Camshaft query????

[nomad]

Just wondering about the cam regrinding business. Arn't new factory cams hardened?? If so it sounds like cam regrinder's only regrind the profile and maybe parkerize to retain lube for break-in. Am I right on this or will a reground cam be as good as a new factory cam???

Kurt.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

factory cams were chilled iron, they are OK, but nitriting is better, APT nitrited all it regrinds or either used a hard steel billet. Parkerizing is more of a application to keep things from rusting on the shelf, while it may have some minute hardening qualities to it, not much. The oinly exception to this is if ssomeone welds up every lobe on the cam than it will be hard, Delta does this, if you request it, but it cost more. IMHO, I would avoid most regrinds unless you can confirm they have been nitrited, APT is only US cam provider for our cars, I know of, currently doing this.

 

[nomad]

Thanks much Hap, unfortunatly, I'm looking for a good cam for a Datsun engine or someone that will make one up. Your reply is what I was afraid of. Just regrinding a cam probably is'nt the best. Was thinking Isky. Maybe APT would make one up for me. Datsun A series do have a drilled cam with lube to all lobes though, so I would expect the life to be improved by that.

Kurt.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Thanks much Hap, unfortunatly, I'm looking for a good cam for a Datsun engine or someone that will make one up. Your reply is what I was afraid of. Just regrinding a cam probably is'nt the best. Was thinking Isky. Maybe APT would make one up for me. Datsun A series do have a drilled cam with lube to all lobes though, so I would expect the life to be improved by that.

Kurt.

Kurt, then I would call Delta cam, send them your core, and ask for the welded lobe upograde, they have many lobe grinds to choose form and can easily change the grind as for a performance upgrade, and they offer a faailry quick turn-around.

 

[tomshobby]

factory cams were chilled iron, they are OK, but nitriting is better, APT nitrited all it regrinds or either used a hard steel billet. Parkerizing is more of a application to keep things from rusting on the shelf, while it may have some minute hardening qualities to it, not much. The oinly exception to this is if ssomeone welds up every lobe on the cam than it will be hard, Delta does this, if you request it, but it cost more. IMHO, I would avoid most regrinds unless you can confirm they have been nitrited, APT is only US cam provider for our cars, I know of, currently doing this.

Hi Hap, if "chilled" means a dip in liquid nitrogen that would be much different than nitriding.
In that case chilling would lower the temperature far below 0 degrees to around -320 degrees. The effect would be to normalize the molecular grain structure of the metal. The metal would then have little or no internal stress.
Nitriding would harden the exterior of the cam usually to a depth of .010 to .020 of an inch. Nitriding could be done after chilling.

 

[billspit]

Some of the cams BPNW sells are re-ground by Delta. I hope, but doubt, they are nitrided.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

[Hi Hap, if "chilled" means a dip in liquid nitrogen that would be much different than nitriding.
In that case chilling would lower the temperature far below 0 degrees to around -320 degrees. The effect would be to normalize the molecular grain structure of the metal. The metal would then have little or no internal stress.
Nitriding would harden the exterior of the cam usually to a depth of .010 to .020 of an inch. Nitriding could be done after chilling.

David Anton has described chilled iron to me to be brought down to extreme low temp slowly, then brought back to room temp slowly, thats about all I can tell you about the process, but it's the process the factory used, and we've been able to wipe out lobes on them, especially on MGB cams. Yes Nitriting is surface hardening process, which it exactly what one wants to do with cam or crankshaft for that matter that increase the resisitence against wear. In other words they are not trying to change the cam in whole from say breaking, they don't have issue with that, just make it wear surfaces last longer. now with a good quailty steel billet, there is no need for additonal hardening, but it can be nitirited as can a chilled cam. The rewelded lobes is the other option, the welded lob is bascily hard as a ntritied lobe, but you got to conted with stragihtening from possible wrapage. Mike Miller of Comptune and I a few years ago visited a local palce that does ION nitiriting, and got to see the process up close and personal.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Some of the cams BPNW sells are re-ground by Delta. I hope, but doubt, they are nitrided.

Thats correct, Delta does not nitirite, they do offer welded lobes but it cost extra. BPNW does offer a new chiiled iron cam, so I would go that route over the regrind.

 

[billspit]

Too late.

 

[nomad]

Thanks much for all the info on this. I'm still looking for a good factory cam that will meet my needs (we cheeep) but will get ahold of Delta if I can't find one. I'm not looking for anything to radical at this point. For radical I'm thinking 4AGE Toyota!!! (BTW haven't heard from the Toyota swaps lately)

Kurt.