276 stroker from 35 years of parts

[38 coupe]

Your measured lift numbers sounded familiar for some reason so I went searching. Sure enough, reported measured lift by a Barn member on a NOS EAB camshaft was similar to what you are finding on your used EA cam. I can't explain the deviation from reported lift by every other source for these cams. Link to other thread here: https://fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=336984

Regardless, the NOS Canadian cam is a great way to go for the vehicle you have. Does anyone have a Canadian manual so we know what valve lash should be with the cam?

[GB SISSON]

Thanks for the good word! Been looking at valves, guides, springs etc. Lots to pick from. Looks like the shorter springs, about 1/4" shorter are for valves using rotaters? Been breaking assemblies down with my nifty KR Wilson spring compresser I bought here on the fordbarm swapmeet.

[flatjack9]

Originally Posted by petehoovie

That is a Canadian no. In US, the basic cam number was 6250. Be interesting to find out the specs.

[51504bat]

Don't know about the cosmoline on your 8rt cam but when I bought NOS Rods for my 8ba the machinist had a hell of a time cleaning whatever preservative they were coated with. Hope all you need is a little acetone on a rag for your new cam.

[GB SISSON]

I bought some pistons in cosmoline about ten years ago and had the devil's time getting it off until I set tfhem on a moderately warm woodstove. It wiped off with a rag and wd 40. And I agree about the Canadian cam. Cosmoline makes me think military, but would have been Korean war time frame.....? And I think of ford military vehicles as having a six.

[cas3]

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I was a big military vehicle collector years ago, and in the government issued manuals it says to clean cosmoline off with gasoline. Works good, I've done it many times. Those numbers on the cam package will tell what vehicle the cam was for. WW2 stuff is easy, every vehicle had a "G" number at the beginning, like G503 is a jeep, then the number after that tells what part it is for the jeep. The 8rt cam in question, is later than ww2, so those numbers fall in what we call "m series" which is post ww2, korean war era when they changed the number system to the NSN, "national stock number". Which will still be able to find the origin of the cam, but slightly harder to research , and if Canadian it get trickier yet. Would be fun to know what it was made for though.

[GB SISSON]

I'm hoping with the RT truck designation it will be right for the type of power I am looking for. The fact that it's Ford and it's New is a step in the right direction. Here's a pic of my KR Wilson valve spring compressor. I mounted it on a board this morning so it can be used vertically or horizontally. It's easier to get at the keepers with it laying on it's back. Since my block now has hard seats, does that mean I use the valve assemblies without rotators? Typically in the past I have just replaced all the valve assemblies with exactly what type came out.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

I'm hoping with the RT truck designation it will be right for the type of power I am looking for. The fact that it's Ford and it's New is a step in the right direction. Here's a pic of my KR Wilson valve spring compressor. I mounted it on a board this morning so it can be used vertically or horizontally. It's easier to get at the keepers with it laying on it's back. Since my block now has hard seats, does that mean I use the valve assemblies without rotators? Typically in the past I have just replaced all the valve assemblies with exactly what type came out.

[cas3]

Geez, a KR Wilson spring compressor, and a big Wilton bullet vise, you are somebody GB!

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by cas3

Geez, a KR Wilson spring compressor, and a big Wilton bullet vise, you are somebody GB!

Aw shucks Skip, It's just Pete and his jumbo photographs. That little spring compressor fits in the palm of my hand and the vise has 4" jaws. Not big as vices go.
In my searching about the 8rt cam I did uncover this:



https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=Awr....z9DEc9Oavh_hA-

What is interesting to me is the journal wear limit in the chart posted by Ross. 1.794 . Makes me wonder what you engine builders and cam specialists consider acceptable clearance. It will be interesting to measure my new purchase.

[tubman]

I couldn't find one of them KR Wilson valve compressors, so I made my own from a piece of pipe and some scrap metal. It was easy and worked well.

[cadillac512]

Gary, you can choose whichever type spring/retainer setup you wish. The non-rotator (longer) springs are generally easier to find if you want new ones. Either will work with your block.

[GB SISSON]

I have a lot of springs here. My gut feeling is to test and use these tried and true US made Ford springs. To know the 'installed length' do I have to install them or is there a generaly agreed upon dimension used for this purpose? I understand that a valve set up with it's spring and all keepers installed as a unit will change once it is installed in the block with it's horseshoe clip. As I stated previously, I have a lot of questions. Here's one more.... What would seem to be more accurate in testing valve spring pressure? A clutch master cylinder with a pressure gauge threaded in, or a digital bathroom scale? Either would be set on my drill press with the depth stop set at installed spring number.And Tubman, that's neat job on that compressor.

