Firstly I did a search under clearancing cam, clearance cam, camshaft clearance, camshaft gap, camshaft clearancing, clearancing camshaft and other things similar. All with no find on this site and yeas from the beginning - WTF. Surely it has been mentioned, I just can't find it 🤪
Anyway, what methods do you use to clearance the camshaft. Milling, grinder, lathe, die grinder, file (take a while), flapper wheel or what.
I would like to just do it at home for free, but also don't want any issues with weakening the camshaft. I personally don't like the idea of reducing the whole circumference on a lathe, I would just like to do the flat spots x 8.
Thanks, Kev
I thought rebuilding a VW would be cheap - Shit I was wrong, just don't let the wife know !!!!
I think I had already read those 3 links, but was just after feedback of what people here are doing. I have a die grinder but am a little reluctant to use that, so I may buy a narrower wheel for my bench grinder and try that. Just need to be careful that I don't get to much heat into it.
Kev 👍
I thought rebuilding a VW would be cheap - Shit I was wrong, just don't let the wife know !!!!
Craig Torrens wrote:Ive never done one, so good luck 👍
Craig that's because you are not a stroker like me. Hang on a minute, that is meant to be the other way around 😂😂😂
Mat - all good thanks, just a bit of wet and dry and all good. Just went out and bought a flapper wheel, so might try the die grinder and see how it goes.
Well, I got into it today and am happy with the outcome. Due to the shape of my rods, I made the clearaning curved rather than flat like others I have seen on the net.
Was trial and error, checking for clearance, pull it out and take a little more off it, back in and check, pull out and take more off again until I was happy with all.
Hopefully I have done it right. Thanks again for your input.
that photo my be a little deceiving. Trying to hold the conrod, the camera/phone and push the button all at once I may have altered the angle of rod making the gap look huge. I was aiming for 1mm or 40 thou, Scat crank and rods and I hope to rev it to about 6.5 - 7k.
Have a good long weekend (all), Kev
I thought rebuilding a VW would be cheap - Shit I was wrong, just don't let the wife know !!!!
Thanks Kev, I was actually thinking it was looking tight. With type1/Chev journal crank (my guess) I'd recommend every bit of that and closer to 0.060 radial clearance for me to be happy. Enjoy Easter
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE
have already taken the edges of the cam lobes and will make a few more checks today with what you mentioned thanks.
This is a photo I already had taken showing lobe to lifter clearance, I haven't measured the gap but will also do that today. What's your thoughts on gap size here.
Cheers, Kev
EDIT: Just measured and there is only .08mm or 30 thou gap, is this enough ??
Thanks Mat, looks like more mods required to the engine case. Glad I am double checking all this stuff before I bolt it together 👍👍👍
Kev
EDIT: Mat, just been looking at the net and found this. Not disregarding your thoughts, just showing another's view -
Don't machine your lifter bores. Get the thin base lifters.
Machining the lifter bores can cause low oil pressure if the machinist goes a bit too deep.
I have a very expensive aluminum "race case" with machined bores that has always had low pressure when hot. I have to run a 30mm Melling pump in it to compensate.Oil pressure escapes from around the lifter when the bore boss is shortened.
I like min 0.040" max 0.070" but have run as little as 0.025" on a mild cam 1776
There are a couple of ways to skin a cat as long as you're within spec, it's the first time I hear of low oil pressure due to lifter bore to shoulder clearance most likely caused by incorrect lifter body to bore clearance, lifters do vary in thickness if ever so slightly which will affect oil pressure.
I agree with Ben, that the oil pressure issues are excessive lifter bore clearances where the lifter is often under factory spec. This in a mild case can be rectified by ceramic coating the lifter, and a bad case, resleeving the lifter bores.
To get the cam full lift clearance, only a small radius is required for cams I've used and so this becomes negligible regarding weakening the lifter bore or reducing oil pressure. Having said that, I have to appologise as I rethought/checked my original spec for the full lift clearance required, 0.040" (1mm) is all that is required hence the small amount of radius required to achieve this. I have ammended my original post to reflect this.
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE
