Fitting Kent H200 cam to 3.5 on carbs

As the title states, I consider to fit the cam myself. Top end work, followers and push rods, seem easy enough, after all I had everything already removed except the inlet manifold and rocker shafts. Front end, well not sure about that. Anything I can seriously damage there? Except the cam shaft bearings?

I had a look at the installation guide from Kent, and I wonder now if I actually ordered the right followers and push rods. Are the OEM ones conpatible with the Kent H200? If not, I'll just order the right ones...

While I'm at it, I'll also do the pulleys, timing gear and oil pump. All that looks like simple nuts and bolts.

Timing the cam is, well, not sure about that. Don't I have to remove the cylinder heads for the TDC method(s)? If so, I can replace the gaskets at the same time. But it looks more and more like I'd need a full week for that...

And finally, if someone has any experience, I assuke I have to properly set the ignition. The car has 123 Ignition, contactless with a Hall sensor (that's what it says on the invoice) from 2008. Any ideas on that in combination with the new cam?

I'm less worried about the mechanical work, as long as I don't touch valve springs it looks like a straight forward nuts and bolts job with only torque settings to be respected. The timing of it is what I am really worried about to screw up...

Follow-up question: I have a Cloyes timing chain and gear to install. Just to confirm, I use the factory timing as it says on a nice picture, right? And doing so also solves the cam timing problem, doesn't it?

I take it you have new sprockets and chain?
What do the instructions with the cam say?

Turn engine so the timing chain sprocket marks line up before removal then dont turn engine, then reassemble with the marks lined up.

Out of interest what specs are on the Kent 200, extra lift and duration?

J

I have a new timing chain and sprokets. Chain instructioms say to use the tactory keywas and then line them up between crank and cam. I assume that's for a factory cam.

Kent H200 specs are:

I do need new followers, those I have are for later engine types anyway. I'll just give Turner Engineering a call, they have been quite forth coming and helpful, and ask what followers and pushrods I need. And how to time the cam with the Cloyes timing gear.

hef19898 said:

And how to time the cam with the Cloyes timing gear.

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I would think they put the keyways and timing marks in the same place as standard. But worth comparing them side by side when you take off the original set.

J

So it seems I am committed now, I'll do it myself! What did I get myself into??? Hope you don't mind that I blame of you for your encouraging words!

Anyway, digging into the engine like that seems to be good training for an eventual cylinder head upgrade!

If I continue like that I'll end up rebuilding the gearbox...

hef19898 said:

So it seems I am committed now, I'll do it myself! What did I get myself into??? Hope you don't mind that I blame of you for your encouraging words!

Anyway, digging into the engine like that seems to be good training for an eventual cylinder head upgrade!

If I continue like that I'll end up rebuilding the gearbox...

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There is no replacement for hands on mistakes experience.

J

marjon said:

There is no replacement for hands on mistakes experience.

J

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Truer words have never been spoken!

You don't have to remove the heads to do the timing, just the rocker covers.
Unless you want to & if you do then at least remove the valves & check their faces & seats are in good condition & that there isn't excessive wear in the valve guides.
Would give you the opportunity to inspect the bores & check the cylinder heads are flat.
Might as well replace the valve springs.

And if you do take the heads off, I can definitely recommend spending the money on the stud kit over the stretch bolts. Goes together so sweetly and works beautiful. Just let it settle for 12 hours or so between each torque setting before going to the next one.

If changing the cam you must put new followers in as the old ones will be worm to the old cam and will wear the new one out quicker and dont forget lots of oil as its put back together.

New push rods and followers are already lyong around. One question so regarding the oil, what do I use? Engine oil? Gearbox oil? Dedicated cam shaft lube? Something else?

I covered the new cam & followers in cam lube.

Before you put the dizzy back in you can also use a rod to engage with the oil pump drive & spin it with a drill.
This will pump oil around the engine oilways without the engine turning over.

Ratae said:

I covered the new cam & followers in cam lube.

Before you put the dizzy back in you can also use a rod to engage with the oil pump drive & spin it with a drill.
This will pump oil around the engine oilways without the engine turning over.

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Thanks for the advice!

I replaced a over head cam in a Pinto engine with a ‘fast road’ kit the time was as standard, and as the cam is designed to allow more fuel into the into engine increasing the size of the carb jets which was a pain of trial & error for a few days.

I put an H180 in my 3.9 a while back. I did a thread about it https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/time-for-surgery.296902/
Hopefully that will cover what you need. I know yours is not efi but the mechanics of it are basically the same. After you swap the cam, you will need to play with ignition timing and the carb jetting.

marjon said:

There is no replacement for hands on mistakes experience.

J

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" wisdom comes from experience and experience comes from making mistakes"