33 replies to this topic

[Pauly]

Hi guys,

Just wondering, was is it so hard to pick up s/h mg metro cams or any other cams? I have seen NONE on ebay at all.

Paul.

[Big_Adam]

Because their all in engines?

Your electric monk is broken and doesn't believe. Cheaper to chuck him in the desert and get a new one with more believing power.

I can go on, but it's very hard to answer the question.

[Wil_h]

The Kent 500 cam is the same as the MG metro one, you could just buy a new one.

[wile e coyote]

They do pop up periodically - got a NOS one for £13 earlier in the year ) just bide your time - they're like buses.............. that said theres someone breaking up a 26K MG metro on fleabay atm - no mention of the engine but worth a try for the whole thing (search MG Metro Turbo - it isn't but easy search)

[MRA]

Like any camshaft unless it's new or recut, then it's a risk fitting it in your engine .... fit a new equivalent or a better alternative..... such as a 266 or 276

[samsfern]

i have a 276 in my 1330 daily driver, very driveable, fun when it comes in at about 3000rpm, great road cam in my eyes

[bmcecosse]

The last MG Metro cam I saw for sale on ebay (about 2 weeks ago) WAS NOT an MG Metro cam ! The seller refused to modify the description - so some poor bu99er has what he thinks is an MG cam - and it's not! It was in fact a 2A 948 cam - not a bad cam in itself - but not as good as the MG cam. And - the MG turbo cam is nothing special - just a standard 1275 cam - so don't be mugged into that.

[jaydee]

I've seen a few 1330s with the 276, and i was quite impressed.
The kent 266 profile is very close to the Mg metro cam, but the mg one seems to be better.

[Pauly]

Like any camshaft unless it's new or recut, then it's a risk fitting it in your engine .... fit a new equivalent or a better alternative..... such as a 266 or 276

Thats what im thinking now, you dont know how long its been out the engine and open to the atmosphere.

I may go for an sw5, I dont want nothing to wild, just want it to be a nice guttsy 1275.

Paul.,

[davethemini1293]

. And - the MG turbo cam is nothing special - just a standard 1275 cam - so don't be mugged into that.

no its really not

[jaydee]

Mg metro turbo uses a standard metro cam, we had a debate some times ago about this.

[Pauly]

Just to say for future reference dont just type in "sw5" into google search .

Paul.

[wile e coyote]

too late

[bmcecosse]

Problem with SW5 cam is the very high lift - wearing on moving parts - possible valve spring crush. It has very slack timing - gets the result from the lift - but that has many disadvantages.

[TimmyG]

Problem with SW5 cam is the very high lift - wearing on moving parts - possible valve spring crush. It has very slack timing - gets the result from the lift - but that has many disadvantages.

Not if it's done properly and not with as many disadvantages as getting the result from timing alone (the old fashioned, out of date way of doing it)
Have you actually measured one? The SW5 doesn't have very high lift at all, 0.323" measured at the valve on the one i fitted, with the recommended 15 thou clearance. Thats only 5 thou more than quoted as standard. It may well have more dwell at full lift than standard though, which is the equal of high lift (raising the average port flow throughout the lift cycle) but without the negative effects of increased wear and tear. Much better to have a more rounded lobe and use the rocker ratio to your advantage to get the higher lift if you need it.

Any wear problems are likely due to using extra strong valve springs (due to out of date/incorrect advice) combined with high lift rockers (and likely resultant incorrect valve clearances), especially when used in road cars that spend alot of time idling in traffic, and more than likely with a modern off the shelf oil that doesn't contain the neccessary additives to protect sliding parts on older engine designs.

It seems many are afraid of progress and stuck into the old way of thinking when it comes to cams, and timing. This is probably the reason Swiftune have never released details of their SW5 because no-one would buy it looking at the figures. Same reason Piper have stuck with the 255 name despite the timing figures being much more like the SW5, and probably why no-one ever mentions the Kent sports-torque, (hotter than SW5 but still less than 250 deg duration).

Any advice being given to use such cams as the 731, 544 etc, to people spending their hard earned on building an engine they want the best from, i.e the best in 2009 not 1969, is not good advice in my opinion, especially when second hand.
The only valid reasons for recommending such cams is for absolute period authenticity, where the owner wants a totally period driving experience above all other criteria or they have to comply with period rules, or they have one already and cant afford a new one.
For example, why would you want to fit a 544 when a 266 with 1.5 rockers will make better power everywhere and be really smooth? And if you wanted the race/rally feel of a lumpy cam then why have that and sacrifice all the power at the top? You don't have to because there's the 286 which was developed using the 544 as a starting point and now the SW10 which is a modern development of the 286. And there is surely no argument for using a 731, even a standard MG metro cam (731 exhaust lobe, cooper 997 inlet lobe) only loses out to this by a couple of horse power at the top end and makes much better low down power into the bargain. Of course why would you use that even, when the 266 was developed using the mg metro cam as a starting point!
The list goes on and of course there are even more newcomers now.

I'm not saying the old way doesn't work, of course it does but you get more drivability versus power using modern cams which must increase the smile factor whichever end of the spectrum you wish to use.