25 replies to this topic

[unburntfuelinthemorning]

 

 

I have used a lot of different Kent cams over the years and have not had any issues with any of them.

So plenty of lifespan from Kent cams.  What followers did you use with them?

 

The standard ones from Mini Spares.

 

Do you mean these ones https://www.minispar...|Back to search ?

 

There's quite an array of different ones from Minispares.

[Cooperman]

Yes, they are the ones I use.

I'v never had any issues with them and my own 'S' has a 286 cam, 1.5:1 roller-tip rockers and stronger valve springs.

[dotmatrix]

 

I have had both good and bad luck with kent cams. maybe my bad luck was due to tappets being bad. I don't know, maybe it was the cam. never tried other than standard and kent.

What happened?

 

 

it chewed up the tappets and cam lopes very quickly on the first two cams I had in my race engine. everything was new and lubed up with kents own cam lube and I ran the cam in. don't know what happened exactly. but I have had two kent cam since and they are perfect. could be something I did wrong, as I said. dont know what happened.

[Cooperman]

There were some poor cams around in the 1990's.

I built a 1071 rally engine for tarmac rallying with a 649 cam. I can't remember from where I sourced it.

The car went to the USA with my best friend and a year or so later the cam lobes failed. I flew over with a new 286, new followers and a load of other bits (as cabin baggage!) and we rebuilt it. Since that date the cam has been fine.

[dotmatrix]

There were some poor cams around in the 1990's.

I built a 1071 rally engine for tarmac rallying with a 649 cam. I can't remember from where I sourced it.

The car went to the USA with my best friend and a year or so later the cam lobes failed. I flew over with a new 286, new followers and a load of other bits (as cabin baggage!) and we rebuilt it. Since that date the cam has been fine.

 

nice to know it might not be me doing things wrong :)

[Zami]

Had a vp3 in a 1380 with big valve longman head, 1.5 to 1 rockers, everything lightened and balanced. Ran it for 25 yrs. the engine loved to rev and hated anything under 3500 rpm. Lots of fun at full throttle but not particularly good for everyday driving. Just finished a rebuild with an SW05-07 cam and have about 500 miles on the motor with all the same specs as before. I really like this cam lots of torque and very good throughout the rpm range.

[OzOAP]

I have had both good and bad luck with kent cams. maybe my bad luck was due to tappets being bad. I don't know, maybe it was the cam. never tried other than standard and kent.

What happened?

it chewed up the tappets and cam lopes very quickly on the first two cams I had in my race engine. everything was new and lubed up with kents own cam lube and I ran the cam in. don't know what happened exactly. but I have had two kent cam since and they are perfect. could be something I did wrong, as I said. dont know what happened.

Over springing is a cam killer.
Proper spring selection and installation is vitally important.
A lot if people just by 'race' springs and sling them in.

[unburntfuelinthemorning]

Over springing will certainly increase wear on the cam. 

 

Under springing though can cause the follower not to stay in contact with the cam which is surely worse. 

 

Obviously just the right amount of spring pressure is what's needed but how is that determined? 

 

If you use such and such a cam then how do you select the correct valve springs?

[imack]

Over springing will certainly increase wear on the cam.

Under springing though can cause the follower not to stay in contact with the cam which is surely worse.

Obviously just the right amount of spring pressure is what's needed but how is that determined?

If you use such and such a cam then how do you select the correct valve springs?

The spring seats in the head need to be machined so that the springs produce the correct poundage for the cam at maximum lift.

[Orange-Phantom]

 

 

 

I have had both good and bad luck with kent cams. maybe my bad luck was due to tappets being bad. I don't know, maybe it was the cam. never tried other than standard and kent.

What happened?

it chewed up the tappets and cam lopes very quickly on the first two cams I had in my race engine. everything was new and lubed up with kents own cam lube and I ran the cam in. don't know what happened exactly. but I have had two kent cam since and they are perfect. could be something I did wrong, as I said. dont know what happened.

Over springing is a cam killer.
Proper spring selection and installation is vitally important.
A lot if people just by 'race' springs and sling them in.

 

I had exactly that with the MiniWorld Project 45 car!

The valve springs they used were just ridiculous!  My brother commented that they were the strongest springs he's ever encountered and he's built enough engines (road and race) for people over the years.  He had a job with the spring compressor on them.  Needless to say the cam followers and cam were shot after 4000 miles!

[dotmatrix]

 

 

 

I have had both good and bad luck with kent cams. maybe my bad luck was due to tappets being bad. I don't know, maybe it was the cam. never tried other than standard and kent.

What happened?

it chewed up the tappets and cam lopes very quickly on the first two cams I had in my race engine. everything was new and lubed up with kents own cam lube and I ran the cam in. don't know what happened exactly. but I have had two kent cam since and they are perfect. could be something I did wrong, as I said. dont know what happened.

Over springing is a cam killer.
Proper spring selection and installation is vitally important.
A lot if people just by 'race' springs and sling them in.

 

 

I'm sure, but haven't changed the springs.