Kenne Bell Cams - Spring ?

[StageII86]

I just bought a '87 T with a 20-year old performance rebuild but from what I can gather from the previous owner and other historical documentation, it has fairly few miles and likely no abuse. I have another complete built motor on a stand, but this motor currently in the car seems pretty solid so I figured I'll run it awhile with a milder setup, then when I go much bigger on the combo I'll go ahead and put my all forged, girdled, GN1-headed motor in.

This older motor in the car was sold to me with a "Kenne Bell Cam and ported heads" I can not find any of my old KB catalogs, and the cam sounds pretty small but I can certainly hear the valvetrain. One note with car referenced the cam as a "260" cam and I know most of the 212/212 tappet cams had 260 deg adv duration - so that is a pretty solid guess on which it is.

But does anyone have a rundown on their old offerings so I can try and figure out for sure which springs to drop in as replacements?

I'd figure 980's might be a safe bet, but it would be nice to know what they were actually putting with their stuff. Would a 981 be too much on one of these older tappet cam/lifter setups?

Thanks in advance,
John

 

[mikestertwo]

If memory serves me correctly that cam is a 208-208 on 114LS .465 lift. I still have one in one of my old motors. 100lb springs work good. I wouldn't go any heavier than that.

 

[StageII86]

Good to know Mikester, thanks!

 

[Rich Gio]

There were several cams. I have the 1TXB in my car. Pic of spec card.

 

[Rich Gio]

And I can hear my valve train big time ! I used the comp 980 springs.

 

[StageII86]

Thanks Rich! That's perfect. The note with the car called it a "260" so I'm betting this is what's in there. I haven't swapped the springs yet, but I'm going to use the 980's. Seems peppy as-is but I have not pulled it past 5k.

 

[StageII86]

Odd it specs for 1.6 rockers? I'm guessing the lift at the valve with stock rockers may be more like .425 or so?

 

[mikestertwo]

I found the cam card on the 1TXB cam I have. The cam lift on mine is .290, duration is 266

 

[StageII86]

Perhaps I'll bust out my wheel and DI to degree mine...or maybe not...lol.

Thank you guys so much for the help - at least I have a good idea of what's in the motor per the notes from 3 owners ago...

 

[Buick Mark]

I had that same cam waaaaaaaaaay back, yes it was a bit noisey, it used a small single spring with a damper. I dont remember which spring tho

 

[Rich Gio]

Odd it specs for 1.6 rockers? I'm guessing the lift at the valve with stock rockers may be more like .425 or so?

Y'know, This got me thinking , I have the stock rockers in mine (What was stock ratio? 1.44?). I'm wondering if the cam I have in mine was ground for 1 to 6 and I have the wrong ratio rockers in there! Cam has awesome low and mid end torque but doesn't seem to pull well past 4600 RPM.

 

[StageII86]

Stocks are right around 1.55 (but they are not exactly precision components). I'd think it should still have no issues past 4600 with a 114LS, even with the 4 deg advance. How old are YOUR springs?? Could it be going flat? Or has it always been that way?

Also, I remember on one of mine years ago having too much lifter preload caused me some RPM issues...only I can not remember how much was too much. I'd verify you are .030-.040" on hyd tappets.

 

[Ttype6]

I found the cam card on the 1TXB cam I have. The cam lift on mine is .290, duration is 266

The one I had was as well.