They say pictures speak 1000 words... started a topic yesterday about a tick that developed and then died a mile later after a 20 mile drive.

To sum it up, I PnP it lightly (to clean up casting basically), then took it to a machine shop and dropped $216 to get milled .015, valves and seats cut, then cleaned. Once I got it back I looked it over, blew everything out to make sure it was clean, then reassembled with all new seals, sensors, vac lines, etc. Cam lobes are scorched next to it (dry/brown in color in top of pic) from no oil as well. Rest of head/caps are fine, just this one.

Going to talk to machine shop this week to see if they can offer some $/see what the'll do. Oil and filter were replaced, trans fluid/filter/seal replaced, antifreeze all replaced. Developed a tick after about 20 mile drive then died a mile later (1 mile from home).

Did you put the cam in, or did the shop?  Was assembly lube, grease, oil, something put on the journals and cam before the cam was put in?

Did you put the cam in, or did the shop?  Was assembly lube, grease, oil, something put on the journals and cam before the cam was put in?

New oil was used on everyting prior to assembly then more applied to the lobes just before I put the valve cover on. I assembled per AllData instructions and torqued everything in steps in order.

Hmm, I don't know what to tell you then.  
The journal was evidently ran dry (maybe a clogged oil passage) and galled/seized.  
You did put the journal caps back on in the right places (they are numbered) and orientated correctly, right?
Did the shop do anything to the cam or cam journals on the head?

Hmm, I don't know what to tell you then.  
The journal was evidently ran dry (maybe a clogged oil passage) and galled/seized.  
You did put the journal caps back on in the right places (they are numbered) and orientated correctly, right?
Did the shop do anything to the cam or cam journals on the head?

Shop was paid to mill/deck the head .015", recut the stock valves and seats (they gave me a valve from a miscut), then clean everything properly.

The cam caps are numbered 1-6, 1 being front right behind the cam gear and 6 being the rear one at the distributor. They all have arrows on them that point forward. All alignment sleeves are in place, everything was torqued starting in the center and bouncing back and forth working outward in 3 steps.

Isn't this what happenes when the head gasket is on backwards/incorrect? Oil passages get blocked.

-Eric

I would check the head gasket aswell.

Isn't this what happenes when the head gasket is on backwards/incorrect? Oil passages get blocked.

-Eric

This...

Isn't this what happenes when the head gasket is on backwards/incorrect? Oil passages get blocked.

-Eric

Twas what happened     Time to get a head from the junkyard ($60), then get it machined same as this last one (quick PnP, .015 shaved, all valves and seats resurfaced) so thats $216 there, then another head gasket and make sure I put it on right this time.

Luckily I don't see any metal in the oil in the pan so hopefully it all stayed in the head.

if the head is still installed remove the oil filter and apply air pressure at the oil galley. does the air come out in the damaged cam journal?
where is the blockage?