Camshaft swap for V6 BOA / BOB

[cnprior]

Hello,

I am currently rebuilding a 24V BOA Ford engine out of a 1990 Granada. The condition of the engine upon rebuild was terrible, with oil changes never seemingly having been made. The cam covers are black and cams are discoloured dark brown. The bottom end has been thoroughly refreshed. The cylinder heads have been thoroughly cleaned and now bolted back into place with a new chain ready to install and new hydraulic tappets.

The original camshafts are BOA, using the duplex timing chain sprockets. I have cleaned them, as much as possible using paraffin – but the condition of them shows some marking, but not with any scoremarks under the nail test.

However, I do have a set of BOB camshafts which are in much better condition, but they are fitted with a different type of sprocket. My enquiry is two fold:-

1. Could I simply take off the sprockets at the end of the cam shaft and fit the BOA sprockets and bolt the BOB cams in place of my BOA cams onto the engine? I have read somewhere on Ford forums that this is a viable option.
2. If I do replace the BOB cams, can I re-use the existing camshaft bearing caps? They look usable (whilst not brand new). My query really is because the cams are showing some wear on the cam bearing faces – would this be material which could have come off the cam bearing caps and thus making them oval or over size? But looking visually they seem OK, and with a film of oil between cam and cam bearing cap – in theory the cam would never sit in the bearing anyway – only on the film of oil between the two.

Ideally I would buy new built up heads with new cams installed, but a) getting hold of this option is like rocking horse hunting and b) I simply cannot afford that route at this point in time, for effectively what is a ‘toy’.

Advice appreciated.

Chris

[Boosted LS1]

Yes you can fit the BOB cams into the BOA heads whilst using the BOA sprockets and timing discs etc. I've done quite a few swops.

[mk2 24v]

Boosted LS1 said:

Yes you can fit the BOB cams into the BOA heads whilst using the BOA sprockets and timing discs etc. I've done quite a few swops.

Do the BOB cams time up correctly with the BOA sprockets and lock washers?

[Boosted LS1]

mk2 24v said:

Boosted LS1 said:

Yes you can fit the BOB cams into the BOA heads whilst using the BOA sprockets and timing discs etc. I've done quite a few swops.

Do the BOB cams time up correctly with the BOA sprockets and lock washers?

You can use either sets of discs. It all assembles the same way, BOA/BOB.

[mk2 24v]

Boosted LS1 said:

You can use either sets of discs. It all assembles the same way, BOA/BOB.

Hmm, that's handy to know. I was led to believe that the washers between the 2 were different, and would time the BOB cams less than ideally in the BOA

[Boosted LS1]

mk2 24v said:

Boosted LS1 said:

You can use either sets of discs. It all assembles the same way, BOA/BOB.

Hmm, that's handy to know. I was led to believe that the washers between the 2 were different, and would time the BOB cams less than ideally in the BOA

Lots of talk about this subject but iirc the timing marks are the same whatever the discs. I've never had problems when swopping customer's cams.