3450 camshaft
- TomC.
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2015 10:45 pm
3450 camshaft
I recently picked up a 1600 dp. The cam has only the numbers 3450 stamped on it. Has anyone else heard of this cam or own one ? Thanks for your time
- Marc
- Moderator
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- Joined: Thu May 23, 2002 12:01 am
Re: 3450 camshaft
Sorry, never heard of that one. CB Performance & Comp Cams sell grinds with 4-digit numbers but they typically start with a "2".
I saw your post at theSamba; there are 1.25:1 rockers that look like the 1.1:1s (because they're made from the same raw "forging")...all they did was machine the pushrod cup as high as possible, like the one on the left in this picture: https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=htt ... ed.jpg&f=1
Is the cam gear attached with bolts or the stock rivets?
I saw your post at theSamba; there are 1.25:1 rockers that look like the 1.1:1s (because they're made from the same raw "forging")...all they did was machine the pushrod cup as high as possible, like the one on the left in this picture: https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=htt ... ed.jpg&f=1
Is the cam gear attached with bolts or the stock rivets?
- TomC.
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2015 10:45 pm
Re: 3450 camshaft
Hello Marc,
That wasn't me on the samba, I seen that one also. I pm'd him and he still hasn't found out anything. This cam sounds like a Engle 110 while it idles and still pulls hard after 5000 rpm so I know its not a stock grind. Least-ways not any stock cam I've ever had before. But yes the cam has rivits and the rockers have VW stamped on them, so I am figuring that they are stock rockers.
That wasn't me on the samba, I seen that one also. I pm'd him and he still hasn't found out anything. This cam sounds like a Engle 110 while it idles and still pulls hard after 5000 rpm so I know its not a stock grind. Least-ways not any stock cam I've ever had before. But yes the cam has rivits and the rockers have VW stamped on them, so I am figuring that they are stock rockers.
- Marc
- Moderator
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- Joined: Thu May 23, 2002 12:01 am
Re: 3450 camshaft
My bad, the other guy said his engine's a 1915 and you said yours is a 1600 - went right over my head.
As I said, you can't tell 1.1 rockers from 1.25 based upon outward appearance alone.
If the cam gear is riveted, it's 99.9% certain to be a regrind on a stock cam which limits the lobe lift you can achieve without reducing the base circle dramatically. If the other guy's valve lift figure is with 1.1 rockers that'd make it a little bigger than a Delta D-10 (an old-school regrind which has ~235° duration @.050", ~.360" lift w/1.1s)...that one's comparable to the W-100 although with less lift. It's a good choice for a mild ~1600cc street motor to idle nicely a with stock carb.
Yours would probably need even more lift to truly emulate the W-110, but without knowing what its ramp rates are like it's not a good idea to just slap higher-ratio rockers on...that said, most "1.1" cams can handle 1.25s without issues. Sounds like this cam should be running shimmed up stock valvesprings at minimum, probably entry-level HD singles if you're going to be buzzing it and/or going to 1.25 rockers. Does it have aluminum or steel pushrods? Stock adjusters or swivelfeet? Have the rocker shafts been upgraded to "solid" or are they still using wavy washers and springclips?
As I said, you can't tell 1.1 rockers from 1.25 based upon outward appearance alone.
If the cam gear is riveted, it's 99.9% certain to be a regrind on a stock cam which limits the lobe lift you can achieve without reducing the base circle dramatically. If the other guy's valve lift figure is with 1.1 rockers that'd make it a little bigger than a Delta D-10 (an old-school regrind which has ~235° duration @.050", ~.360" lift w/1.1s)...that one's comparable to the W-100 although with less lift. It's a good choice for a mild ~1600cc street motor to idle nicely a with stock carb.
Yours would probably need even more lift to truly emulate the W-110, but without knowing what its ramp rates are like it's not a good idea to just slap higher-ratio rockers on...that said, most "1.1" cams can handle 1.25s without issues. Sounds like this cam should be running shimmed up stock valvesprings at minimum, probably entry-level HD singles if you're going to be buzzing it and/or going to 1.25 rockers. Does it have aluminum or steel pushrods? Stock adjusters or swivelfeet? Have the rocker shafts been upgraded to "solid" or are they still using wavy washers and springclips?
- TomC.
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2015 10:45 pm
Re: 3450 camshaft
Hello Marc,
I didn't have time today to unbolt the value covers to take another look at the push rods. I do remember that it had stock adjusters with lash caps. It's due for me to adj. the valves in the next day or two. So I'll check it out a little closer and let you know what I find out. I thank you kindly for your time and effort.
I didn't have time today to unbolt the value covers to take another look at the push rods. I do remember that it had stock adjusters with lash caps. It's due for me to adj. the valves in the next day or two. So I'll check it out a little closer and let you know what I find out. I thank you kindly for your time and effort.
- Marc
- Moderator
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- Joined: Thu May 23, 2002 12:01 am
Re: 3450 camshaft
While you're in there take a look at the rockerarm geometry. Ideally the adjusters should be parallel with the valvestems at ~half lift for the sake of guide longevity; often if lashcaps were used it's because the valvetrain is "short" (due to a small cam base circle and/or "thin" lifters, barrel spacers, etc.) ...if this compromises the rockerarm geometry, a better solution is longer pushrods.