hi all
rebuilding an engine to go in my rs when done
spec will be running mfi for now
standard crank
low comp pec pistons 7.5.1 (81mm)
farndan rods
hd bearings around the crank/rods
hp oil pump
t3 stage 2
superchip
ford head gasket
arp bolts all round
what i need to know is i have 2 heads
1st one is a standard head with just porting/polishing work on inlet and standard cam
the other a stage 2 head from burtons with kent/piper high boost cam (cam not bought yet)
what boost can i run on these head options that give a good delivery of power with the right cam, i am not looking for a engine that hits its max power nearly flat out coz lets face it the speed limit is 70 on motorway
i do have plans next year to run a different engine management but will stick with mfi for the time being and if a bigger turbo is needed so be it but i am looking to run 190/200 at the wheels with my uprated box from cts ect ect
so i am hoping there is a couple of people out there running a similar spec engine in its above combinations that can give me some info on performance or point me in the right direction
i know a zvh is going tobe cheaper but i want all cvh and i have pistons/ rods block ect ect just needs putting together
any info would be grateful
mark2

 

I think you might just be able to make that power ATW, your limiting factors will be how well the old MFI system fuels (some have been known to only manage 180bhp, but others have hit 240bhp), and your Stage 2 T3 is only rated to around 225bhp.
Either head will be fine IMO, but that standard cam will be better if your wanting to keep power in the midrange and not up at the rev limter!

I'm in a similair situation/spec (not low comp though) and am just waiting to get my head back from NMS, then i'll be in for a setup and aiming for around the same power as you.

Also i'm talking GENUINE ATW power hrere! I'm sure there will be lots of people come on here and tell you what they have got from there Stock T3's and MFI fuelling etc. that are way above that but i'm just going by what I have been told be reputable tuners rather than my mate down the pub

 

yeah i know there will limiting factors ie mfi set up, stage 2 t3
thats my future plans to upgrade them but wouldn't the standard cam start to max out (240bhp @fly) so i get around the 200bhp atw i do preferre mid range power than the highter end power thats why i run standard cam now as the t2 was a bit of a lag

have you had any dealings with kent cams , i used the cvh35 in my last lump and that lasted around 3k miles it went back to kent and about 2 months later i got a new cvh35 cam free under warranty but never put it back in i went onto piper but the kent cam did give better power delivery at more of the mid range than the t2
i would like a cam thats good low end but can handle lots of boost and not be on its limit for the power i looking to achieve
mark

 

I'm not sure if the standard cam will be limiting or not but NMS did not say it would be a problem when we were spec'ing my head work and I did say that is what I would be using, but certainly the 285T2 is a very laggy cam, the CVH35 is also I believe (no direct experience myself though), a 285T or a CVH34 are much better and give gains higher up in the rev range without losing out low/midrange.

 

cheers carlos g
i think i will have to look into it alot more for now and see what a few well known tuners have to say and let you know
mark2

 

the 34 cam is nice no noticable difference low(no laggier) down but once you get going it rev's so much nicer and seems to pull like a train straight to limiter

 

Deffo go for a newman cam mate, not much more expensive than kent/piper but seem to last better, solids work well if you want to rev the engine hard too.... I agree that the cvh34 is a good cam, i loved mine but had two in the space of 1500 miles

 

hi
did think about newman cam and solid lifters but heard need checking and adjusting as they wear which aint to bad but had no run ins with them and with the money i have spent on pistons/rods ect ect dont want it going wrong like some have had on here on standard pistons and rods , i am doing all the work myself except machining, dont get me wrong i am more than able done my last 2 engines in my last rs after an engine builder put thrust washers in wrong and knackered my crank so been doing it all myself ever since and solid lifters i have never touched (yet) i live very close to burtonpower and know them in there and even been told its a fine line getting the solid lifters/cam right
i will give kent a call when there open after easter and have a chat about the cvh34 for my needs but weary
i have had 2 cams fail both kent on cvh and a zetec i put close to 6k into the engine
cheers everyone for your time and advice i am grateful
mark2

 

So you want a reliable engine and yet even though you've had trouble with kent cams you're happy to consider putting another one in rather than have to adjust a set of lifters every now and then (not like every 500 miles anyway)......makes no sense to me i'm afraid, heavily modified/big power cars are never going to be maintenence free in reality.

 

why dont you also give cat cams a buzz they seem to be building up a good rep.
so is there much difference between all the cams?
which one would be the best the good low down grunt/good mid and lag free as my m8 is running a stage 2 t3 and wanted to know which cam to run ?

 

Yes mate a huge diffference!
Piper 285T, Kent CVH34, Stock Ford Cam, or a Mild Newmans (preferable but more expensive as you need double valve springs, and requires adjustment of solid lifters) any of those will be best for low down/midrange power.
I've not heard of Cat Cams before?

 

Infact quite the opposite mate regards the double valve springs.....the springs newman recommend are only 190's, they told me not to use any stronger/double valve springs. A mate of mine with a 240bhp n/a williams clio uses cat cams and they seem to do the business in that, never noticed them doing rst cams but no reason why not!!

 

i was led to belive cat cams use the same source for blanks as kent cams so will suffer the same wear issues! could be wrong though

 

i agree i must be mad to consider kent thats why i was going to ring them to discuss the reliabilty factor , i have not said i am going to buy a kent cam just going to have a chat
and i have not used kent cams in my car for a while and maybe there testing on failed cams has shed some light on there poor history and been able to correct it as i have not heard of any failing lately
if you look at my reply about solid lifters i have put not touched them ( yet ) i am considering them for the engine thats why i put the post up which cam to use to get some answers and views like yours if i was building the engine to way exceed its normal rev limit then i would have to put them in no questions about it but i am not building the engine to rev that high even though it would be capable
cheers
mark

 

Thats really strange!!
NMS are working my head as we speak and Ollie said I cant have a Newmans Cam without fitting double valve springs?!
But I have read elsewhere that CVH valve springs are already overated for the job so I did wonder why i'd need double's
I didnt ask why because the complete newmans kit came to about £400 from them and was out of my budget anyway so I just dissmissed the idea.

 

i paid £280 for the kit from jamsport so thats not right.

 

As above...kit is £280 for cam/springs/lifters so nms must be adding a bit on somewhere! I actually spoke to David Newman a few days ago and he told me not to use double valve springs as their cams do not like/need them.....

 

hi
any comments for my choice
when built and running in standard head only ported on inlet with standard cam running mfi,
with new engine managemnt which is undecided yet, newman cam solid lifters with stage 2 head boost 18psi++++
mark2

 

Hmmm dont know why they are asking so much then?! They wanted £300 for cam/lifters and another £80 for D/Valve springs + VAT!!
Dont know why they recommended D/Valve springs either!!??

 

I had cvh35 camshaft in my ex engine with megasquirt managment and there was no such thing as laggy in my opinion. 3300rpm full boost. But the key was proper managment system, ke-jet it sucks.I am currently building new engine with piper 285T2 camshaft and i wonder how it works. If it is shit i think i go again cvh35 cam.

 

i will second that only use standard valve springs with newmans solid lifter cam when i changed from double to single, my engine reved much better.. christian also runs a newman solid lifter cam with new standard valve springs..


sean