Camshaft ID?

[aussiewannabee69]

Hi Just looking for a camshaft ID. Camshaft is still in the block at the moment. All I can get from it is “SCH 55”at the front end. Rear end has USA.
The shaft is grey.
I’ve tried looking up SCH but nothing comes up.
Any info would be great
Looks like maybe the valve seals are leaking oil onto the valves.

 

[Geoff 2]

That is the moniker of the cam core manufacturer, not the cam grinder. CWC is another common one.

Not all cams are stamped with specs or part #s, maybe just a code for the company. If it does have grind info, it is usually on the rear cam journal.

 

[aussiewannabee69]

That is the moniker of the cam core manufacturer, not the cam grinder. CWC is another common one.

Not all cams are stamped with specs or part #s, maybe just a code for the company. If it does have grind info, it is usually on the rear cam journal.

Ah ok thanks very much. Once I get to the stage of ripping it out I will have another. Look.

 

[66Satellite47]

Cam ID info can be on either the front or the back of aftermarket cams. I don't recall OEM cams having markings.

 

[Lefty71]

Sorry, can't really answer the direct question.... but (if it's not just my eyes lol) those lobes and the distributor gear look narrow, very narrow to me. If you want to know the real details, dont tear it out, just put a dial indicator on the rockers for the lift...you can figure out the duration too, but a cam wheel would make that easier....you could make some pretty good guesses by just turning it over and marking the damper to learn the start (open) and end (close) events...

 

[Nate S]

Put a dial indicator on a lifter and measure. With a degree wheel you could get durations too.

 

[66Satellite47]

I agree with Lefty & Nate, if you want to know what the cam is, measure it. Lift is an indicator, using the degree wheel with the dial indicator tells "the rest of the story".

 

[zyzzyx]

When you measure the lift with an indicator, make sure you use the correct ratio of
your rocker arms to multiply the reading you get, such as 1.5, 1.6, etc.

 

[66Satellite47]

When you measure the lift with an indicator, make sure you use the correct ratio of
your rocker arms to multiply the reading you get, such as 1.5, 1.6, etc.

Depends on how you measure it, at the retainer or at the tappet.

 

[zyzzyx]

The tappet lift is measuring the cam lobe. Lift at the retainer is your Net lift, and
reflects true lift with whatever rocker ratio you're using.

 

[aussiewannabee69]

Sorry, can't really answer the direct question.... but (if it's not just my eyes lol) those lobes and the distributor gear look narrow, very narrow to me. If you want to know the real details, dont tear it out, just put a dial indicator on the rockers for the lift...you can figure out the duration too, but a cam wheel would make that easier....you could make some pretty good guesses by just turning it over and marking the damper to learn the start (open) and end (close) events...

I have never measured a cam before. But will give it a crack.
What does the narrow lobes indicate?

 

[zyzzyx]

They look good to me!

 

[Geoff 2]

Narrow/wide lobe means nothing. Just different manufacturer.

If the the lobes are worn at max lift, measuring what remains can be very misleading. No way of knowing what the original lift was because no way of measuring how much has worn away.

 

[Wietse]

Check on the flange face of the cam, behind the chain gear.
That's were I found the part number on mine.
I had spend a lot of time trying to get the cam specs by measuring timing and lift, while I was 1 bolt away from knowing exactly what cam I had.
Then again, if you have never degreed a camshaft (same as me at the time) it is worth doing for the experience and learn something.
If you do not have a degree wheel yet, get the biggest one that fits to get the best readings.
The degree wheel I used was 7" i believe, but realized it becomes more accurate by going with a bigger degree wheel.

 

[66Satellite47]

The degree wheel I have currently have, is 11.5". I think the one I had for years was 13". Learning to degree a cam properly is a very important tool.

 

[RemCharger]

The tappet lift is measuring the cam lobe. Lift at the retainer is your Net lift, and
reflects true lift with whatever rocker ratio you're using.

Yes measure at the lifter, that eliminates all the other variables.