[Russ]

Hi Tom
I know Newman cams they're about 15 minutes up the road from me they resurfaced / Ground my 1929 Norton cams, Followers and Rockers for me....it's good to know they've done Sunbeam cams as well to be honest I've no idea what 30 - 60 profile is but as long as they're for either a '27 or '28 year model 9 happy days.....cheers

[Tom Snow]

Hi Russ,

I had some cams made by Newman Cams a few years ago. They were the narrow type with 30 - 60 profile. I expect Newman's still have the data maybe they could make some for you ? www.newman-cams.com

Regards,

Tom.

[Russ]

I'm already onto Chris......thanks......do you think they're serviceable? they look knackered to me......any thoughts

[singleminded]

Hi Russ.
If your in the UK you could get them refaced by Chris Odling..I got my 90 cams done by him a couple of years ago.
John

[Russ]

would anyone know of a set of cams.....Exhaust and inlet for a 27 / 29 model 9 that maybe for sale......just hedging my bets......I'm fairly convinced these are fairly crackered but what do I know and they've been stellite welded once already you can see the weld overspill on the edges......they don't look like nice smooth shiny cam lobes as they have any amount of pitting and grinding marks on the surfaces.....anyone got an opinion.....by the way top 2 pictures are the Exhaust cam bottom 2 are the inlet

[Russ]

usually what happens is someone gets a screw driver behind the pinion and levers it off the crank taper using the thinish casing behind as the leverage point then the casing breaks away doh!!! anyway if it ain't broke....er....I mean it was broke then fixed so no need to fix it again but if you or anyone else has issues with broken crank journal casings I can get them fixed as per my old Norton by utilising F1 technology....a bit OTT but absolutely no distortion....not cheap though but it's a proper job

[singleminded]

The plate behind the half time pinion on my 90 is as you suspected due to a previous owner..Maybe ham fisted or a bottom end failure..i was worried about the amount of distortion that welding may cause so i left the repair as it was.It had been there for over 40 years..John

[Russ]

This is the timing chest of my 90 refaced cams and followers..I'll find a pic of the lifter lever..John

super thanks cams look exactly like my 29' Norton M18 I had the Cams and followers re surfaced too I had them done by Newman cams

OK this shows a sidevalve arrangement but the principles the same. The cam's on the OHV 9 are wider and the followers have a cup to locate the push rod. The lifter is on the cover. It has a spring on it to return it to the 'non lift' position.  The middle timing pinion has a key way which relates to top dead centre on all the engines. It has two timing marks one dot and two dots. Which must be lined up with the dots on the corresponding exaust and inlet cams. I hope this helps you Russ.

If you have a picture of what you've got it may help to understand you problem as different model cams and follwers don't generally mix.
PS I see John has beat me to it but you can see the similarity between the SV on OHV  setup

and thanks to you too.....that's the first I've seen of the Valve lifter.....interesting

at this moment in time I haven't taken the casings or the head off to investigate I'm just forearming myself with as much knowledge as possible but I'm really happy that you've both taken the time to post up these pictures it gives me an idea of what I'm dealing with which to be honest doesn't look anything different from my old Norton except maybe the positioning of the half time pinion.....what is the plate washer thingy behind the half time pinion gear is that there because the casing has broken away due to past misdemeanors with a screwdrivers trying to lever off the pinion gear? my Norton had the same but got it repaired as you can see in the photo

[wessex_man]

OK this shows a sidevalve arrangement but the principles the same. The cam's on the OHV 9 are wider and the followers have a cup to locate the push rod. The lifter is on the cover. It has a spring on it to return it to the 'non lift' position.  The middle timing pinion has a key way which relates to top dead centre on all the engines. It has two timing marks one dot and two dots. Which must be lined up with the dots on the corresponding exaust and inlet cams. I hope this helps you Russ.



If you have a picture of what you've got it may help to understand you problem as different model cams and follwers don't generally mix.
PS I see John has beat me to it but you can see the similarity between the SV on OHV  setup

[singleminded]

This is the timing chest of my 90 refaced cams and followers..I'll find a pic of the lifter lever..John

[Russ]

Hi Paul
I hear what you're saying all thoughts greatly appreciated.....I don't suppose you or anyone else would happen to have a picture of the inside of the timing chest and of the lifter mechanism....if you have I'd be extremely grateful if you could post them up or PM them to me

[phutton]

If the adjuster is at its maximum extension, does the lifter lever rotate to its full extent? You could try disconnecting the cable and rotating the lever with a tube to see whether enough lift on the valve is achieved. If this is the case, perhaps you just need to shorten the cable. Note: Don't try to go too far, or the lifter nib may come out of engagement.

I don't think that wear on the cam or follower will have any affect on the valve lifter operation if the tappet clearances are correct, and I haven't seen so much wear on a nib that it becomes ineffective.

Paul H.

[Russ]

thanks P....my suspicions on why the valve lifter is almost next to useless are.......it has to be either the Exhaust Cam follower profile has completely worn away or the follower projection has worn away or both.....the external adjuster is at it's maximum......just out of curiosity.....does anyone know what length the pushrods should be

[phutton]

There is confusion between two different Sunbeam manuals on tappet clearance. The 1928 general manual (fourth edition) states that inlet clearance should be 0.006" cold, and the exhaust .010 for M8 & M9, and .012 for M80 & M90. The 1928 Supplementary Instructions for OHV models, however, states that clearances should be minimal, and recommend the good old "cigarette paper" test (really!). This instruction is repeated in the 1929 manual. The 1930 manual and all subsequent manuals, however, revert to the fag paper (or .002") for the inlet and .010-.012" for the exhaust, so it seems you have got it about right, Russ.

My own guess is that at .012" clearance, the valve lifter might not give enough lift.

P.

[Russ]

yep got that Vic cheers......you might know this Vic.......it seems the valve lifter doesn't lift the exhaust valve but will hold the exhaust valve open a little if the decompressor lever is pulled flat to the handlebar grip whilst turning the engine over and the exhaust valve is lifted by the pushrod so the valve lifter is holding it open......does that make sense....BTW I've reset the rocker clearances to .002" inlet and .012" exhaust

[VicYouel]

Some good answers to your question posed on Facebook
Vic

[Russ]

ok my learned friends a quick technical question for you......what size main jet would have been fitted to the original Amac carburetter as fitted to the 1928 Sunbeam model 9......or it's equivalent Amal 276 carburetter......I've spoken to Amal (Burlen) and their records don't go back that far but they did recommend trying a 106 needle jet a No.6 tapered needle and a 150 main jet for the Amal carburetter....I look forward to your thoughts

regards
Russ J