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New Cam Break-In


Slomove

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I will get my ported cylinder head (Zetec) back next week with new Kent FZ2002 cams, followers, springs and retainers. I read the adjusting instructions in the Kent booklet and it looks somewhat straightforward. But I have a few numpty questions (never done that before...):

 

- the Kent booklet mentions to smear cams and followers before installation with "cam lube". Kent has that in the catalog but of course I forgot to order. I suppose I can use some other lubricant but what is recommended?

- I read in the Clifton manual to use regular engine oil for this purpose. Is that good enough?

- I had the idea to crank the engine for a short while without timing belt, carbs and plugs (and valves closed) to prime the drained oil circulation system, build oil pressure and pump up the hydraulic followers. Only after that to install the timing belt and do the fine adjustments to the verniers. Is that a genuinely foolish idea?

- The table for the cams mentions 108 degrees for maximum inlet lift and 106 for exhaust. I suppose this is 108 degrees AFTER TDC for the inlet and 106 BEFORE TDC for exhaust. Is this correct? Or what is the reference point for these measurements?

- Kent requires to run the engine for 20 minutes at >2500 rpm before idling. I don't have a road here where I can go for that long without stopping, i.e. I would have to do it in the driveway. Let's see what the neighbours are going to say...

- Are there other recommendation of how to break in the new parts? E.g. not to exceed XX rpm for YY miles?

 

Thanks,

 

Gert

 

 

Edited by - Slomove on 12 Mar 2005 03:08:13

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Do not turn the engine without the cambelt installed properly as you will knacker the head. The timing of a 4 pot is that there will always be a valve open no matter where you have the cams so do not do. As the pistons will clobber the valves and bend them.

 

You will be fine turning the engine over with cambelt and no spark plugs.

 

Now for running in don't use a synthetic oil as it doesn't let parts bed in properly

 

Sod the heater wheres my shades

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Aha, thanks....should have thought that there is no point in time when all valves are closed....But that is why I asked.

 

I will try to get the cam lube. No Halfords here in California but I hope some auto shop has it. I will also swap engine oil for some fresh petroleum oil and replace with Mobil 1 after a few 100 miles.

 

Gert

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Kent normally include some cam lube with their kits. Are you sure there isn't a little tube in there somewhere.

 

Don't try running engines in on sythetic oil. I've tried it and it doesn't work *mad* *mad*

 

Don't idle the engine with new cams in it, keep it above 2000 rpm for most of the first few minutes. This ensures they have a good oil supply and work hardens the lobes.

 

SEP field working, not spotted in 103,100 miles. Some photos on webshots, updated 25 Jan

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Is it a rebuilt engine, or just head/cams? If it is the complete engine, as the others have said, don't go anywhere near synthetic. If it is just the head/cams, and the bottom end has already seen some action, synthetic will be fine - possibly even a bonus...

 

 

 

 

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It is only new cams and followers, springs and retainers. The rest of the engine is well run in.

 

If there is no need to switch temporarily to non-synthetic for the cams I am even wondering to leave the current Mobile1 5W-30 in the engine for start-up. It has only 1500 miles and maybe 6 months, still rather clear. Then, maybe after 100 or 200 miles change with new oil and filter. Does that make sense or is it skimping at the wrong place?

 

Gert

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Gert it will be fine on existing oil Get some genuine cam lube its very sticky[for a reason] and ensures cams are lubed from the minute they start turning untill they get adequate oil supply, run engine at no less thn 2000 rmp for first 20 mins to bed in followers and lobes with good oil supply.

It can be hard to time cams accurately without verniers and using max lift at crank angle it much easier to time at designated lift amount at Piston TDC using dial guage.

jj

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Thanks Johnty,

that is what I am going to do with the oil and lube. I did not understand what you mean with your last sentence. I do have verniers now and stuck a printed degree disk to the pulley that I zero'd in carefully with a dial gauge on the piston. I hope that will give me the means to fine tune it.

 

However, nobody answered my question about the timing degree numbers so far.... I will probably figure it out once I install the new head and adjust it coarsely with the flat bar in the camshaft rear slots. But just out of curiosity: the degree numbers for inlet are AFTER TDC and the numbers for exhaust are BEFORE TDC or what????

 

Thanks, Gert

 

Edited by - Slomove on 13 Mar 2005 04:58:11

 

Edited by - Slomove on 13 Mar 2005 04:58:46

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Gert Inlet full lift will be ATDC and Exhaust full lift will be BTDC My comments earlier where that it is now more normall to time cams on overlap using their speced lift at Piston TDC than using deg markings. You set up dial guages to measure Piston TDC [down plug hole] and valve lift on tappet or rocker and then just adjust Verniers to spec of lift.

jj

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Gert Inlet full lift will be ATDC and Exhaust full lift will be BTDC My comments earlier where that it is now more normall to time cams on overlap using their speced lift at Piston TDC than using deg markings. You set up dial guages to measure Piston TDC [down plug hole] and valve lift on tappet or rocker and then just adjust Verniers to spec of lift.

jj

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Darn, just found that Kentcams does not list the TDC lift spec for their cams only the degrees for max lift. Anybody know how much that is for the FZ2002? (I did write to Kentcam tech support, let's se if they know).

 

I also read on various posts here that it is better to have 2 or 3 dial gauges. I understand that is preferable if you want to set the cams on the fly without other markings.

 

However, I printed a precise degree wheel the size of my pulley and stuck it to the pulley with silicone. That is set to TDC zero with about +/- 0.5 degrees accuracy. Using this degree wheel I suppose I should get away with a single dial gauge. Or do I miss here something?

 

Thanks, Gert

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