C&B Camshaft identification

[Evodelta]

Hello Guy/all,

Can anyone help with a cam identification for a friend please, he took it out of an 8v integrale engine and it is stamped LD8 103 2940 ASP.

It is a C&B inlet cam, but we can't find it listed on their site, their contact form is refusing to send. If you cannot help then no problems, he will try ringing on Monday - hopefully the language barrier will not be a problem?

Many thanks,
Martin.

[Guy Croft]

Martin, hi

I cannot claim to know Mr Bariani of Columbo & Bariani myself but I know his highly respected export agent extremely well, and he is a not only a site member but a personal friend of Mr Bariani, which is a tremendous asset.

The chances of getting any detailed info direct from C&B are pretty minimal to be honest - for the most compelling of reasons - over the years that eminent owner of C&B has grown tired of people treating his site (in his own words) 'like a sweetie shop'..!

For decades they did their best but as I know myself for every cam enquiry there are 10 follow-up questions and it can be a nightmare as people do so love to play 'mix and match with cams'.. I blame the UK car tuning magazine completely for this, because there is no more compex subject than cam selection and they tried to make it all so easy.
I think my friends at Kent and Piper - if you pressed them - would say the same..

However, that doesn't help you so here is the info you need:

C&B have a simple coding system that says for a cam designated LD103 2940 the lift is 10.3mm, the duration is 294 deg. measured at running clearance. From my data they say time that cam at 110 deg FL but that is neither here nor there - because the optimum position of full lift could be anywhere from 102 to 110 deg on inlet and ex - it varies from engine to engine depending the exact setup of inlet and ex etc., there is no such thing as 'one size fits all'. That bit you will have to derive for yourself.

The effect of changing the FL will be to alter the energy going to the turbine and the effectiveness of cylinder filling. If you want high top end power overlap the cams more, say with a narrow lobe centreline angle eg: 108-108 FL and if you want lower range reduce it eg: 110-110. Be careful with your piston to valve clearances, 110 deg (late inlet FL and early ex) gives modest lift at tdc and (about 2.5mm/1mm in this case from memory) and is safer than anything less.


GC

[Evodelta]

Thanks for an excellent answer Guy, I guess I feel a bit silly for not picking out the code, easy to see now!

You're so right about mixing and matching, apparently the cam was paired with a Prisma exhaust cam.....

Thanks,
Martin.