Kent 214 Cam

[BenBaron]

Hello again you helpful people you

right, Ive just recieved a Kent 214 cam from lets say a not to reputable source and it is not boxed or anything.
Is there anyway of identifying wether it actually is a kent cam or can I measure some bits and bats or something???

all help would be great

cheers

Ben

[russell_ram]

Ben,

Two ways really.

Normally the profile number is stamped into the back face of the rear bearing. If this is plain though the only way is to measure the profile, lift, opening closing timing on both the inlet and exhaust lobes and compare it with the published data for a Kent/Crane 214 (which I have at home but not here). You can do this with a DTI and timing disc on a pair of engineers 'V' blocks or perhaps easier, install it in a bare block with a crank and timing gear and measure it as per my previous posting about how to do it.

Russell

[BenBaron]

cheers Russell,
I'll try the block approach I think. I have a look for you posting

thanx
Ben

[russell_ram]

The post you are looking for is

http://www.cobraclub.com/forum/DCForumID78/406.html

For your Kent 214 the appropriate cam timing numbers are

Inlet opens 31 before TDC, closes 73 deg After Bottom DC : 284 deg period

Exhaust opens 80 BBDC, closes 34 ATDC : 284 period.

153 deg of overlap.

Lift at valve Inlet : 0.469 inch, exhaust 0.494 inch. With standard 1.6 rocker ratio this equates to lift off base circle of .293 inch inlet, .309 exhaust at the cam. ie measure nose of cam to back of cam with a micrometer, subtrate the base circle dia measured at 90 deg to the cam nose (not quite exact but close enough to establish if it is really a perf cam or not). Standard cam measured like that (at cam) will be something like 0.24 inch, inlet and exhaust.

Russell

[BenBaron]

bugger second time of posting this message, I tried to attach a piccy but looks like it went to pot.
Right I've had alook at the cam (it only came this morning) and after comparing it to my original one I thought ohh bollox.
At the end where the timing gears slide on the 'lump' for wont of a better word is missing! and in its place there is a groove.
Does the cam go in a later engine (I have a 3.5 p6) as all my timing gear need a 'lump' to turn them, or have I been ripped off!

cheers for all the help by the way

ben:'(

[wilf]

Ben - I may be opening myself up to all sorts of ribald comments from Russell Ram here if I get this wrong, but I suspect the "lump" you are missing is no more than a "woodruf" key, which should be no big deal to source. It is a (roughly) semi-circular piece of good quality steel, and is designed to be detachable. It basically provides a solid mechanical connection between the cam and it's drive gear, and is a very common way of locking gears or whatever onto shafts.

Wilf

[BenBaron]

Oh I hope your right there Wilf, that would be a real bonus.
It sure helps when somebody offers just a little glimmer of hope cause the story I've had getting the bloody thing in the first place!
If not then thanx for your words of wisdom.
If true then thanx for your heavenly words of wisdom.

After reading Russell's cam timing posting (phew!!) I think I'll hang fire and see if he agrees with you, before I go chasing off for one and waste a bit more money!

see ya

[JimT]

Wilf is bang on, your new cam simply hasn't got a woodruff key, which is quite normal as your expected to use the one out of your original cam. I'd advise ordering a new woodruff key however as I don't fancy your chances of extracting the old one........be warned it may take a large hammer to get the woodruff key in place.

Jim.

[BenBaron]

Wh hooo


:7

[russell_ram]

Ben,

Wilf is entirely correct (except for the spelling - two ff's in Woodruff I think). Thanks for the vote of confidence in my knowledge though!

If you haven't thrown the old cam out remove the old key and re-use it (although it might not fit - see below). They come out quite easily if you use a punch that will go down into the slot in the cam and 'attack' the key from one end and go underneath it. It might need a 'sharp tap' to break it loose to start with though. It won't be a too tight a fit in the new cam either, gentle tapping is all, as long as you drive it in square.

If you haven't got the old one, they're £2.20 ish from Real Steel, Rimmers, RPI etc. They will need to know that it's for a replacement cam though because on pre 76 engines the key was slightly different.

Russ