Got head back

**Richard2** · #1 (**permalink**) 07-26-2006, 06:32 PM

After working 12 days straight, I finally had time to get to the machine shop to get my head and the powder coaters to get valve cover and intake mfld.

We measured up the cams...11mm lift. After looking at the Centerline and International catalogs, I'm confused about which cams I have. According to the International Catalog the valve clearance for the 11mm Carb performance cams is different than the others. He set the exhaust valves at .022" and the intake at .020. Is that right? He said it has up grade valves...ferarra? Someone help me with the name.

So, I'm ready to start the reassembly...keeping everything clean...don't pinch the O rings...look for sealant around the 2 coolant holes at the rear of the block. There isn't any. I got some non silicone sealer to use. Anything else I should watch for?

Andrew · #2 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 06:59 AM

Hard to know what cams they are, specs, and clearances, without some identifying info. Otherwise it's a guess.

Also, who knows about the valves, but I'm not sure it matters. For valve clearance, you need to know what cams you have, not what valves.

Use new tappets, or tappets that are matched to the individual lobes of your cams.

Make sure with 11mm lobes that the lobes don't hit the head at the edge of the tappet bore.

Keep everything real clean. Make sure the o-rings not only don't pinch, but that they sit in the right place, with the head gasket nice and flat, as you lower the head. Make sure you put sealer around the rear drain-back holes in the head gasket if you have the stock Alfa type that needs it. (Jon Norman marks where to put the sealer).

Andrew

**Richard2** · #3 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 12:15 PM

Tappets were reused in the same holes they came out of.
Lobes clear tappet bore.

Are cams marked somewhere or do I need to go buy a protractor and dial indicator to figure out angles so I can identify these cams?

Andrew · #4 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 12:20 PM

Stock Alfa cams have the PN cast/stamped into them. Other cams normally are marked somehow, often on the back end. I've never tried to ID a cam from measuring the profile; even after you'd got it, you'd still need to figure out where it came from: IAP, Shankle, Centerline, Columbo, Sperry, Serra, on and on, and get ahold of specs. Could be a big job.
Andrew

vintage prep · #5 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 12:42 PM

If the valves are from Ferrea, you have high quality valves

**Richard2** · #6 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 03:50 PM

Someone along the line spent some money on the head. Its also been ported.

**Richard2** · #7 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 04:58 PM

I looked at the head again, and can't find any ID marks on the cams. Anyone have any ideas?

If not the plan is to take the head back to the machine shop, remove a cam, send it to Tacoma to a cam grinder to set it up in an indexing machine to check it out and get the specs. From there we hope to be able to id the cam and get some valve clearances...Delayed another week.

vintage prep · #8 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 05:16 PM

Seems like a lot of work for .003" or .004" . Are you interested in obtaining max performance, or concerned about possibly having a cam that's too racy?

At .022", they will be a little noisy, at .018", they will have slightly more lift and overlap, but less noisy. The difference would not affect durability, and hardly affect HP. Why not split the difference?

Just make sure the valve heads have, .070" (or whatever figure you prefer) clearance from the pistons when turned over by hand (after gapping).

PS, I know I'm gonna get flak for this.

**Richard2** · #9 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 07:27 PM

The International Catalog has 11mm cams with .014 gap. So, if I have them the lash is .008" out. That's getting up there, don't you think?

No, not so much concerned about performance. This is not a race car. I'd just like it to be right.

Andrew · #10 (**permalink**) 07-28-2006, 06:58 AM

Do you know where the car and cams came from? If so, maybe check with local cam grinders to see if they recognize the cams?

If there's no info on them at all, I'd guess they're regrinds or billets. Again, even with a profile, I'm not sure you're going to figure out who made them, and what the recommended clearance is.

I'd go to Engle or Isky or somewhere in LA, or to an Alfa-knowledgeable engine guy, have them examined, and make an educated guess on clearances. I think the indexing process is expensive, isn't it.

One last suggestion: Maybe check with MegaCycle in Novato, CA. They do a lot of Alfa cams for Norman Racing and others, and can maybe help you ID them. If they don't have a number stamped on an end, though, they're probably not MC cams; they have standard naming and ID system. They know more about cams that just about anyone.

Andrew

**Richard2** · #11 (**permalink**) 07-28-2006, 07:53 AM

The only thing I haven't done to find a name/stamp is pull the gear off the front and look there. With the size of the bolt, I don't think there'd be much room to stamp anything there.
When talking to my machine shop yesterday, shipping is $3 each way. He thought the grinder would do the indexing as a favor since he does so much work with them. When I get that information, and a recommdation from that grinder on valve clearances, maybe I'll call MegaCycle to see what they think. I'd hate to just put it together and find something wrong.