New Adjustable Cam Gear - a fine-tuning advantage

[volvo88]

I just wanted to post some of the results I acheived with this great little mod to my 87 240DL;
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33614&item=2400835021

I am currently running an A-cam in my N/A B230F (other mods include elec. fan, custom intake, 2.5 inch exhaust one dynomax ultra) with 18 deg ignition timing. My first install of the cam gear I set it up at 6 degrees advanced and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the car pulled almost twice as hard from 3-6K RPM! There was some noticeable loss in torque below 2.5kRPM so I went to 4 degrees cam advance. Most of the torque returned and alot of the power increase after 3kRPM remained. I plan on expirimenting more with the other cam gear positions but at this point I can say without a doubt that this is one of the best engine mods ever! It is a simple concept and the price is more than reasonable in comparison to similar products. The guys making these were very precise in their machining and they deserve the Kudos I'm sending out. Hopefully one of them will ad a string to this with some contact info.

 

[245gti]

Thanks for the kind words. Glad to hear it turned out so well. There will be other reactions out soon. I'd try one in my own car but it's off the road for the winter getting Megasquirted. As soon as it's on the road, I'll be putting one in. If anyone's interested in obtaining one of these puppies, email me using the link at the bottom of this post. The price is close to the eBay selling price but will include shipping...

 

[Anonymous]

I GOT MINE TODAY!!!

It is NICE!!! now to find a day to steal and play with it....

I can see a problem.....figuring out how I am going to get at least 6 more.....some of my turbo customers are gonna hafta have one.....I like that kind of problem.....

 

[245gti]

No problem there big fella...just give 'em my email address

Hope you can play soon...

 

[snafu]

If I were to put an adjustable cam gear on a b230 turbo with a stock cam, and advanced it a few degrees, would it noticeably help the performance.

 

[Anonymous]

Snafu....I do not know yet just which way will give the most on a T cam....but I will!!

theoretically speaking, since the T cam is more of a bottom end/mid range cam, I would theorize that to up the oomph, it will need a few degrees of retard......that "should" raise the power band some.....as I said.....gonna find out....

Dale....I was referring more to my own fleet (thought about it after the post was up)....you betcha that I'll be having my customers emailing you.....if I add my own and turbo customers, that would be nearly 2 dozen.....then I'll go after my NA people.....I'm gonna have some fun...

 

[c]

Can I guess how this works and you can tell me how I am wrong (or right). When you line up the t-belt, instead of using the factory dot lined up with the white bar on the t-belt you use one of the holes you have drilled to line up with the t-belt white bar?

How does adjusting the timing affect the interference between the valves and pistons?

Do you plan on making more? I bet there are enough interested parties here for a "group buy". Count me in!

 

[own6volvos]

is anyone else selling these things??? I want one

 

[ELM]

Dale, Interesting to find you here! just won a k cam and adjustable time gear from you on ebay... also, just picked up a b21ft from sean... both of you I emailed first, then just found out that you post here too. never really checked out the site cause I didnt have a turbo motor, now I do, and now Im registered. can't wait to install the cam and gear in my 79...

will post pictures when I get a chance...
Elliot

 

[245gti]

Just so everyone knows...

We are making these, we are not buying them from somewhere and re-selling them so a group buy isn't necessarily an option.

We have roughly 2 dozen (so far) cam gears that we have modified this way. There are more coming so we don't anticipate running out any time soon but if we do, it's really good for us :wink: .

Installation is super easy. If you can install a timing belt, you can put one of these in. We have modified the original design to include alignment dots at the rim of the sprocket (like the factory mark). They come with a set of instructions to help you with the installation.

Yes, there are others making them. SPG9 (a Saab tuner) is selling similar ones for $129 each.

This gear will NOT cause your engine to suddenly become an interference engine. If it was prior, it will still be that way. If it wasn't, it won't. If you have anything with less lift than a "K" cam and haven't shaved your head or block, you shouldn't have a problem. The ONLY way to get valves meeting pistons in this engine is when your timing belt breaks or you have the cam installed 100 degrees out.