[cadillac512]

2.125"-2.130" is a good rule of thumb for stock non-rotator springs. Ford said 37-40# at that number for early engines and 50-51# for the Zephyr.

[Bored&Stroked]

It is always best to test the particular springs that you have in your hand. I've seen them vary all over the place.

I have a hydraulic pressure gauge (from Jegs) that I put in my mill to determine the installed height. Is really a cool tool and I have used on many engines!

2024-03-25_17-37-30.jpg

On your engine, you'll find the full-length non-rotator type springs, retainers, etc - will be easiest to find/locate. If you have a bunch of springs around, if you get a tester than you can go through them and see if you can "make a set" that are all close to the same installed/open pressures.

You need to make a little "checking spring" - out of something light that allows you to put together an assembly for each valve, install it in the engine and measure the resulting spring installed height - then you know what to do as far as shims from there.

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by Bored&Stroked

It is always best to test the particular springs that you have in your hand. I've seen them vary all over the place.

I have a hydraulic pressure gauge (from Jegs) that I put in my mill to determine the installed height. Is really a cool tool and I have used on many engines!

Attachment 539091

On your engine, you'll find the full-length non-rotator type springs, retainers, etc - will be easiest to find/locate. If you have a bunch of springs around, if you get a tester than you can go through them and see if you can "make a set" that are all close to the same installed/open pressures.

You need to make a little "checking spring" - out of something light that allows you to put together an assembly for each valve, install it in the engine and measure the resulting spring installed height - then you know what to do as far as shims from there.

Thank you for all this info. This afternoon I decided to put some of this new knowledge to use and so I found an unused wheel cylinder in a box on a shelf. I took it apart and drilled and tapped the brake line bore to 1/8" pipe and threaded in an oil pressure gauge. I reassembled the cylinder 'under water' in a tupperware container filled with brake fluid as I figured it would be hard to bleed. I set it on the drill press. A quick test using a deep socket in place of a valve spring showed very responsive reading fron 0 to 80 lbs. I thought I had something I could use but had to go in for dinner. Now I'm thinking about 40 psi... is that the same as 40 lbs on a scale? Oh well, I'm learning new things and that's what makes me happy. Hoping to have some free time tomorrow to further investigate my apparatus.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

Thank you for all this info. This afternoon I decided to put some of this new knowledge to use and so I found an unused wheel cylinder in a box on a shelf. I took it apart and drilled and tapped the brake line bore to 1/8" pipe and threaded in an oil pressure gauge. I reassembled the cylinder 'under water' in a tupperware container filled with brake fluid as I figured it would be hard to bleed. I set it on the drill press. A quick test using a deep socket in place of a valve spring showed very responsive reading fron 0 to 80 lbs. I thought I had something I could use but had to go in for dinner. Now I'm thinking about 40 psi... is that the same as 40 lbs on a scale? Oh well, I'm learning new things and that's what makes me happy. Hoping to have some free time tomorrow to further investigate my apparatus.

[GB SISSON]

Now I'm really confused...???

[cas3]

I think your home made thing is a wonderful idea. Ingenuity at its best! I'm not the expert here, but if you have a box full of springs and time to fool with it, pick out 16 that are close to the same, and the highest reading. Carry on...we're all waiting!

[GB SISSON]

I got a little time to run a test. Bear with me here, The plastic tube is an 'airborne' cold tablet container, cut to 2 1/8" inside height.The od fits the brake cup the ID fits a spring. Neither is binding on anything. I think this type of measuring tube is a bad idea as it indicates the installed height, but not the installed height in the block. No matter which long style spring I pick it shows about 20 psi at 2.125. When pushed another .125 below the rim of the tube, they show 40 psi. When I substitute a deep socket in place of the spring, the lest pressure shows up immediately. With a spring on the tester the gauge shows no pressre until some compression of the spring takes place. In the final analysis though, 40 lbs is 40 lbs and a good spring should be at the 2.125 lip on the pill bottle. I'm thinking I need to make the light spring tester, find true installed height and test springs at that height instead? Huh? I'm starting to feel like the guy in 'Close Encounters' , but instead of Devil's Tower, I see valve gear....