Cam shaft update

[Zak33]

New one arrived today from Kent Cams...the delivery note/credit note/invoice said

"Without Prejudice" which in laymans terms means "we cocked up but if you accept this, you have no claims on us, so sorry"

And its only Thursday..not bad.....so my faith in Kent is as good as it was last week

The oil filter did a fantastic job ......the majority of the crap in my sump came through in one hit and the engine should be as sweet as ever.

For RocketmanX (and all other interested types)

Its a 4 cylinder, over head cam (single cam) with a distributorless electronic ignition pack (ie a bloody great big black multi coil pack, nono connected to the camshaft)

It has hydraulic tappets, which support one end of the followers, and the camshaft lobes push down on the centre of the followers, and the far end pushes the valve open.

God I hope this one is not made of butter

[RocketmanX]

Good luck with this one

Glad to hear the motor was clean, had me worried about the bearings.

Thanks for the motor info too. And I'm pretty sure I know what you mean by "followers" but clarify for me. please
Do ya' mean "pushrods" as we call them? All the overhewad cam motors I've seen have had the cam directly pushing the valve open, 'course I don't have a lot of "raod car" experience.

[Zak33]

Not push rods.....the camshaft sits in the centre of the head....

underneath it, the vlaves are either one side or the other according to which cylinder it is, and obviously all the imlets on one side, all the exhaust on the other.

The FOLLOWER (flat bit of steel, wide enough for the cam lobe to push down onto) rest one end on top of the valve, and the other on a hydraulic tappet.....that looks like 2 gun shell casings slotted inisde each other, to fill with oil, BUT with rounds top and bottom end.

The follwer has a kind of RAMP cast into it.....and the hydraulic tappets are on oppostie side to the vlalve each time...

god...I need a piccie

[Zak33]

The follower TOP left in this pic is closest



the cam lobe presses down on that raised bit, and the shape of that can help the timing of the valve duration......cos it is shaped too: it effects stuff like duration and ratio of lobe to valve opening.....the HYDRAULIC TAPPET sits under one end and the valve the other....the next one along will be theother way round, so vlalve at other end etc....

[RocketmanX]

Ahhh, rocker arms

That's what we would call them.
On a standard 350 Chevy V8 the "followers" would have a 1.5 ratio (stock config) and most race engines have either 1.6 or 1.7 ratio to, as you said, aid in the lift/duration of the camshaft.

Thanks for the info, I follow you now.
Not very familiar with overhead cam motors. I've always wondered why American V8's haven't gone to overhead cams. They could easily produce well in excess of 10,000 rpm if they didn't have the push rods trying to fly about in the engine.

[jon bda]

High ratio 'roller' rockers seem to be mostly reserved for Mini's in the UK...

[RocketmanX]

From what I gather from comments I've seen about Mini's they sound like they have a good amount of Ooomph for such a little car ?

I've driven a new Mini S (My wife and I might buy one, very nice looking cars, and affordable too) over here but have never seen an older Mini except in Movies

[jon bda]

Friend of mine had a Mini Clubman estate like the one below (but bright orange!)...



...it was fitted with a 1380cc engine which made about 100/105BHP and on tight twisty roads it would stick with just about anything...it was indecently fast for what it was...

[RocketmanX]

Cool little car.
Would be great fun to modify and play around with.

Love those TINY wheels and tires.
Look like they came off a Golf cart

They are very cool looking little cars, would love to have one from over there. 'Cept I'd have a hard time learning to shift with my left hand

BTW- how much do those go for over there? just curious, .ight be able to find one at one o fo our auctions.

[jon bda]

A rough Mini for a project could be found for £50 or less, last one i bought (about 5/6 years ago) was a bog standard 1972 saloon...cost me £25 as it came off a friend...

[Zak33]

Minis are CHEAP RocketmanX...they are everywhere

and if you have even done a U Turn in a Mini you will know why they are so popular.....the tightest smallest space ans around they go......handle well, but jump about.

And the engines must have the hugest list of mods possible.....every kid in the UK has owned or knows someone who owned one once.

The New Mini is a BMW unit tho....different thing totally.

[RocketmanX]

Yeah I knew about the BMW remake/rework of the Mini and I think they may be a tad bigger as well, at least comparing pics.

Sounds like the VW Beetle over here. Thet're every where and cheap as well. The mod parts are everywhere too. My first car was a Beetle I had to rebuild from the ground up, engine included.

Wish they would import some of those excess Minis over here
They'd be a very popular little car. Although the RH drive would have to changed, it'd be a little wierd driving on the curb side of the road

BTW- didn't mean to hijack your thread Zak I'm just oneo f those guys that gets off track easyily when I see something I'm interested in I'm done now, thanks

[Zak33]

Dont you fret it Rocket......you hijack away mate

CAMSHAFT MISERY PART 3

Cam #2 was in, it was tapping within 11 miles

Took rocker cover off......camshaft was fine......maybe the hydraulics were not filling up......but nope..its all clean and oil is coming up fine.

Another 5 miles......noisier than ever.....

"This is getting silly" lets get the head back off.....besides, Dave has purchased a new "bath" for cleaning the head and its full if degreaser and the pump is just gagging to push fluid down all the oil-ways.....

"Here...look at THESE followers!!" (Rocker arms etc)

Every one was worn at a different rate Is it just ME that Kent Cams hates or WHAT? I mean, for gods sake.....now the cam is FINE, untouched.....but the ROCKERS are wearing out like the old cam did!

I haveNEVER known so muh go wrong on one simple job Its not even the 1st, 2nd or 3rd one Dave has done..its...maybe the 1000th camshaft

And before we ring Kent again and point out exactly where their quality control can stick its Followers....

we're gonna put ALL THE OLD VAUXHALL ORIGINAL STUFF BACK IN .

What a trial this is

[IainB]

Holy crap - thats not good they used to have such a good rep.
I really hope I dont get the same problems when the '8' gets rebuilt over the winter.
Luckily im using Rhodes lifters for the Hyd cam - have yet to buy solids for the other cam... just hope they arent Kent.
(and before anyone asks..... have 2 different cams I want to try! one semi race hyd - one full race solid!!)

[Zak33]

Originally posted by Eazieb
Holy crap - thats not good they used to have such a good rep.

Its exactly what I thought.....when I kill my PC I know its normally my fault. But Iam absokutely sure that Dave and I have done nothing wrong.....its just a bad batch it seems....but there is always the niggling doubt

[RocketmanX]

Any new news on the Ol' "Bumpstick" Zak ?

I guess in this case it should be called the "Stick of Butter" ay