Cam followers

[WozzA]

PM re followers sent Brian...   

[chaterlea25]

HI All,

That is the worst set that I have ever seen, Gerry!

Trev, I think this set were worse 
The bores and pistons were wrecked from the shrapnel from the cam and followers

Yet another example of a dealer selling ""Shiney Shite""

John

[muskrat]

Gawd, it's a wonder the tappets didn't fall off the valve stems. Never seen'em that bad.
Cheers

[Gerry]

OK guys, The ongoing saga of the Gold Flash......took the primary cover off and fitted a degree plate on the crankshaft. Checked the inlet opening point and I got sixty three degrees!!! So off comes the timing outer and inner covers and checked the timing marks and all align as I set them originally...WTF is going on here. According to an experienced friend (who gave me the recon' followers) the timing should be Inlet opens at 42 degrees BTDC and closes at 62 degrees after BDC. Exhaust opens at 65 degrees before BDC and closes at 25 degrees after TDC My Haines Workshop Manual says 30 degrees, 70 degrees, 65 degrees and 25 degrees respectively. Now unless my camshaft pinion is either marked wrong or has sheared the key I have got a real problem here. HELP!! I shall have to remove the camshaft pinion to check the key and once I have got the correct timing, set the crank at the right position before TDC and with the camshaft pinion off turn the camshaft until it stops against the inlet follower. The camshaft is a **-356 as should be fitted to the Flash. Am I wrong here??? Cheers, Gerry

[Brian]

Gerry do you know the history of your motor.

Its possible the idler pinion (the one that drives the generater) is the wrong one. The one out of the earlier "longstroke" engine is identical but the markings are different. If memory serves me the dash is four teeth different.

Somewhere on the forum I put up a thread covering this, I think its somewhere amongst the longstroke stuff, I'll have another go at finding it.

Found it.

http://www.a7a10.net/forum/index.php?topic=7342.msg51278#msg51278

[duTch]

 Hey Gerry, I don't have much to refer to having killed all my computers, waiting on a newy, but  I think the 356 cam is road rocket,  stock GF cam may be a 355....? Not  that it should matter,
 I have a 357 in the plunger motor using the original gears, and it runs OK , so maybe Brian has a valid point. ....?

[Resto-Rob]

My plunger was originally set up for Sidecar work and had a 354 cam.  I re-geared it and fit a 356 cam.  Runs beautifully :)  didnt want to go much higher as a have a thin flange barrel.

[duTch]

 I just guessed that 355 number, don't even know what happened to the original cam...!

  Gerry, for now at least, why not just disregard the marks and set it up where it works.
  Pick a lobe and crank setting, and add the idler (marks only line up every something like 97 revs anyway ! I think that's the figure someone sprouted while ago)

    You'd only need to do a couple of laps of the crank to confirm your settings.....?
  Get it running and worry about the other stuff later...?

edit;- just read your earlier post again, and it told me what I just told you. .

[trevinoz]

The "standard" cam is 334.
As Brian says, the long stroke idler gear is different BUT so is the crank pinion AND the cam gear. They will all fit!
Good luck, Gerry.

Trev.

[KeithJ]

Just caught up with this thread.  I had a set of followers laser welded with a comparably hard rod.  The advantages are lasers don't use so much heat.  A friend re-ground them for me.  Not yet fitted them so will be interested to see how they perform.  Not a cheap option but better than getting some doubtful quality spares.  Has anyone else tried laser welding?
ATB
Keith

[wilko]

I suggest that radically worn followers might be caused by much to high a poundage with valve springs or coil binding.

[KeithJ]

Are there known issues with the quality/length of the valve springs which are available to cause this or is it down to heads/rocker boxes  being machined etc?
Keith

[Gerry]

Hi all, Love the idea of laser welding/hard facing followers. Anyway.....took the Flash for a ride day before yesterday, nice day, not too hot. Did about 7~8 K's and came to a corner and she cut out completely and would not restart!!! Had to trailer it home as there was no spark at either plug. Too stuffed to do anything more than wheel it into the shed and have a cuppa. Yesterday took off both pickups and cleaned the slip-ring of the mag with a soft rag and thinners. Bit of dirt but not appreciably much. Both plugs out replaced the pickups and kicked it over and got a spark both sides. The chap that overhauled the mag' removed the original capacitor in the armature and fitted one of those little green ones under the points. Anyone had any experience with these? I'm wondering if I have a duff one that breaks down when hot!! Before the run it would start first or second kick, now it takes quite a few more kicks to get it going and sometimes I have to open the throttle wide to start it as if its flooded. At least it runs a bloody site better than it did with the Long Stroke A7 valve timing!!! Cheers. Gerry

[Rocket Racer]

http://www.penriteoil.co.nz/tech_pdfs_new/Jan2014/Product_Catalogue_VV&C.pdf
I was at a local swap meet in the weekend and talking to a mate who was querying what oil he should run in his star twin. There was a penrite stand that had 40 monograde "classic medium engine oil" with high zinc content. They also had a 30 grade light .
Our poor old cam followers cop high spring loads and are badly prone to scuffing so many modern oils are not really suitable. I believe this is also an issue for the old american hot rod cars than had similar cam follower design, so specialist oils that help our followers last a bit longer are at least readily available.

[KeithJ]

Have hard good reports on http://www.team-zx1.com products.  It is not an "additive" more a surface treatment.  Will be putting it in my A10 when rebuilt.
ATB
Keith