Cam shaft recommendation

[Bob Gaines]

What about this one: https://www.compcams.com/factory-muscle-228-227-solid-flat-cam-for-ford-221-302.html

That one reads out of stock.

[5F09K]

We can find it in other place: https://cnc-motorsports.com/comp-cams-31-110-5-factory-muscle-solid-flat-tappet-camshaft.html

[pbf777]

   

We can find it in other place: https://cnc-motorsports.com/comp-cams-31-110-5-factory-muscle-solid-flat-tappet-camshaft.html

      Well not there anyway!  But they'll take your credit card and probably "run-it" for the order, and a couple weeks later, with no signs of a camshaft on your doorstep, you'll be chasing them for a refund to your card! 

      Normal! 

      Scott. 

[kram350]

Stay away from Comp Cams and Edelbrock stuff. To many failures I personally know of. H/M is the place to go. Or try Schneider in San Diego . They custom grind too. https://www.schneidercams.com

[5F09K]

Thanks for your advices
Are Comp cam camshaft made in US or are they from Asia?
https://www.cjponyparts.com/comp-cams-camshaft-set-nostalgia-plus-n-plus-271s-solid-mechanical-flat-tappet-2200-6800-rpm-289-302/p/316714-V/

[pbf777]

     None of the names being bantered about actual "make" the camshaft cores/blanks or lifters; each and all are at the mercy of product quality and availability from the 'few' suppliers remaining, and yes, that includes "off-shore" suppliers.   

     Scott.

[Royce Peterson]

Comp cam blanks are not the problem. The lifters are the problem as all the ones that Comp sells are made in India. I would use lifters made in the USA either by Autolite or Motorcraft or Crower. Look for old stock on eBay or buy the lifters from Crower.

[pbf777]

I would use lifters made in the USA either by Autolite or Motorcraft or Crower.

     Again just to clarify, the wording might be more correct if we said:  "retailed" by, or "packaged" by . . . . . .   

     Scott.

[JohnSlack]

I would use lifters made in the USA either by Autolite or Motorcraft or Crower.

     Again just to clarify, the wording might be more correct if we said:  "retailed" by, or "packaged" by . . . . . .   

     Scott.

You can order your solid and mechanical lifters from Crower. You can specify that you want Crower Cold Face lifters sourced from Johnson lifters.

The Johnson lifters are manufactured in the USA. The Crower Cold Face lifters have a hole EDM in the face that also provides pressured oil between the lifter and the camshaft.

However you will find that the camshaft cores are an issue as well. I have talked with people in the know that supplied cores to the different cam grinders, specifically when people were paid to stay at home during the pandemic many manufacturers lost employees and never recovered.

The observations that I have are from multiple camshaft failures on engines that were being broken in on the dyno where lifters were not the root cause of the failure. Subsequent testing showed the lines were soft. So core issue in those examples.

The next part is several failures on dynos wherein the lifter face failed and the cam lobes had not failed yet.

When Steve Long was still alive and Steve Long Racing was still making custom camshafts I would order cams and supply cam cores from high performance engines in the 60s, 70s, early 80s to be reground. Also Steve Long had a process for hardening and regrinding lifters with the correct face radius.

I have one more SLR MAX2DP 106° LSA camshaft (Not for sale.) that has already been broken in and run with Crower Cold Face Johnson lifters in storage. BADGAS has one more SLR MAX1DP 106° camshaft.(Not for sale.) "Hurricane George" and I discussed sending them down to a cam grinder that has the capabilities to grind his own master lobes for his cam grinding machine. (Not everyone can do that, and few that can do the work actually are willing to do so for a reasonable amount of money.)

Instead of that I have been looking at creating a solid Roller camshaft for the BOSS 302, and HiPo 289 as I have needs for future engine builds.



John

[pbf777]

       

I discussed sending them down to a cam grinder that has the capabilities to grind his own master lobes for his cam grinding machine. (Not everyone can do that, and few that can do the work actually are willing to do so for a reasonable amount of money.)

       John, I have been told that, for example Comp Cams, now have newer equipment and the ability to design/copy and produce a camshaft without having to actually create a "machine master lobe" anymore.   

        And yes I agree, when it comes to lifters, I generally do prefer to sell the as packaged Crower product.   
   
        Scott.

[5F09K]

I asked to Compcams customer support the country where cams are made, and this is the answer:

Hi Mathieu,

All of our cam blanks are made here in the states and are ground here also.

Thanks,
Jonathan

Jonathan Martin
�Tech Support
Comp Cams, FAST
��8649 Hacks Cross Rd. 
Olive Branch, MS 38654
jmartin@edelbrock.com

[csxsfm]

Nice that CC responded.  Many of the others do not even reply to product questions.

[pbf777]

     But now, apply my recommended procedure of: call them back twice more and ask the same question of two other (three total) "Customer Service/Tech." guys and see if you get the same answer!   

     Of course you'll probably be testing their response efficiency rate at that point!   

     Scott.

[JohnSlack]

I asked to Compcams customer support the country where cams are made, and this is the answer:

Hi Mathieu,

All of our cam blanks are made here in the states and are ground here also.

Thanks,
Jonathan

Jonathan Martin
�Tech Support
Comp Cams, FAST
��8649 Hacks Cross Rd. 
Olive Branch, MS 38654
jmartin@edelbrock.com

Ask them for the name of the company that makes their solid lifter mechanical cam cores.

[csxsfm]

So who manufactures good cores and what "grinders" buy them?