HI all - Any suggestions as to why my newly fitted camshaft should rattle like hell - Ive just rebuilt my engine and fitted a new camshaft and followers etc. does anyone know if there is a difference between 16, 18, and 2ltr pinto camshafts. My engine is a 2.1 ltr pinto fitted with a injection head. I have fitted the injection camshaft that the supplier recommended but suspect that all is not right. It is rattling like hell. In the kit it came with injection inlet manifold gasket so that makes me think it should be the correct camshaft it has a yellow dot on the ned wheras the old one has a green dot on the end. Does this mean anything to anyone. Thanks Jacko.

You need to check that you cam/follower clearances are correct, then you need to check that you are not getting contact between cam lobes and spray bar. The next and most important one to check for is that you are NOT getting valve spring crush, ie the actual valelift is greater than the availble compression of the valve spring. If contact with spray bar then gently pull spray bar clear. IF spring crush, then you will need to fit new springs and or machine spring seats in head. I hope that this helpful. You do not say whether or not the head face was machined as this could lead to valve/piston contact, but if higher lift cam then spring crush is more likely.

Enjoy.

Blocked oil feed pipe should always be changed at the same time --- oh memories of changing dozens and dozens of Cortina cam shafts .

Also see Dave Bakers Puma racing site for Pinto 1600 -2 litre cam differences.

did you run it at about 2000rpm when you first started it up to bed the cam in???

as rodney racing says, breaking in new cam immediately at 2000-3000 rpm very important, leaving at idle after fitting new cam will knacker it.

and as no one mentioned it, i think kent reconmend that you run it for 20 minutes at that speed. Although I think you're allowed to do it in burts - ie 4 five minute stints at 2 to 3000 revs.

The kit I used had some grease to use on the cam lobes before assembly so it didn't get damaged during the initial startup. It didn't mention any running in procedure for it but I didn't give it any stick till I was confident it was o.k.

Interesting bit in practical classics Pinto build this month, the oil spray bar has two different sized bolts holding it on, two short ones for the outside ones, and a longer one for the middle. Apparently if you put the long bolt in one of the outer positions it knackers the cam bearing.

worth having a look

Cheers

Chris

Thanks for all the replys I have now sorted the problem inferior cam followers supplied with the camshaft. Re-fitted old cam followers to the head and it sounds as good as new now. Jacko

They must have been crap cam followers!

Do not run your new cam with old followers. Now you have found the problem, go and buy some new ones. (Ask your motor factor for some AE ones. They are very good and half the price of Kent or Piper ones.