Bradford CA Camshaft wanted

[BarryCambs]

I've finally got around to getting the engine stripped from the Long Two in an attempt to sort the loose flywheel issue. I'm hoping the machine shop can clean up the taper on the crank and flywheel which clearly haven't mated properly for a very long time.

The engine is from 1934 and has a Bradford CA camshaft, which was fitted on advice from from John Box who kindly supplied the barrels and pistons a few years ago. While it runs beautifully and has a surprising amount of power, it's always had a noisy tappet which no amount of careful adjustment makes any difference to.

While the engine is out, I'm hoping someone might have a good camshaft I could buy. It was several years ago and I can't remember if the followers were Bradford, or I needed to use the pre-war ones?

Many thanks
Barry

[k. rogers]

Hi Barry, have you tried club spares? They used to have a good supply of the later camshafts!

[k. rogers]

Also, are you sure the noise is actually a tappet?

[BarryCambs]

Hi Ken

I was going to ask JCS, but I'm never sure if I should help preserve their stock by using members parts, or visa versa! I do you JCS for most thing.

I can't think what else the noise could be? It sounds like a tappet and it's always been there, not getting any better or worse. It also sounds camshaft speed. The car is on gravity feed, so the petrol pump is removed. I did most of the work a few years ago when I was chronically sleep deprived, but I'm sure I'd have looked at the followers at the same time.

Barry

[k. rogers]

I've been able to pin point a noisy tappet by placing the thinnest feeler gauge, 1.5 thou in my case, in each gap in turn while the engine is running to see if the tapping reduces. Mind you, this can damage your guage!

[BarryCambs]

See now I'm wishing I'd have done that while it was still running!

I've dropped it at the machine shop to have the tapers cleaned up. I was hoping to have everything balanced but their balance rig can't drive it, as it uses a belt on the centre main bearing the Jowett obviously doesn't have.

[Chris Spencer]

Barry - I'm just in the process of clearing an extensive amount (tons) of new old stock Jowett parts that will be going up to JCS within the next few months - there is various camshafts amongst the haul although I haven't gone about identifying them - If you can hang on for a few months until the parts land at JCS - I'm sure that Paul can advise on what they have

[BarryCambs]

Hi Chris

If there were a new one, that would be fantastic! I'm intrigued to know how tons of NOS spares could come to light after all this time.

I'm happy to wait. The noise isn't so bad and I just want to get it back on the road now, so I'll carry on with the old one. It's very quick and simple to take the engine back out when the time comes. I have a better crankshaft, so at some stage I was going to get the rods for that while metalled at sone stage anyway.

Many thanks

Barry

[Chris Spencer]

If there were a new one, that would be fantastic! I'm intrigued to know how tons of NOS spares could come to light after all this time.

Full story on how the parts have come to light will be related in the Jowetteer in the coming months - it will probably have to be serialised due to the amount and length of the story behind them but first I need to get everything collected, consolidated then delivered up to JCS - Has for vintage conrods there are new old stock pre metalled ready for machining ex factory amongst the hoard too

[k. rogers]

Now that's exciting!!

[BarryCambs]

That is exciting and also a bit surreal!

Barry