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BJ8 Cam Conversion

donnercm

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I have heard that upgrading to a BJ8 cam grind can be done on earlier healeys? I have a 59 100-6, is this upgrade worth it? Anything special i need to know? How much can i expect to gain?

Thanks.
 
You have to take the sump off to get the oil pump and its drive out. Getting the sump off is possible with the engine in but it wouldn't be my choice. Also have to get the crank nut off which can be a bit involved. Careful you don't get shipwrights disease while at in there.

I put a BJ8 grind (or supposedly, the lift and duration are done at a different setting than BMC so I don't know it is exactly the same) in my BN4 Longbridge and it gave it a lopey idle which I don't like but don't hugely dislike either. It along with some cylinder head work took hp from about 80 to 106hp in an otherwise standard engine. You can search the archive for dyno BN4 or something like that.

Andy.
 
donnercm said:
I have heard that upgrading to a BJ8 cam grind can be done on earlier healeys? I have a 59 100-6, is this upgrade worth it? Anything special i need to know? How much can i expect to gain?

Thanks.
I used to make this conversion/upgrade for friends Healeys back in the '70s. It works best with BJ8 Distributor and HD8 carbs. Idle is changed and not as smooth as the stock early cam grind you replaced. www.ElginCams.com in California usually has a BJ8 cam in stock for exchange. Don't forget the lifters too. Elgin can resurface your old lifters.
Camshaft regrinding with lifters is about $500.00
 
The BJ8 cam drive sprocket is a smaller diameter than on an early 100/6, so the block needs to be clearanced to fit the larger diameter drive spindle (which MUST be substituted).

Submitted with the caveat: <span style="font-style: italic">it worked for me...</span>
 
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