RPW Cams Help and sussing out...

Valandis91 · Post by **Valandis91** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 6:23 pm

ok guys so i received the cams finally after a 3.5 month wait only to find they might be only re grounds instead of fresh billets... This is a 40% difference in price so im a bit annoyed!!!
Does anyone know if the stock cams write 6a12M
on the end of them as in the picture below with a 's' on the other side??
sorry about the big picture but its the only way in being able to see it clearly...
and also billet camshafts dont usually have the middle bits painted black like this... can anyone else confirm this?
and also it looks as thoo they are used... the black paint in between is a bit worn in places... and myy mechanic said that one end looked like it had a pulley attached to it(as in used)
Also RPW didnt even provide me with the timing on what to set them on nor did they mark the vernier gears!!
Not Happy....

let me know please its meant to go in next week!

Valandis91 · Post by **Valandis91** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:45 pm

does anyone know??? please guys!
bennoz???

Astron_Boy · Post by **Astron_Boy** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:03 pm

I doubt anyone here will have the answers.
I would at a guess say the scuff marks and and where the cam gear was attached was to check the cam was perfectly straight with no bends?....

As for the profile, you would definately need to ask Dave about that, no way your gonna be able to guess.

Valandis91 · Post by **Valandis91** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:07 pm

but surely when someone has taken their cams out they might looked to see if they say 6a12m on the end of them or not?
would dstocks know? could it be the part number proving it is a original cam not a billet?
thats the main issue im worried about cos its a difference of paying $2200 to paying $1400
so a bit of a difference in price!!!

Astron_Boy · Post by **Astron_Boy** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:36 pm

Sorry, never touched my FTO engine, don't trust myself.

SchumieFan · Post by **SchumieFan** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 12:21 am

mate, it looks new...

if you crack open your cam heads youll see the used cams will have a yellow/black tinge to them because of oil staining...

as for the 'scuff' marks.... its got to be when they've tested them to see if they are balanced...

i wouldnt worry, in any case, they will work.

the 6A12 is the engine type and 'M' is for the fact they are MIVEC...

i wouldnt worry about the 'S' it could mean anything... most likely 'stock', as in, the same as an OEM cam

Valandis91 · Post by **Valandis91** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 12:29 am

SchumieFan wrote:mate, it looks new...

if you crack open your cam heads youll see the used cams will have a yellow/black tinge to them because of oil staining...

as for the 'scuff' marks.... its got to be when they've tested them to see if they are balanced...

i wouldnt worry, in any case, they will work.

the 6A12 is the engine type and 'M' is for the fact they are MIVEC...

i wouldnt worry about the 'S' it could mean anything... most likely 'stock', as in, the same as an OEM cam

these wouldnt have the stain as there wouldve been material added on the cams if they hadve been reground...

but do the stock cams have that written on the end?
these are not meant to be stock cams but are instead the stage 2 cams from RPW...

i know they will work but the massive difference in price is what im worried about!
im not happy if ive paid for billet cams when theyve given me reground stock cams!!!

pete_gpx · Post by **pete_gpx** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 12:56 am

I have a busted 6A12 Mivec engine sitting at my parents place. If I'm down on the weekend, which is a possibility, I'll take a look.

Valandis91 · Post by **Valandis91** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 1:03 am

pete_gpx wrote:I have a busted 6A12 Mivec engine sitting at my parents place. If I'm down on the weekend, which is a possibility, I'll take a look.

thanks man that would be a great help!!!

Valandis91 · Post by **Valandis91** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 2:20 am

should my cams not look fresh and new like these?
the pic is off the RPW website and if mine were like this i would be happy but it is very unusual for billet camshaft grinders to paint the bits in between in black...

Supermini · Post by **Supermini** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 2:49 am

elo

that looks to me like almost certainly a reground cam, if it is a billet cam, why would they stamp it on the end with what seems to be a factory code?

here is a pic of a cam i had reground, its not an FTO cam but yea.

Valandis91 · Post by **Valandis91** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 3:01 am

Supermini wrote:elo

that looks to me like almost certainly a reground cam, if it is a billet cam, why would they stamp it on the end with what seems to be a factory code?

here is a pic of a cam i had reground, its not an FTO cam but yea.

I thought so!!! i knew it was sus!
im ringing them up with my mechanic tomorrow to give them an ear full!!! been ripped off like $1000!!!
thats just not on... not happy...
thanks so much mate and WTTC!

Post by **Bennoz** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 9:27 am

Good lord, thats a mini cam! I recognise that dizzy drive half way down the stick anywhere

EDIT: Judging by your user name it is

Hard to say Valandis,

That black finish can be heat treatment such as nitriding or tuftriding.

This is a brand new cam I bought from Crow Cams just last week

The only sure fire way to find out if its reground or not is to measure the lift.

Ie measure the distance from the shaft to the heighest peaks of both a mivec & non mivec lobes & compare to a standard cam.

If its reground, the lift will not be as high as standard.

dvr · Post by **dvr** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 9:37 am

Reground cams can have the base ground to restore or increase lift. Measure there. Or it could have been built up (welded) and reground.

Post by **Bennoz** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 9:40 am

Very true ^

So Valandis, you might wanna check the distance from the base of the lobe to the shaft & compare to stock. I'd doubt they'd be welded, but you can see it quite quickly if they have, check the side of the lobe near the tips for 2 different shades of metal.

Valandis91 · Post by **Valandis91** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 10:31 am

well these are meant to have increased lift...

does the number printed on the end not mean anything?
i know uve taken a few engines apart bennoz so is that number on a stock cam?

but cheers for the help ill have a look if theres any colour change when i go in again today!

also i dont have the stock cam profiles so i dont know how to tell!
only have the profile for what theyre meant to be

SchumieFan · Post by **SchumieFan** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 12:01 am

you should be able to track the measurements down from somewhere on the WWW...

but youll need a micrometer to compare properly

dont ring them and abuse them till you are 100% sure... if you dont have any evidence they are not going to help you

Post by **aza013** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 8:58 pm

I will try to dig out the cams out of my other motor on the weekend and have a look at it for you.

Supermini · Post by **Supermini** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 1:53 am

yep a-series cam for a mini..

sorry to add to the speculation, but this is the pic that bothers me.
It just looks rather used...

koolio1234 · Post by **koolio1234** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 3:08 am

Supermini wrote:yep a-series cam for a mini..

sorry to add to the speculation, but this is the pic that bothers me.
It just looks rather used...

Valandis,

have you tried to get a second opnion from another shop on whether they are infact used?