If you have any other questions or would like to buy one (or more), email me at volvo245gti@shaw.ca

Thanks for all the interest...

 

[c]

So for each degree of advance or retard there is a difference of five teeth from the factory alingment mark, right? Is that the same for the B23 as the B230? Is the addition of the alignment marks for the advancing/retarding the only differnce from a stock cam gear? Why couldn't I just make a mark on the cam 15 teeth from the original alignment mark to get 3 degrees advance?

 

[towerymt]

So for each degree of advance or retard there is a difference of five teeth from the factory alingment mark, right? Is that the same for the B23 as the B230? Is the addition of the alignment marks for the advancing/retarding the only differnce from a stock cam gear? Why couldn't I just make a mark on the cam 15 teeth from the original alignment mark to get 3 degrees advance?

I'm not sure I fully understand what you're asking, but you must change the orientation of the gear to the cam. If you turn the whole thing (cam & gear), your timing will be WAY off and the car won't run well. The adjustable gear allows you to turn the gear only, and bolt it back on the cam using a new hole for the guide pin.

 

[245gti]

Each tooth on your timing gear equates to 18 degrees at the crank. It's not simple as it seems. Yes, it appears the holes are drilled every 5 teeth but they are offset by 1, 2 or 3 degrees. You can't drill a hole 1 degree from the original. All you'd get is a wider, original hole. The notches on the rim of the gear is there as an aide to help you find TDC with the gear in one of the advance or retard positions. Remember, as Mike said, you are only moving the gear, not the cam. A little difficult to do unless you have another hole in the cam gear. :wink: Don't just approximate and drill a hole either. You wouldn't believe how far out you can be in your accuracy. These gears are checked for accuracy and are within 1/2 degree. SO far, we've rejected 15 of them because they were off... our process is refined now to a point where we aren't tossing anymore...

 

[c]

I see, so the holes along the inner edge are for the cam key and then there is a corresponding hole along the outer edge for aligning the t-belt. I knew that is was more complicated than I thought. Only the cam gear's oreintation is change in relation to the other gears and not the cam shaft itself? How do you find TDC with the new cam, can you use the key to align with the timing mark on the head?

Could you email me the ordering information at charles_thayer@ncsu.edu.

I am a graduate student in the sciences, hence my overly inquisitive nature.

 

[245gti]

[quote:68b703cd54]Only the cam gear's oreintation is change in
relation to the other gears and not the cam shaft itself? [/quote:68b703cd54]

You are correct...mostly. The camshaft will be moved very slightly. Either the 1, 2 or 3 degrees advance or retard that you choose.

[quote:68b703cd54]How do you find TDC with the new cam, can you use the key to
align with the timing mark on the head? [/quote:68b703cd54]

The marks on the outer rim of the gear are there to provide a reference to find TDC and to align with the mark on the head. If you have a 240 series car or, I should say a B21/23 engine, you will also have a tin backing plate on the camshaft, between the gear and the head. That plate has a notch to mark TDC as well. You leave that plate in place and move the gear the chosen setting. Hope this helps.

By the way, we still have plenty... We just went out today and pulled a bunch more blanks...

 

[Full Throttle]

would it be possile to just drill a new hole 176 degrees away from the stock one and align it up backwards or opposite or what so ever? or is that what you guys are doing?

 

[holtzboy]

4 years, thats pretty good.

 

[icebrick]

Thread revived ..so why not

This gear will NOT cause your engine to suddenly become an interference engine. If it was prior, it will still be that way. If it wasn't, it won't. If you have anything with less lift than a "K" cam and haven't shaved your head or block, you shouldn't have a problem. The ONLY way to get valves meeting pistons in this engine is when your timing belt breaks or you have the cam installed 100 degrees out.
...

sooo... if I have a K, skim the head, and use a thinner gasket ( na b230f, 405), I will have an interference engine?

 

[thelostartof]

w/ just a K cam you might

i know that 11.95MM of lift will bend all 8 valves if things let go so

 

[icebrick]

w/ just a K cam you might

i know that 11.95MM of lift will bend all 8 valves if things let go so

That I hadn't researched I guess. important qestion for me then,
Who makes the best timing belt ?