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I'm thinking about a winter upgrade for more powah, cause you can never have enough right?
As far as i'm aware my 390se is is currently running a Kent H214 according to the paperwork that came with the car, it seems a decent enough all rounder but peak power is a little too early for my liking at a little over 5k.
Has any one got any experience with the wilder cams like the Kent H224 or 234 or the Crower 50233?
Cheers
Ben
As far as i'm aware my 390se is is currently running a Kent H214 according to the paperwork that came with the car, it seems a decent enough all rounder but peak power is a little too early for my liking at a little over 5k.
Has any one got any experience with the wilder cams like the Kent H224 or 234 or the Crower 50233?
Cheers
Ben
Be super careful going for a wild cam in a road car. You can seriously affect the tractibility and driveability of the car.
If peak power is coming too early, it could well be that the engine doesn't have the ability to breathe well enough.
I'd be tempted to look at the spec of the rest of the engine, cylinder heads etc and see if you can improve the gasflow first.
Have you read David Hardcastle's book? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tuning-Rover-Engines-Perfo...
Lots of very good advice in there, echoed by my old man who's built RV8's for competition in the past.
THE big mistake which everyone makes is fitting too wild a camshaft
If peak power is coming too early, it could well be that the engine doesn't have the ability to breathe well enough.
I'd be tempted to look at the spec of the rest of the engine, cylinder heads etc and see if you can improve the gasflow first.
Have you read David Hardcastle's book? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tuning-Rover-Engines-Perfo...
Lots of very good advice in there, echoed by my old man who's built RV8's for competition in the past.
THE big mistake which everyone makes is fitting too wild a camshaft
I fitted a Kent 248 with 112 lca
That's a fairly large cam
And I have no regrets,
It's not that good under 1500rpm but who drives that low?
And a pig to start when cold
Still pulling at 6500rpm
Ask your self this, are you using the car to poodle about in going to the shops? Or is it your weekend toy?
That's a fairly large cam
And I have no regrets,
It's not that good under 1500rpm but who drives that low?
And a pig to start when cold
Still pulling at 6500rpm
Ask your self this, are you using the car to poodle about in going to the shops? Or is it your weekend toy?
The Kent 214 is a very good useable cam for road use and was favoured by TVR in many engines. As you will know it does give a slightly lumpy tickover and is slightly lumpy low down but still perfectly useable for everyday use. How many miles has your present cam done? If it is getting worn it will feel as though it is running out of puff at the top end. If worn a new one will feel much more revvy at the top end.
I would think very hard before going too big. The last thing you want to do is loose your driveability low down.
I would think very hard before going too big. The last thing you want to do is loose your driveability low down.
voltage_maxx said:
THE big mistake which everyone makes is fitting too wild a camshaft
My tuppence worth...Admittedly not an RV8, but in my X-flow Ford days I had a MK2 Cortina, which I fitted the wildest cam I could without machining pockets in the pistons, lightened flywheel, billet rockers, posts and solid spacers to rev to 7k. Tickover had to be set at 1200rpm or it would stall on idle. Nothing til 3500rpm then good grief until 7000rpm! Absolute hoot. The induction bark as the cam came on song just made you want to hear it again and again. Net result was a car that slowly became a PITA to use everyday - especially in traffic - and lows of 11mpg (with a 10 gallon tank!) meant you always had to know where to local petrol stations were.
So yes, I think you have to keep a practical head on when choosing a cam.
Having said that, I later ran the same setup in MK2 Escort, so I guess that says a lot about me!
For a 248 cam - you will need solid lifters and either adjustable rods or adjustable tappets.. look for kenne bell or yella terra. Both very hard to find nowadays. Next big issue is EFI.
If you have a flapper 4cu then tuning it may be next to impossible, hotwire and 14cux is possible but will need careful tuning to gain back driveability by the guru - Mark Adams.
My 4.6 was a 248 solid .. with KB roller rockers.
With my new engine - I've gone a bit wilder.. 256 by crane using pep roller rockers.
If you have a flapper 4cu then tuning it may be next to impossible, hotwire and 14cux is possible but will need careful tuning to gain back driveability by the guru - Mark Adams.
My 4.6 was a 248 solid .. with KB roller rockers.
With my new engine - I've gone a bit wilder.. 256 by crane using pep roller rockers.
B-Reight said:
eesbad said:
My tuppence worth...
Admittedly not an RV8, but in my X-flow Ford days I had a MK2 Cortina, which I fitted the wildest cam I could without machining pockets in the pistons, lightened flywheel, billet rockers, posts and solid spacers to rev to 7k. Tickover had to be set at 1200rpm or it would stall on idle. Nothing til 3500rpm then good grief until 7000rpm! Absolute hoot. The induction bark as the cam came on song just made you want to hear it again and again. Net result was a car that slowly became a PITA to use everyday - especially in traffic - and lows of 11mpg (with a 10 gallon tank!) meant you always had to know where to local petrol stations were.
So yes, I think you have to keep a practical head on when choosing a cam.
Having said that, I later ran the same setup in MK2 Escort, so I guess that says a lot about me!
I just need to establish what setup would be just wild enough without ruining the driveability, i know i need wilder, but not sure what cam would give me the sweet spot.Admittedly not an RV8, but in my X-flow Ford days I had a MK2 Cortina, which I fitted the wildest cam I could without machining pockets in the pistons, lightened flywheel, billet rockers, posts and solid spacers to rev to 7k. Tickover had to be set at 1200rpm or it would stall on idle. Nothing til 3500rpm then good grief until 7000rpm! Absolute hoot. The induction bark as the cam came on song just made you want to hear it again and again. Net result was a car that slowly became a PITA to use everyday - especially in traffic - and lows of 11mpg (with a 10 gallon tank!) meant you always had to know where to local petrol stations were.
So yes, I think you have to keep a practical head on when choosing a cam.
Having said that, I later ran the same setup in MK2 Escort, so I guess that says a lot about me!
Of course i'll need to balance that out against £££ as i don't want to be updrating the bottom end, so a 6k ish limit might be wise.
eta;
6k rpm not £6k, SWMBO would flay me alive if i spent that
Edited by B-Reight on Tuesday 18th October 23:16
What capacity engine are you running? Again, I would strongly suggest you look at better flowed heads, intake etc. You'll be facing big bills uprating internal components to rev reliably and consistently past 6k RPM. It's really not the route I'd go unless I was looking at pure competition.
My 390SE's cam's an RPI RP1. Was in the engine when I got it, replaced at about 80K miles I think (now on 120K).
Has duplex timing chain and adjustable sprocket, still runs hydraulic lifters.
Gives a flattish curve, no sudden rush at any RPM either from seat of pants or dyno graph:
Has duplex timing chain and adjustable sprocket, still runs hydraulic lifters.
Gives a flattish curve, no sudden rush at any RPM either from seat of pants or dyno graph:
Edited by Wedg1e on Wednesday 19th October 13:14
k the Cam - just get a bigger engine...!!
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