998 cam

[minigreen94]

Hi all,
Putting a kent 286 cam in my fast road 998 with straight cut gears and drops, will i need to buy the cam kit (which includes new followers and valve springs aswel as the shaft) or just the camshaft on its own? Also will i need to upgrade to duplex timing?

[Cooperman]

Never fit a new cam without new followers.
The rest is up to you really.
You don't need SC drops in a 998 - you just get the dreadful noise without any benefits and have to wear ear plugs for normal road driving. The SC gearbox is good with that cam in a 998 as with the closer ratios it will help keep it 'on the cam' as it will be very 'lumpy'. A lower ratio final drive may also be a good idea to help with pulling away from rest without having to slip the clutch excessively.

[minigreen94]

Ok thanks alot, what would be the best FD ratio? And would standard timing gear be ok?

[FWDRacer]

Diff Ratio - Not higher than 3.76 to 1 (Metro 998 Diff - Readily available) - preferably 3.9 or even shorter! On a standard 3.1 or 3.44 the cam will make the car practically undrivable in an urban environment. A Simplex timing chain would be more than adequate - but really I'd go to vernier adjustable set-up to get the cam timed correctly. Either that or faf around with offset woodruff keys on the simplex set-up. A real test of patience.

[Cooperman]

FWDRacer said:

Diff Ratio - Not higher than 3.76 to 1 (Metro 998 Diff - Readily available) - preferably 3.9 or even shorter! On a standard 3.1 or 3.44 the cam will make the car practically undrivable in an urban environment. A Simplex timing chain would be more than adequate - but really I'd go to vernier adjustable set-up to get the cam timed correctly. Either that or faf around with offset woodruff keys on the simplex set-up. A real test of patience.

100% agree. I've fitted a 286 in a rally 998 Mk.1 Cooper and I used SC gears and a 3.9 final drive ratio. It wouldn't pull properly and cleanly when warm below about 3200 rpm. In the end I didn't like the engine and fitted a 970 'S' engine in order to keep it in the up-to-1000 cc class in competition.
The 286 is very lumpy in a 998 and is really only for real competition applications. You need a very wel--flowed head and an excellent inlet & exhaust system with either twin SU's or an HIF44/HS6 carb plus, of course, a re-curved distributor. Without these other mods the 286 simply won't work.

[minigreen94]

thanks alot for all the info, there is a chance i might be sprinting/hillclimbing the car, i have twin SU's that can be fitted if needed, not intending for alot of urban driving so do you think this cam would be ok? if not what alternatives is there? Also do you know what the standard ratio would have been in a standard 998 mini neon?
cheers