How do I identify an unknown camshaft without removing it from the motor ?

[Tynan918]

The best way to nail my correct timing and everything else related to tuning my engine correctly, is to know exactly what camshaft I'm working with..

I have an unknown camshaft and I want to identify it without pulling the camshaft from the motor..

What are you guys' ideas on how to go about that?

I seen this ProForm universal cam checker..part # 68902... what do you guys think about this?

 

[Ugly1]

Damn... Is there another way I can tell what kind of camshaft I have without removing it from the motor ?

I'm trying to contact the previous owner to see if he can probably tell me.

Not sure if it’s the front or back of the cam shaft, BUT there are numbers and letters on one end that can identify the manufacturer and style. If it is still made it will make it easier. I found this out with two cams that I inherited and found them as solid lift cams and the info on them. May take patients to work out that stuff

 

[stew86MCSS396]

This is what came in my L83 with retro roller lifters viewed from the rear. Idk what the lift is, never tried to measure it.

 

[scoti]

Not sure if it’s the front or back of the cam shaft, BUT there are numbers and letters on one end that can identify the manufacturer and style. If it is still made it will make it easier. I found this out with two cams that I inherited and found them as solid lift cams and the info on them. May take patients to work out that stuff

This is what came in my L83 with retro roller lifters viewed from the rear. Idk what the lift is, never tried to measure it.
View attachment 206961

Not all cams have ID stampings. Even for those w/stampings, it doesn't guarantee one can positively identify the part.
I found ID stamping on the rear end of the cam in a buddy's 406. I googled the numbers & came up w/nothing.

It just doesn't seem worth the effort to pull a motor apart just to ID a cam. Replacing just the cam in a questionable motor seems.... questionable. If going to that amount of effort, I'd be replacing the whole shebang w/known parts.

 

[Dayzedandkonfuzed]

You can replace a camshaft in an afternoon. If you're that concerned, I would just pull it, it's really not that big of a job. Hardest part is pulling the lifters, but you would have to do that with the tool you proposed anyway.

I'm on the same page as many here. I think this is a more or less stock 305. If it has any cam wild enough to worry about setting timing differently, then you would at least have better valve springs in there, and those look very stock to me.

Your low vacuum can be caused by a number of things, including timing and carburetor adjustments. I do not think it's because of a cam with a lot of overlap.

 

[Ugly1]

Not all cams have ID stampings. Even for those w/stampings, it doesn't guarantee one can positively identify the part.
I found ID stamping on the rear end of the cam in a buddy's 406. I googled the numbers & came up w/nothing.

It just doesn't seem worth the effort to pull a motor apart just to ID a cam. Replacing just the cam in a questionable motor seems.... questionable. If going to that amount of effort, I'd be replacing the whole shebang w/known parts.

True. But if something mild probably a cam for trailer pulling type thing. Changes some but not much

 

[stew86MCSS396]

Not all cams have ID stampings. Even for those w/stampings, it doesn't guarantee one can positively identify the part.
I found ID stamping on the rear end of the cam in a buddy's 406. I googled the numbers & came up w/nothing.

It just doesn't seem worth the effort to pull a motor apart just to ID a cam. Replacing just the cam in a questionable motor seems.... questionable. If going to that amount of effort, I'd be replacing the whole shebang w/known parts.

Yup mine may actually be a re-grind and that was what was etched into the rear but still don't know what the lift is. Don't care, I just hooked up the laptop and gave the engine what it wanted in terms of fuel and it does what it does.

Ironically that pic is not even mine but the previous owner. He too had the same question trying to figure out what cam was in the L83 but luckily for him the engine was already out of the car but he still didn't determine what the lift is.