V8 removing the dizzy after fitting MS2 - will the cam walk?

V8 removing the dizzy after fitting MS2 - will the cam walk?

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CrunkleFloop

Original Poster:

776 posts

252 months

Sunday 21st August 2022
quotequote all
Hi all,

I'll be fitting MS2 on my 1995 4.0 Chim (Serp engine) in the coming months and as part of this will remove the distributor.

My worry is that after fitting MS2 removing the dizzy (which I'd like to do for aesthetics and future fitting on an SC kit) Will mean there will be nothing retaining the camshaft and it will be free to walk.

For those that have fitted aftermarket ECU's and removed the Distributor how are you stopping axial movement in the camshaft? Can the short nose cam with its retaining plate be fitted to our engines?

My understanding is the Griff/Chim uses the intermediate engine which still uses the long nose camshaft but does not drive the oil pump from the dizzy like the pre-serp.

TIA

Mat

Belle427

9,742 posts

240 months

Sunday 21st August 2022
quotequote all
I was told the chain is the only thing that will hold it back but have read about the action of the lifters actually pushing it back too, I have no evidence of the latter.
Tvr cams as far as I know didn’t use the retaining plate.
If your considering doing the cam at the same time then a chat to someone like V8 developments may shed some more light on it.

DangerousDerek

8,669 posts

227 months

Monday 22nd August 2022
quotequote all
I replaced the distributor with a 'stubby'.
Basically its just the lower half of an old distributor that still has the drive to locate the cam in place.

I believe you can also fit a retainer plate and cam to suit and also have the longer nose cams machined to accept the retaining plate.

CrunkleFloop

Original Poster:

776 posts

252 months

Monday 22nd August 2022
quotequote all
DangerousDerek said:
I replaced the distributor with a 'stubby'.
Basically its just the lower half of an old distributor that still has the drive to locate the cam in place.

I believe you can also fit a retainer plate and cam to suit and also have the longer nose cams machined to accept the retaining plate.
Thanks, I'll look that up.


GreenV8S

30,479 posts

291 months

Monday 22nd August 2022
quotequote all
DangerousDerek said:
I replaced the distributor with a 'stubby'.
Basically its just the lower half of an old distributor that still has the drive to locate the cam in place.
Same - preserpentine in my case so I had to keep it for the oil pump drive in any case. I kept most of the dizzy with the cam ground down to a single lobe and used the points as a cam phase sensor. With the top removed it doesn't take up much space and didn't get in the way of anything in my installation.

Belle427

9,742 posts

240 months