and help from the team at Monkey Wrench Racing! I can't wait to drive the car with the new Piper Stage 2 cams!

Oh and if you have a 2005 and have not checked your cams. you prolly should and soon. It's worth the piece of mind to know if they need to be replaced or not.

MattG · 06-12-2009, 10:26 AM

Are any changes needed to the ECU programming for use with the Piper cams?

NHG35GUY · 06-12-2009, 11:23 AM

No, the Stage 2 are supposed to work just fine with factory ECU.

Monkeywrench · 06-12-2009, 11:27 AM

So glad we were able to make it happen for you. I think the label went on the box literally 2 minutes before the truck was here to pick it up. Have fun out there with the new cams!

>Oh and if you have a 2005 and have not checked your cams. you prolly
>should and soon. It's worth the piece of mind to know if they need to be
>replaced or not.

Definitely. The replacement cam/rocker kit is very inexpensive and even pretty easy to install. If you let the stock cam and rockers go too long you can get in to problems with debris or even failure of the rockers. Don't trash that engine over something simple like this.

shadowhusky · 06-13-2009, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NHG35GUY

Oh and if you have a 2005 and have not checked your cams. you prolly should and soon. It's worth the piece of mind to know if they need to be replaced or not.

How many miles did you have on you car when you had the cams replaced.

Yeti · 06-13-2009, 04:08 AM

What keeps the new cams and rockers from failing?

NHG35GUY · 06-13-2009, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadowhusky

How many miles did you have on you car when you had the cams replaced.

The car has just under 9k miles on it. They were checked and the number 3 lobe on the intake side I believe was in really sad shape with varying amounts of bad wear on other lobes.

kmt63 · 06-13-2009, 07:14 AM

has there been some sort of a fix for the cam spray tube?i remember seeing a long thread about it.i dont remember if there was a fix for it though.problem being the way the factory punches holes in the tube.it would spray oil to the side and miss the cams.

zygotesoup · 06-13-2009, 09:08 AM

I also had a great experience with MWR with this same cam issue...

Great experience w/ Monkey Wrench Racing

Yeti - The 05 cams had a hardening issue from the factory, the new cams that you replace them with have had this issue resolved in the manufacturing process.

I agree that anyone with an 05 or 06 should definitely pop the valve cover off to take a look at the intake camshaft, it only takes about 5 minutes. Me and a friend did the install ourselves, fairly easy if you have the right tools and know how.

Yeti · 06-13-2009, 09:22 AM

I've checked and I have a bad cam. I'll have to give Monkey Wrench a call next week.

Monkeywrench · 06-17-2009, 12:30 PM

Yes, it's a defect with the pieces installed in those 05 and 06 cars from the factory. The cams are not hardened properly and start to wear which messes up their surface finish enough that they also eat the rockers. The replacements are properly heart treated and won't fail in the same fashion.

zygotesoup · 06-17-2009, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yeti

I've checked and I have a bad cam. I'll have to give Monkey Wrench a call next week.

what cylinder?

make sure you get new rockers too

Yeti · 06-17-2009, 02:03 PM

#3, talked to MW. I am going with a whole new head.

intofx · 06-17-2009, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monkeywrench

Yes, it's a defect with the pieces installed in those 05 and 06 cars from the factory. The cams are not hardened properly and start to wear which messes up their surface finish enough that they also eat the rockers. The replacements are properly heart treated and won't fail in the same fashion.

Is there a VIN range/build date for cars with an issue? My car runs great but is there any way of knowing (symptoms) you have an issue without visual inspection?

Matt

zygotesoup · 06-17-2009, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yeti

#3, talked to MW. I am going with a whole new head.

why?

I assume this has something to do with the "gravel" noise you were hearing?

zygotesoup · 06-17-2009, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intofx

Is there a VIN range/build date for cars with an issue? My car runs great but is there any way of knowing (symptoms) you have an issue without visual inspection?

Matt

I've heard you can do an oil analysis, but I would say the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to know for sure is to remove the valve cover. Again... 5 minute or less job.

Yeti · 06-17-2009, 03:55 PM

I am figuring that replacing the whole head is the easiest solution to the cam problem. I am shooting for reliability at this point. Since I've seen several positive threads like this one about MWR, I am willing to spend the extra money to do this as insurance. I'll worry about more power when my driving skills catch up to what the car has now. That may never happen...

NHG35GUY · 06-18-2009, 06:46 AM

I hope to have my car back tonight. I will post pics of the worn cams and rockers. I can not express how important it is to get this checked if you have a 2005 MY car.

