I would try a rag soaked in WD40 first. That will remove the top layer and you'll see what's actually embedded into the steel. From there you may need to lightly polish the lobes with either crocus cloth and a light oil or #0000 steel wool. Be sure you only move the paper or steel wool in the direction of the rotation cam (not across the face of the lobe). When finished be sure you clean everything REALLY well.
That's very common and if it's truly 'light surface rust' can be fixed very easily. (Hack?) In fact, a light polishing can improve things all the way around. As others said - a VERY fine abrasive of some sort with oil usually takes it right off. If you'd like to go further, get a fine emery cloth and a length of leather boot lace. Cut the cloth about the width of the lobe or journal, long enough to completely encircle the lobe/journal. Spray a bit of WD40 for lube, wrap the emery cloth around the lobe/journal, and completely encircle it with the boot lace. Alternating pulls on the end of the bootlace will move the emery cloth very evenly back and forth over the entire surface of the lobe/journal. A half hour's worth of time will reward you with highly polished lobes and journals. Don't go crazy - don't want to remove much material at all. Just nice and shiny.
I wouldn't run a marginal cam in an engine. I think all of you are assuming that it's a roller and that the rust is extremely light. It doesn't take long at all to wipe a lobe and wreck all your new bearings with a flat tappet cam. Is it worth it? Not to me. Cams aren't that expensive.
Even a formerly rusty roller cam will put metal fragments in your engine.
But I'm conservative when it comes to spending money. One thing wrong inside a new motor and a bunch of your new parts are junk. I'm not much for gambling.
i guess the 1/2 millon junk yark blocks that have been pulled over the year with enough rust to fill a lake are all junk. throw away every block now... especially the a4 blocks. they are the worst for rust.
dude surface rust is not a big deal. in a cylinder a little wd40 and a light hone will fix it. as others have stated a cam can be cleaned and if need be polished.
not knocking you but your very conserative and i think a little uneducated when it comes to rust. if you understood it better you would not have made that comment.
Rust isn't steel, its iron oxide not some strong hard particle.
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