The Ford Barn

JohnReb23 · 12-29-2010, 05:38 AM

This may be a dumb question but I'lll ask anyway...

I have an 8BA in my car that was rebuilt by a previous owner. It's bored .60 over and has adjustable lifters. This got me thinking that maybe the cam was also altered or replaced during the rebuild.

So my question is this: how do I know figure out what kind of cam it is without any major disassembly?

I still have to run fuel lines and do a few more things before i can start the engine, but I'm a little curious anyway.

thanks, john.

JWL · 12-29-2010, 06:38 AM

If you don't really care about the specifics of the cam you can extend the stem of a 2" travel dial indicator into the sparkplug hole and against the exhaust valve. If the valve travel is much more than around .300 the cam is probably not stock. Or, it must have hy-lift rocker arms.

If the specific timing/duration and lift numbers are important it will be necessary to get more aggresive with the tooling and disassembly.

Terry,OH · 12-29-2010, 07:31 AM

many of the aftermarket cams are marked on the front end where the distributor attaches.

bbrocksr · 12-29-2010, 12:24 PM

Hy-lift rocker arms on a flathead?

OLD...BILL · 12-29-2010, 02:12 PM

Yes ( Hy-lift rocker arms ) this is something you get from that guy in england,that sell all that real neet flathead stuff. cheep. like new break fuild for manual breaks, for early Fords ...ect. ....OLD....BILL

OLD...BILL · 12-29-2010, 02:47 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

HEY JOHN: I haft to jump back in, and to your question. you know you have adjustable lifters, you must have had the intake off. at this point I would run a check of the adjustment ( setting ) of the lifters, and better way to check for lift of the cam, the travel of the lifter, as JWL said: a dial indicator, if the travel is more than .300 its not stock, ....Just a quick look at the lifters, in the bore, lets say one is down in the bore about 1/8" and next to it one up more than a 1/4 inch or so , using you best eye ball, its about 3/8 travel, it a hot cam... let us know what you find, .... OLD....BILL

JohnReb23 · 12-29-2010, 03:30 PM

I think i'll try to put a dial gauge into one of the spark plug holes. Removing a spark plug definitely fits my "no major dissasembly" request.

If it turns out to be a non-stocker, maybe i'll check for a stamp like Terry suggested.

Thanks, and i'll let you know what I find after i get back to the barn sometime this week.

john.

BillM · 12-30-2010, 01:17 AM

If you want to get into it in more detail you could do something like this:

Craig CT · 12-30-2010, 08:46 AM

Hi John; If you can't reach the builder how about someone that knew him. If it has one carb and stock ignition it's probably stock or close to it. Think it through and you might find it's just as well to finish it and run it. If you like the performance you're good, if not you can change the cam later. Good luck, Craig.

Ol' Ron · 12-30-2010, 02:00 PM

In the many years I've been working on flatheads, I have found adjustable lifters in many stock engines. back in the day, after a quick valve job a set of 12 dollar adj. lifters were used. hat's right. Back in the 40-50's they were pretty cheep. Not many back yard rebuilters ground the stems. At one time I had a dozen or so sets of adj lifters from junkyard engines.

Flathead · 12-30-2010, 11:43 PM

Sometimes a set of adjustables was the only reward for tearing down a seized-up motor that turned out to be junk.

12-29-2010, 05:38 AM	#1
JohnReb23 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Finger Lakes, NY Posts: 18	Cam Question This may be a dumb question but I'lll ask anyway... I have an 8BA in my car that was rebuilt by a previous owner. It's bored .60 over and has adjustable lifters. This got me thinking that maybe the cam was also altered or replaced during the rebuild. So my question is this: how do I know figure out what kind of cam it is without any major disassembly? I still have to run fuel lines and do a few more things before i can start the engine, but I'm a little curious anyway. thanks, john.

12-29-2010, 06:38 AM	#2
JWL Member Emeritus Join Date: May 2010 Location: Fitzgerald, Georgia Posts: 2,204	Re: Cam Question If you don't really care about the specifics of the cam you can extend the stem of a 2" travel dial indicator into the sparkplug hole and against the exhaust valve. If the valve travel is much more than around .300 the cam is probably not stock. Or, it must have hy-lift rocker arms. If the specific timing/duration and lift numbers are important it will be necessary to get more aggresive with the tooling and disassembly.

12-29-2010, 07:31 AM	#3
Terry,OH Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 5,395	Re: Cam Question many of the aftermarket cams are marked on the front end where the distributor attaches.

12-29-2010, 12:24 PM	#4
bbrocksr Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Yakima Washington Posts: 913	Re: Cam Question Hy-lift rocker arms on a flathead?

12-29-2010, 02:12 PM	#5
OLD...BILL Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Northern California,coast Posts: 552	Re: Cam Question Yes ( Hy-lift rocker arms ) this is something you get from that guy in england,that sell all that real neet flathead stuff. cheep. like new break fuild for manual breaks, for early Fords ...ect. ....OLD....BILL

12-29-2010, 02:47 PM	#6
OLD...BILL Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Northern California,coast Posts: 552	Re: Cam Question Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) HEY JOHN: I haft to jump back in, and to your question. you know you have adjustable lifters, you must have had the intake off. at this point I would run a check of the adjustment ( setting ) of the lifters, and better way to check for lift of the cam, the travel of the lifter, as JWL said: a dial indicator, if the travel is more than .300 its not stock, ....Just a quick look at the lifters, in the bore, lets say one is down in the bore about 1/8" and next to it one up more than a 1/4 inch or so , using you best eye ball, its about 3/8 travel, it a hot cam... let us know what you find, .... OLD....BILL

12-29-2010, 03:30 PM	#7
JohnReb23 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Finger Lakes, NY Posts: 18	Re: Cam Question I think i'll try to put a dial gauge into one of the spark plug holes. Removing a spark plug definitely fits my "no major dissasembly" request. If it turns out to be a non-stocker, maybe i'll check for a stamp like Terry suggested. Thanks, and i'll let you know what I find after i get back to the barn sometime this week. john.

12-30-2010, 08:46 AM	#9
Craig CT Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Sherman, CT Posts: 336	Re: Cam Question Hi John; If you can't reach the builder how about someone that knew him. If it has one carb and stock ignition it's probably stock or close to it. Think it through and you might find it's just as well to finish it and run it. If you like the performance you're good, if not you can change the cam later. Good luck, Craig.

12-30-2010, 02:00 PM	#10
Ol' Ron Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Chester Vt Posts: 8,985	Re: Cam Question In the many years I've been working on flatheads, I have found adjustable lifters in many stock engines. back in the day, after a quick valve job a set of 12 dollar adj. lifters were used. hat's right. Back in the 40-50's they were pretty cheep. Not many back yard rebuilters ground the stems. At one time I had a dozen or so sets of adj lifters from junkyard engines.

12-30-2010, 11:43 PM	#11
Flathead Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern Maine Posts: 1,696	Re: Cam Question Sometimes a set of adjustables was the only reward for tearing down a seized-up motor that turned out to be junk.