NHG35GUY · 06-27-2009, 05:21 PM

Guys, I have posted pics here of the cams: Shout out to Synaptic 3 / Piper cam install

06-12-2009, 10:18 AM	#1 (permalink)
NHG35GUY Professional Fat Kid Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Southern NH Posts: 38	My Monkey Wrench experience Huge props to the guys at Monkey Wrench racing. I needed cams for my 2005 Elise as the factory cams were wearing prematurely. Once a closer look at the cams and rockers was available, it was noticed that the rockers needed to be replaced too. With short notice, Monkey Wrench was able to get rockers out the Guys at Synaptic 3 for install. There was a small snafu with a shipping mistake, and Greg took care of it immediately! They are on their way to be installed! FREAKING AWESOME! Thanks again for the quick response and help from the team at Monkey Wrench Racing! I can't wait to drive the car with the new Piper Stage 2 cams! Oh and if you have a 2005 and have not checked your cams. you prolly should and soon. It's worth the piece of mind to know if they need to be replaced or not.

06-12-2009, 10:26 AM	#2 (permalink)
MattG insert clever title here Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Living above the clouds in Colorado Posts: 7,676 Images: 11	Are any changes needed to the ECU programming for use with the Piper cams? __________________ '05 Elise, Magnetic Blue / Biscuit / Hardtop / http://eliseinfo.com Radar detector mounting brackets for sale here

06-13-2009, 07:14 AM	#8 (permalink)
kmt63 Elise Driver Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: vancouver wa Posts: 387 Images: 2	has there been some sort of a fix for the cam spray tube?i remember seeing a long thread about it.i dont remember if there was a fix for it though.problem being the way the factory punches holes in the tube.it would spray oil to the side and miss the cams. __________________ rls west~nci motor sports fabrication

06-13-2009, 09:08 AM	#9 (permalink)
zygotesoup Resident Drunk Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 1,225	I also had a great experience with MWR with this same cam issue... Great experience w/ Monkey Wrench Racing Yeti - The 05 cams had a hardening issue from the factory, the new cams that you replace them with have had this issue resolved in the manufacturing process. I agree that anyone with an 05 or 06 should definitely pop the valve cover off to take a look at the intake camshaft, it only takes about 5 minutes. Me and a friend did the install ourselves, fairly easy if you have the right tools and know how. __________________ 2005 BADA55 Lotus Elise 1993 Black BMW 325i 2000 Solar Yellow MR-S - SOLD 1987 White on White Porsche 944 Turbo - SOLD 1993 Maroon Lexus SC400 - SOLD

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06-12-2009, 11:23 AM	#3 (permalink)
NHG35GUY Professional Fat Kid Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Southern NH Posts: 38	No, the Stage 2 are supposed to work just fine with factory ECU.

06-12-2009, 11:27 AM	#4 (permalink)
Monkeywrench Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 118	So glad we were able to make it happen for you. I think the label went on the box literally 2 minutes before the truck was here to pick it up. Have fun out there with the new cams! >Oh and if you have a 2005 and have not checked your cams. you prolly >should and soon. It's worth the piece of mind to know if they need to be >replaced or not. Definitely. The replacement cam/rocker kit is very inexpensive and even pretty easy to install. If you let the stock cam and rockers go too long you can get in to problems with debris or even failure of the rockers. Don't trash that engine over something simple like this.

06-13-2009, 04:08 AM	#6 (permalink)
Yeti Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Harrisburg, PA Posts: 1,038	What keeps the new cams and rockers from failing?

06-13-2009, 09:22 AM	#10 (permalink)
Yeti Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Harrisburg, PA Posts: 1,038	I've checked and I have a bad cam. I'll have to give Monkey Wrench a call next week.

06-17-2009, 12:30 PM	#11 (permalink)
Monkeywrench Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 118	Yes, it's a defect with the pieces installed in those 05 and 06 cars from the factory. The cams are not hardened properly and start to wear which messes up their surface finish enough that they also eat the rockers. The replacements are properly heart treated and won't fail in the same fashion.

06-17-2009, 02:03 PM	#13 (permalink)
Yeti Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Harrisburg, PA Posts: 1,038	#3, talked to MW. I am going with a whole new head.

06-17-2009, 03:55 PM	#17 (permalink)
Yeti Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Harrisburg, PA Posts: 1,038	I am figuring that replacing the whole head is the easiest solution to the cam problem. I am shooting for reliability at this point. Since I've seen several positive threads like this one about MWR, I am willing to spend the extra money to do this as insurance. I'll worry about more power when my driving skills catch up to what the car has now. That may never happen...

06-18-2009, 06:46 AM	#18 (permalink)
NHG35GUY Professional Fat Kid Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Southern NH Posts: 38	I hope to have my car back tonight. I will post pics of the worn cams and rockers. I can not express how important it is to get this checked if you have a 2005 MY car.

06-27-2009, 05:21 PM	#19 (permalink)
NHG35GUY Professional Fat Kid Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Southern NH Posts: 38	Guys, I have posted pics here of the cams: Shout out to Synaptic 3 / Piper cam install

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