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L24 needs new cam


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The oiling bar on my L24 was broken off at one end when I went to do the lashes and as a result one of the lobes on my cam is f'd up. I'm very inexperienced when it comes to engine work. I was looking on ebay for a new one and came across a schneider with .495 lift and 290 duration. I like the idea of a more agressive cam but don't really know what else is involved. Pretty sure i need new lash pads...which means new rockers right? Would i also need new springs? I've been reading up in the forums about cams and think I like the specs for this cam if it will wok like i think it does. Any help is greatly appeciated.

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You haven't been reading close enough. Less lift if you want to keep the springs you have. 465 or 470 is usually acknowledged as the maximum lift you can use and retain the stock springs.

 

Duration can be what you like. But lift will determine your springs.

 

Have you considered sending your stock cam (damaged as it is) in for a regrind. You will need (likely) new lash pads then, but it may be pretty cheap. In L.A. a reground bumpstick can range from $25 to $100 (from El Inca Cams and Isky respectively...)

 

If you want one you can put in without a long lead time (which "long" is relative) then buying one outright is the path you must go.

 

Don't waste your time with "A" "B" "C" cams, just get one that is ground for more performance than stock. PFFFFFT!

 

Good Luck!

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So if im able to do a regrind (sounds very tempting given my limited budget), what kind of power band could i expect with say .470 lift? or will the duration determine that? combination of both?

 

I have just noticed the higher lift and higher duration cams help out later in the rpm range.

 

The only thing not stock on my engine are dual webers.

 

Can I expect much of a performance difference regrinding what i have?

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Unless you plan to increase compression ratio and increase gear ratio then keep the new cam mild.

 

I would go to a U-Pull-IT type car junk yard and get a cam and set of rockers from a 280z (77 to 78) or 280zx (79 to 83). These cams are internally oiled so you don't need to use a spray bar. Just block off the spray bar holes or use both oiling systems at once (bar and internal oiling cam)

 

Get the cam reground by Deltacams for $60.00. Get them to regrind it to 260 degrees with 0.420" lift. Then get a set of 0.160" lash pads from Courtesy Nissan ($40.00).

 

don't over cam!!!

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With a stock 8.3 or so compression ratio of an E88 head says you'll need more lift, and not much more duration, and try to keep the overlap mild or you'll end up with a peaky cam that is a ***** to drive around town. I'd go with something about 450 lift, but 250 or 260 advertised duration. This will keep your dynamic compression up better, and not be such a dog around town. Maybe a little longer on the duration if the lobe centers are a little closer than the usual 110-112.

 

I am running Delta Camshaft's 480/280 grind, advertised as a .480 lift and 280* duration, and it's actually a .455" lift, 232*@0.050" lift cam, and I feel like I need more compression ratio, even at 9.7:1. The cam really doesn't wake up till 3300RPM, and lopes like a lame pirate at 800RPM. Good thing is the car loves 87 octane with a full-on timing map. I could push a little more timing with 89 or 93, but I may just pull the head and have the local guys skim a few more thou.

 

Now, that said...if I could get it setup with a little closer lobe centers, for less overlap, It would be better behaved under 3300, and not need the higher compression...but I don't know exactly what would happen between 3300 and 7500...which is EXCELLENT right now.

 

It's neat...tach climbs up from 1000 to 3300...then SLAMS across the dash to the 7500RPM rev limiter in 3rd gear...I can't imagine what a lighter flywheel would do.

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I also just installed the Delta 270-2 that Xnke mentioned. My idle is set at about 900 with a nice subtle lope. The overall power is less than I was hoping for but I didn't want to replace springs/retainers. It pulls okay off the line and really wakes up at +3000 rpms. The biggest issue was relearning the car with the power band moved further up. I now find myself tooling along in the 3000-4000 rpm range more often. It did occur to me to advance the cam a few degrees for better off-idle performance but I'm sorta happy right now. The old lash pads (run with the damaged Crane 272) I'm using mic'd at .165" and work perfect with this regrind. I did use new rockers so you might have to bump up the lash pads to .170 or .180 with reground rockers.

On a side note, my distributor is stock with a petronix pick-up. Timing is set at 12* static and I'm using the vacuum advance. Any suggestions regarding changes here to possibly get a little better throttle response leaving a stop light?

Edited by ezzzzzzz
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run 25 degrees at idle. 36 total mechanical.

 

This will require less mechanical advance in the distributor.

 

I have reduced the amount of advance many times. Take apart the distributor and weld up one of the slots to about 2/3 the length.

 

25 initial will really wake up the throttle response and make the exhaust smell less rich.

 

make sure to adjust the idle a/f mixture after adding more timing.

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Funny you should mention that. I bumped it up to 17* and things improved. I'm leaving Sunday morning for ZCON2011. As such, I really don't want to get into the distributor and risk a problem that would stall my plans. I guess I'll crank it to the external limit which is about 24* and mod the advance when I return to VA from the convention. Do you have a photo of that welded advance plate?

Edited by ezzzzzzz
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sorry no pictures.

 

but you must take apart the distributor.

 

mount the distributor in a vise

pry off the star with 2 screw drivers

remove the top plate

drive out the bottom pin

pull the shaft out

 

you only need to weld on one slot. Maybe a 1/8" worth, then grind it flat.

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