advice on sourcing cams, springs, valves

[kolonelklink]

'ello gents,

I'm looking for some helpful hints and nudges on sourcing peppy valve train components. I'm doing a ground-up build on my beloved but worse for wear 260c coupe and am building a turbo l6 to ice the cake with. I have MS so ECU/Carb considerations not a huge deal.

Basically I'm looking for a fair local source for valvetrain components to support a mild lift cam - stiff springs and polished n42 valves.

The catch is that i'm a medical student and SWM prices are a bit out of my range... if anyone has any advice or has anything lying around I would really appreciate the help - I am willing to beg, borrow, steal, trade (I have lots of various l6 parts) whatever if it helps

 

-Pete

 

[Zedman240®]

Might be a good idea to update your locality in your details so we all know how "local" you need these parts to be...

[Scoota G]

Might be a good idea to update your locality in your details so we all know how "local" you need these parts to be...

Lol i was just going to say that

[C.A.R.]

Mild lift cam = what?

[twosixty]

Interested to see the finished product! Don't see many 260c's on the road anymore.

[kolonelklink]

yes i know!

Just finishing rail repairs at the moment, alot of rust to cut in panels... had to kill a donor sedan... If it werent so rare I would never put soo much work in... lots of zeros in the serial number

 

I am prepared to be shot down in flames but i was thinking 0.440 to 0.460inch lift or more if I can get it with very short exaust duration and minimal overlap... To be honest my circumstances dont allow me to be too picky

 

*sorry guys, im in sydney but of course can work something out with postage I'll update my location... "Local" as in within this country- I've looked at some japan s30 parts and SI US valves and packages... my apologies for the communication failures 

***I hope this inst in the wrong place, I was considering writing a "wanted" but since I'm after advice primarily this seemed the more appropriate place.

 

 

-pete

[PZG302]

If you're in Sydney then about the only place to get good parts from is SWM. There are a few other shops in Sydney that can also help, the only other shop I can think of off the top of my head is MIA Engines, details below.

 

If you want a motor to last you have to spend the freight to build it right, whether that be on good quality components or the cost of having someone who knows what they are doing to screw it together right.

 

As the sign said in the wreckers in Mad Max - "Speed's just a question of money - How fast can you afford to go?"

 

MIA Engine Services

Unit 22/1-5 Thew Parade, Dee Why NSW 2099

T 02 9982 5288 F 02 9982 8408

James Flett’s engine reconditioning business grew from his skills as a fitter and machinist 8

years ago. His services meet requirements of classic and modern car restorations or race and

performance modifications. Cylinder heads, unleaded conversions, welding and machining are

other specialties. Parts and accessories are also available. James is a Z Car Club member and

restored his own 240Z.

 

These guys may also be able to help.

Quick Fit Motorsport

2/27 King Road, Hornsby

NSW, 2077

 

Australia Email: qfm@quickfitmotorsport.com.au

Telephone: 02 94762877

[bluerat]

Scando just brought a 'Turbo' spec L series cam from Powerplay (ex-Datrally)in Melbourne, and is very happy with it and the service he received. (03) 9584 7373. They will also be able to help with heavy duty valve springs. Scando might be worth a PM he's got his L28 turbo going very well. Mind you it was going well with a std L28T cam. Hope this helps.

[kolonelklink]

 

If you want a motor to last you have to spend the freight to build it right, whether that be on good quality components or the cost of having someone who knows what they are doing to screw it together right.

 

As the sign said in the wreckers in Mad Max - "Speed's just a question of money - How fast can you afford to go?"

 

 

Ahh yes I'm aware of the old mantra, I was just hoping someone might have some parts lying around from an abandoned direction... wishful thinking perhaps.

Basically for me it's find it at an affordable price or I can't afford to do it - once you take rent and shopping out of the scholarship penance there isnt much left and study is a full-time activity so working extra hours isnt an option... If I had the money I would buy everything schmick new from japan but don't and thus cant.

 

Thanks for all the genuine help guys I'll follow up on those numbers

[Scando]

As Bluerat said, I'm very happy with the product and service I received from powerplay.  I went from a factory 'B' grind turbo cam and a T03/04 hybrid turbo to the custom grind from powerplay and a GT3540R turbo.  Since I changed both at the same time I don't know what gain I made from each but overall it gained 46rwkw and the power comes in earlier.  I've found on a lot of items SWR prices are actually very good so they are worth looking at.  I'd suggest though if you're building a turbo L6 then maybe your money could be better spent elsewhere and run with a standard cam for now.  The gain from a cam will be minimal compared to other things you can do for the same money on a budget turbo build.

[kolonelklink]

The gain from a cam will be minimal compared to other things you can do for the same money on a budget turbo build.

 

Ahhh yes... believe me there is plenty going on in other departments...do you have any specific suggestions?

I'm tempted to put up a build log but tentative since its not a zed and at the moment there is so much work in separate departments it would be very chaotic! Previously I was running a ported cammed N/A l26 with OS valves and MS which actually pulled very well. Unfortunately I had the front end smashed up by a wayward yaris... the l26 was unharmed but since the car was taken off the road I have decided to repair all the rusted sections bogged over by previous owners and drop in some devious ponies...

I have been working from the "power starts at the head" concept though I may get some debate...? Said head is a fresh MR30 e88 with l28 valves and 38mm intake ports... I'm in the process of fabbing up some very tricky-dick 45mm ITB's which load both at a 2.5 degree taper and with a slight upwards slant to assist the angle of intake loading and compliment the porting method. The end of these has mounting bolts for an as-yet unfabricated plenum... I'm a very busy boy at the moment!! I have almost all the parts I need, machining costs are the only thing slowing me down these days.

