Hi All,
I got some 2nd hand kent cams to put in my 2.0 blacktop and have read a lot of different opinions on the best way to fit them. I have a new cambelt and tensioner to fit too. Is it as simple as this:
- remove the plugs
- rotate engine so piston #1 is highest
- check the standard camshafts grooves are aligned
- put locking pin in flywheel
- remove belt & tensioner
- remove standard cams
- put cams in exactly the same postiion (grooves aligned)
- fit new verniers (set to 0)
- refit tensioner and belt

I know I've missed a lot of detail but I'm wondering if, broadly speaking, this will give me accurate enough cam timing to get the job done. Once fitted, I want to be able to drive it to a rolling road to get it all dialed in.

Thanks

Andy

Burtons do good guides for this kind of stuff - in the catalogue and online - cam fitting linky

It also has the timing guide on the page, so you can check it after fitting, just to be sure

HTH

Vince

Black top has solid lifters and you may need to re shim them.

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Originally posted by big_wasa
Black top has solid lifters and you may need to re shim them.

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Originally posted by mr T

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Originally posted by big_wasa
Black top has solid lifters and you may need to re shim them.

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Why would you need to shim them if your are only changing the cams

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I'm going to try without either new followers or shims. Just to put it into perspective, the engine cost £100, cams £95 and verniers £100 - all in all it doesn't owe me a lot - if it's better at all with new cams I will be happy.

My main question is, can I use the allignment grooves on the kent camshafts rather than doing all that fiddling round with the timing wheel?

You will 99% certainly have to re-shim if you are changing the cams and lifters, especially for performance items because:

a) The base circle diameter of the cams are most unlikely to be exactly the same.

b) The cams may require different clearances to the OEM parts.

c) The lifters themselves will have some dimensional tolerance.

If you just slap it together it may not even run if you get negative clearances, and will sound like a bag of nails if they are excessive (and will cause premature damage to cams and lifters). If you want to improve the performance of the engine then correctly installing the cams is very essential, irrespective of the cost or worth of the engine.

Followers can be re-used if not noticeably worn, though it's not good practice. It's important to linish the tops with a fine grade of wet and dry before re-using however.

[Edited on 24/3/10 by MikeRJ]

No reason why the new cam alignment groove won't work, they'd give you a base setting for the engine and somewhere to work from with timing wheels.

Dan.

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Originally posted by scutter
No reason why the new cam alignment groove won't work, they'd give you a base setting for the engine and somewhere to work from with timing wheels.

Dan.

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