project 55 belvedere gasser--"hell's bel"

[STINEY]

I coat the header, install, and fire the engine until the coating just starts to smoke, then shut down and let cool completely.

Repeat. The second time takes longer to get to the smoking stage.

Repeat. Get the drift here? You want to heat it up but not burn it off. Once cured it will take the full heat of the header without burning off.

Not sure what temps you were achieving, but propane burns at a maximum of 1950 degrees.

[fatguyzinc]

I coat the header, install, and fire the engine until the coating just starts to smoke, then shut down and let cool completely.

Repeat. The second time takes longer to get to the smoking stage.

Repeat. Get the drift here? You want to heat it up but not burn it off. Once cured it will take the full heat of the header without burning off.

Not sure what temps you were achieving, but propane burns at a maximum of 1950 degrees.

yeah....flat tappet hydraulics dont like that,
and id rather have crusty headers than have
to change a cam.

[DanStokes]

Just a thought - do you have any old headers of manifolds you can throw on to break in the cam then coat and install the headers and cook them? I'm with you on breaking in a flat tappet cam - high RPM, zero load, and GM EOS.

Dan

[STINEY]

yeah....flat tappet hydraulics dont like that,
and id rather have crusty headers than have
to change a cam.

Actually, they do like that. The break-in period can be broken down into shorter segments, as long as the rpm requirements are still met in those segments. We have broken in many cams in exactly that manner with zero failures later.

We use the GM EOS, vary RPM from 2500 on up (never idle) and zero load. Several cam companies suggest multiple runs in their instructions.

[fatguyzinc]

Several cam companies suggest multiple runs in their instructions.

really? which ones? i have yet to see any cam company say during
the initial break in, go ahead and shut it off after 30 seconds to a minute
(thats about how long it takes for the paint to start smoking) then let it
cool down and start it again.

[STINEY]

Well, Comp Cams for one. They even took the time and expense to make a video about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2LzSz9W1Sk

really? which ones? i have yet to see any cam company say during
the initial break in, go ahead and shut it off after 30 seconds to a minute
(thats about how long it takes for the paint to start smoking) then let it
cool down and start it again.

[fatguyzinc]

Well, Comp Cams for one. They even took the time and expense to make a video about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2LzSz9W1Sk

and thats one of the reason i DONT run competition cams products.

you want to follow that advice, thats up to you. no way am i buying
that, theres a REASON cam break in is a certain way. in 30+ years
ive never lost one--but ive seen plenty of other guys that swore its
ok, so-and-so says its cool end up wiping lobes.

i'll stick with what worked for me for 30 years, thanks. pretty much
"F" anything comp cams says, i wont run em for a reason.

[STINEY]

Dude, that’s fine. I was simply trying to help with a method to coat your headers without digging so deep in the old pocketbook.

So whats new on this cool gasser? (Back to the regularly scheduled program)

[cstmwgn]

... thats one of the reason i DONT run competition cams products...

It's funny how our life experiences influence our opinions.

I am a big fan of flat tappet mechanical cams. I only run CompCams sticks and have never lost a lobe on a flat tappet cam.
In fact, it all my stupid escapades, I have only lost one lobe and that was on a very gentle mechanical roller when a roller lifter grenaded. So since the roller lifters were from Crane, I don't use their lifters anymore. I suspect it wasn't as much of a product failure as a user issue but hey, it is always easier to blame someone else for the issues we encounter.

I personally believe that with the new EDM lifters and the improvements in metallurgy that lobe failures cam mostly be attributed to user error.

But that is only my opinion - it's your money so buy what you like.

[DanStokes]

And I've had great success with dirt cheap Delta Cams from (IIRC) Tacoma, WA. Flat tappets broken in with GM EOS. I know others have had different experience. I run a Comp X-Treme Energy roller in the 'Stang and it's been fine though I have limited miles on it. Again, different folks different results.

Dan

[Deaf Bob]

Broke in several solid lifter cams in derby motors,, a couple had to be shut off before the required time to break in, restarted and finished the procedure.. We use zinc in our oil...have not lost a lobe, one smaller cam got put in a street car.. Still going. With headers going straight up beside the valve covers, we always found something to move when breaking in the cam..

[fatguyzinc]

Dude, that’s fine. I was simply trying to help with a method to coat your headers without digging so deep in the old pocketbook.

So whats new on this cool gasser? (Back to the regularly scheduled program)

dont read anything into that--i wasnt yelling or mad at you, just
telling you my experience. and bottom line id MUCH rather repaint
a set of headers than swap a cam. who wouldnt?

theres a few places i wont have anything to do with, comp cams
being one of them. soffseal, western trans, moores auto salvage, etc...

everyone of them for basically not standing behind their product or
for hanging me out to dry after they got my money.

theres also some that have been so 'above and beyond' in their
customer service that i will always continue to buy from them- like
isky, lunati, summit, amazon, etc...

of course your mileage may vary.........

[STINEY]

theres also some that have been so 'above and beyond' in their
customer service that i will always continue to buy from them- like
isky, lunati, summit, amazon, etc...

...

I wonder if any of these are small privately owned anymore? I have no reason to ask, but after the big shakedown caused by the Chinese direct copies a lot of the old names went under or were purchased by bigger names. Comp, Isky, Lunati - I seem to remember some of them ended up under the Holley umbrella?

[Beagle]

I wonder if any of these are small privately owned anymore? I have no reason to ask, but after the big shakedown caused by the Chinese direct copies a lot of the old names went under or were purchased by bigger names. Comp, Isky, Lunati - I seem to remember some of them ended up under the Holley umbrella?

How many real cam grinder companies made it past the twentieth century?

[langleylad]

dont read anything into that--i wasnt yelling or mad at you, just
telling you my experience. and bottom line id MUCH rather repaint
a set of headers than swap a cam. who wouldnt?

theres a few places i wont have anything to do with, comp cams
being one of them. soffseal, western trans, moores auto salvage, etc...

everyone of them for basically not standing behind their product or
for hanging me out to dry after they got my money.

theres also some that have been so 'above and beyond' in their
customer service that i will always continue to buy from them- like
isky, lunati, summit, amazon, etc...

of course your mileage may vary.........

Monster Transmission is at the top of my list , never again but then your results may vary