 

 

Anyway, a good friend has very kindly volunteered an Ivan Tighe 462C cam(&accessories) with  .490" lift and 248 duration so unless there are any objections to the use of this cam all I need now is springs and polished valves

 

 

[Scando]

The best advice I've had so far was from a member on this forum called redrbzed and that was to spend my money on a good, late model, ball bearing turbo.  Mine is a 3540R with a .63 exhaust housing and would be perfect on a road car.  The way the power comes in is incredible.  Unfortunately, since the .63 exhaust housing is so restrictive it creates a lot of heat with the continuous load on the circuit.  So i'll be sacrificing some response and going to the next size exhaust housing.  Something along the lines of a 3076 with a .82 exhaust housing would also be very good on a street car.

 

Other than that, make sure you have a nice big dump pipe and exhaust and a decent intercooler.  Your ITB setup should work well.  What exhaust manifold will you be running?  I agree that in a n/a setup most of your power comes from the head but in a turbo setup the gains are not as good for the money.  Since the air is already being forced in, the size of the hole, angles, etc aren't as crucial as when it has to be sucked.  You will still find gains so it's worth doing if you can do it on the cheap.  The best head I've used is a standard N42.  Was even better that the P90 I'm running at the moment.  What compression ratio will you end up with from the E88?

 

 

[kolonelklink]

The best head I've used is a standard N42.  Was even better that the P90 I'm running at the moment.  What compression ratio will you end up with from the E88?

Yeah actaully I'm not too suprised by that - Part of the reason I went for the e88 was the difference in short side radius between e88, n42 etc and the p90... I felt that the the use of the p90 would be a step backwards from what i am trying to achieve with an angular loading and tappered manifold... the combination of a desirable short side radius and fast-burn head made the e88 the choice for me. With unshrounding and mild reshaping i feel i can safely bring the compression down to 8.1-1 using this head-piston-block combination. If worst comes to worst I do have a 3mm HG from japan which will easily drop the CR, however I'd prefer not to do things that way and loose the fast-burn properties of the head. I think that with sufficient intercooling, EFI, and preparation this should a managable CR. and reasonably responsive off the line

Incidentally I do have a p90 at home... I just chose not to use it for the above reasons.

I know it's a bit of an unusual approach but I wanted to do something outside the box for a car that deserves a bit of originality. The cedrics are pretty heavy cars too so the extra lower end torque may not be a bad thing.

 

Since I have heaps of patrol exausts lying around I was going to have a go at chopping one of those up and fabricating an exaust manifold in a similar method to wax a while ago... i'm not so obsessed with eqaul length piping though so mine will be a little less excentric.

I have heaps of fabricating left to do in so many departments and am so busy i dont expect it to be done anytime soon by have a goal of a running vehicle for registration come august... so far things seem to be on target though I doubt i'll have all the paint and trimming ready by then

 

My goals dont involve ludicrus horsepower... I just want a strong fun motor which a bit of a naughty streak- so alot of the work i've done is more for engineering efficiency purposes where cranking the boost up would acheive greater increases more cheaply.

I picked up a buzz line from someone at hybridz about flow being flow regardless of boosted or NA and its stuck with me somewhat - I like the idea of a boosted engine where air is chaparoned gently into the cylinders and fills with greatest volumetric efficiency - it reduces the load on the turbo by reducing the required level of manifold boost to achieve a given cylinder pressure and thus reduces the turbo manifold pressure and exaust stroke load. I see many diverse advantages to this, most of which relate to an engine which should last a good long time.

 

I am really loving the feedback. I'm still very young and have alot to learn. I hope I havent exceeded the territory of the original post by too much :S

 

Cheers,

Pete

[Scando]

i feel i can safely bring the compression down to 8.1-1 using this head-piston-block combination.

 

Sounds spot on to me.  That's about what I'm running.  I know there's a lot of the guys in the US making big power on around 7.5:1 but by the time they find boost you'll be at the next corner 

 

Since I have heaps of patrol exausts lying around I was going to have a go at chopping one of those up and fabricating an exaust manifold in a similar method to wax a while ago... i'm not so obsessed with eqaul length piping though so mine will be a little less excentric.

 

I agree with not worrying about tuned length.  The minor gains you get from tuned length will be outweighed by the loss in response from the extra long runner lengths you end up with on a turbo L6.  Mine is a very basic custom made log style manifold which looks dodgey but I've had a couple of fabricators look at it and say they couldn't do anything better in the space there is to work with.  Make sure you use steam pipe not exhaust pipe.  The manifold gets very hot and supports a heavy turbo.  If it's made from exhaust pipe it will warp.  Mine if steam pipe and we have still had a lot of trouble with warping.

 

I like the idea of a boosted engine where air is chaparoned gently into the cylinders and fills with greatest volumetric efficiency - it reduces the load on the turbo by reducing the required level of manifold boost to achieve a given cylinder pressure and thus reduces the turbo manifold pressure and exaust stroke load. I see many diverse advantages to this, most of which relate to an engine which should last a good long time.

 

Yep, if you can get the same amount of air into the cylinder with less boost then it's definately a bonus.  Will also generate less heat.

 

Sounds like you're on the right track with everything anyway 

 

A boosted Cedric will be a very cool cruiser