Coming back from Techenders my bus gradually lost power culminating in the last 10 or so miles turning into a crawl. It was running on all four cylinders and revved ok but was gutless, not overheating and just a hint of the usual hydro lifter rattle. I've driven it since and it's just the same. The compressions are low, but to be fair they always have been 115, 90, 105 and 95. It doesn't smoke or breathe excessively. I'm guessing it's a combination of low compressions and the hateful lifters not fully opening the inlet valves, the exhausts are probably ok as when one starts to fail the inlet manifold gets red hot as the valve doesn't open fully and this isn't the case. I do less than a thousand miles a year in the bus and from day one I've had problems with failing lifters, I started by changing them one at a time from Coolair, two years ago I fitted a complete set and I've already changed two more this year. I checked them all and reset the preloads before going to Techenders. I'm going to have to pull the engine, fit new barrels / pistons, oil pump and overhaul the heads. What I REALLY REALLY want to do is convert to solid lifters as my use of the bus is not suited to the hydro ones and I'm rapidly losing the will to live with them! It's a GE code 2.0 engine running carbs. My questions are:- Where's the best place to get a stock cam, lifters and pushrods? Does anybody have any of the bits? Do I need anything else?
You'll need an auto cam, but you know that already, right? My cam came from Stateside Tuning, if that helps?
Yes, as fas as I know, they are. My cam is came from Stateside Tuning, if that helps? But it's for a manual, and seems to be mildly lairy, if my lumpy idle is anything to go by.
Not for stock. You need different pushrods, fat ali ones. Hmm. I'm thinking of replacing my stock cam and lifters which ought to be in good order but no time scale. What oil weight are you using? I read they don't pump up as well with 20w50 as 15w40. But they'd have been making a racket to cause loss of power?
I'm not convinced it's wise to fit lifter after lifter after lifter on the same cam. One would guess eventually it would end in a mashed cam or lifters but I'm guessing. Dump the oil, cut open the filter and you'll find out.
I use 20/50, I had a similar issue with a major loss of power a couple of years ago on the way to Skegvegas. The lifters started making a noise that would raise the dead, that's when I changed the set. I'm happy to wait for your cam and lifters as long as I'm ready for next April.
There is a theme here : a guess that your engine is probably getting hot enough with whatever oil that it loses oil pressure and the ability to pump up lifters , its not their fault at all, but has a need for a bottom end refresh. or as you say, the lifters and cam are chewing each other up, and its the cam that is the killer. And because of low annual mileage, you are repeatedly resetting about to completely fail by replacing only one of the several worn out bits.
If you know how much pre-load you put on the adjusters (which I'm sure with your experience you do!) You cpuld check against how much you have now. It would be silly to change your cam because your points gap had closed up. I shouldn't have suggested my cam. Having thought harder I want the cog off the end. Rob converted cam and cog to bolt on so I could change it easily. I guess he thought I'd be back! I know he thought it would only take a couple of hours once stripped to the bare engine. A used stock one will be riveted. You might be best fitting new mild cam and matched followers and be done with it. Scat cams are ok and cheap. Web are better but cost a LOT more.
I could have sworn autos had a different cam, they need power/torque in a slightly different part of the rev range, don't they? Maybe I am thinking of the difference between a hydro and solids cam...? Edit, or that some of the performance cams are no good for autos, may be that's it?
L That's exactly it. Auto need a certain amount of low rev power to pull away and would change gear before you hit the power band of anything radical.
I'm guessing the Scat cam is the C25, I can only seem to see the cam, gear, lifters and pushrods from USA sellers. Would you recommend a UK supplier Steve?
I'm as in the dark as you are ref suppliers but the UK generally is expensive. I bought a type-1 scat C35 cam kit from heritage and the valve springs were a joke so beware of kits. I have no direct experience of the C25 but 77 Westy likes them. I expect you can reuse your wheel if tooled up or again there will be Euro based suppliers I think. The UK is a bit deaf to type-4.
Another thimg about cams is bearing end float. Stock original cams just fit, aftermarket are always tight. In your position I don't know what I'd do, there are pros and cons.
Did you try Stateside Tuning @Fruitcake? Or do they no longer exist? Edit: here you go http://www.statesidetuning.co.uk/t4camshafts.html