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Re: [Healeys] Denis Welch Tappets Again

To: healeys@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Denis Welch Tappets Again
From: Bob Spidell <bspidell@comcast.net>
Date: Wed, 24 May 2023 07:22:07 -0700
Delivered-to: mharc@autox.team.net
Delivered-to: healeys@autox.team.net
References: <CAL4ZEON3+XC42uyoHDA2U4osDZ962n8UZ5rLzyTZZ50-wyNUjg@mail.gmail.com> <014c01d98e45$9e092f70$da1b8e50$@sympatico.ca>
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Maybe why DWM sells cams and tappets ('followers') as a set? Installed 
them in my--most recent and, hopefully last--BJ8 overhaul and no issues 
after 7K miles or so.

I don't think you can rule out improper break-in as a cause.

Bob


On 5/24/2023 6:42 AM, m.g.sharp--- via Healeys wrote:
>
> Mike, I am really no expert on this, but having had cam/tappet issues 
> with my â??56 BSA motorcycle (same technology as a Healey) in the past I 
> did look into it about 18 years ago, and Mike Salter and I had a long 
> discussion about cams and tappets when we did my BT7 engine a few 
> years ago.  One thing I was told by a bike engine builder I trust is 
> that the hardness of the cam lobes and the tappets should be the 
> same.  If they are mis-matched, rapid wear can occur.  It _may_ (I am 
> speculating) not be so much that the cam or the tappets are not 
> hardened properly, it is just that they are hardened _differently_. 
>   I eventually ordered the motorcycle cam and tappets from the same 
> source with the promise that they were made to work together.  That 
> seemed to work on the bike.  I think buying a cam and tappets from 
> different sources is not the best idea.
>
> With my BT7, we were lucky, as even after over 100.000 miles, the cam 
> had virtually no wear, and only one tappet showed signs of wear, so 
> that was replaced with an good used original one that Mike had.  So my 
> original cam and 11 of the tappets were re-used (with the tappets put 
> back in the same order as they came out).  Only 2000 miles on the 
> engine, so jury is still out on that, but I just checked  the tappet 
> clearances and so far no signs of wear.  I am surprised that 
> Ahead4Healeys actually have NOS tappets.  Are you sure that they are 
> not re-manufactured?  If they are actually NOS, I would be inclined to 
> use them and find a good original cam to use with them (assuming the 
> original one you have is too worn to re-use).  The fact that my 
> original parts were fine after 100,000 miles are a testament to the 
> quality of the original parts.  Mind you, I am only the second owner 
> of the car, and I knew  the first owner well, and we both performed 
> regular maintenance; that is key to longevity.
>
> Also, I donâ??t know what you are doing with valve springs and rocker 
> gear.  Remember whenever you deviate from stock, there are 
> repercussions.  Higher lift cams, increased spring pressure, etc., all 
> excerpt additional stresses on cam lobes and tappets.
>
> Good luck with it â?? these are hard decisions when re-building and 
> there is so much mythology about cams and tappets to sift through.  My 
> personal approach is use original parts whenever I can â?? they work and 
> they last!
>
> Cheers, Mirek
>
> *From:*Healeys <healeys-bounces@autox.team.net> *On Behalf Of *Michael 
> MacLean
> *Sent:* Wednesday, May 24, 2023 8:42 AM
> *To:* Ahealey help <healeys@autox.team.net>
> *Subject:* [Healeys] Denis Welch Tappets Again
>
> As I get closer to starting my 100 engine I have yet to replace the 
> modified Denis Welch tappets like a list member suggested I do.  I got 
> nervous, so I ordered a set of NOS tappets from Ahead4Healeys to swap 
> with the installed Welch tappets recently.  Now, searching the 
> archives, I  find someone had problems with NOS lifters after 6000 
> miles. Ruined a cam and the lifters.  So, what am I supposed to do 
> now?  Should I just buy aftermarket tappets?  Are the aftermarket 
> tappets hardened correctly?  Why wouldn't the NOS tappets be hardened 
> right?  I don't want to replace the cam after I get this thing running.
>
> Mike MacLean
>
>

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    Maybe why DWM sells cams and tappets ('followers') as a set?
    Installed them in my--most recent and, hopefully last--BJ8 overhaul
    and no issues after 7K miles or so.<br>
    <br>
    I don't think you can rule out improper break-in as a cause.<br>
    <br>
    Bob<br>
    <br>
    <br>
    <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 5/24/2023 6:42 AM, m.g.sharp--- via
      Healeys wrote:<br>
    </div>
    <blockquote type="cite"
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        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Mike,
            I am really no expert on this, but having had cam/tappet
            issues with my â??56 BSA motorcycle (same technology as a
            Healey) in the past I did look into it about 18 years ago,
            and Mike Salter and I had a long discussion about cams and
            tappets when we did my BT7 engine a few years ago.  One
            thing I was told by a bike engine builder I trust is that
            the hardness of the cam lobes and the tappets should be the
            same.  If they are mis-matched, rapid wear can occur.  It 
<u>may</u>
            (I am speculating) not be so much that the cam or the
            tappets are not hardened properly, it is just that they are
            hardened <u>differently</u>.   I eventually ordered the
            motorcycle cam and tappets from the same source with the
            promise that they were made to work together.  That seemed
            to work on the bike.  I think buying a cam and tappets from
            different sources is not the best idea.  <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span 
style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US">With
            my BT7, we were lucky, as even after over 100.000 miles, the
            cam had virtually no wear, and only one tappet showed signs
            of wear, so that was replaced with an good used original one
            that Mike had.  So my original cam and 11 of the tappets
            were re-used (with the tappets put back in the same order as
            they came out).  Only 2000 miles on the engine, so jury is
            still out on that, but I just checked  the tappet clearances
            and so far no signs of wear.  I am surprised that
            Ahead4Healeys actually have NOS tappets.  Are you sure that
            they are not re-manufactured?  If they are actually NOS, I
            would be inclined to use them and find a good original cam
            to use with them (assuming the original one you have is too
            worn to re-use).  The fact that my original parts were fine
            after 100,000 miles are a testament to the quality of the
            original parts.  Mind you, I am only the second owner of the
            car, and I knew  the first owner well, and we both performed
            regular maintenance; that is key to longevity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span 
style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Also,
            I donâ??t know what you are doing with valve springs and
            rocker gear.  Remember whenever you deviate from stock,
            there are repercussions.  Higher lift cams, increased spring
            pressure, etc., all excerpt additional stresses on cam lobes
            and tappets.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span 
style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Good
            luck with it â?? these are hard decisions when re-building and
            there is so much mythology about cams and tappets to sift
            through.  My personal approach is use original parts
            whenever I can â?? they work and they last!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span 
style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Cheers,
            Mirek<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span 
style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
        <div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1
          1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm">
          <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span
              lang="EN-US"> Healeys
              <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" 
href="mailto:healeys-bounces@autox.team.net";>&lt;healeys-bounces@autox.team.net&gt;</a>
 <b>On Behalf Of </b>Michael
              MacLean<br>
              <b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, May 24, 2023 8:42 AM<br>
              <b>To:</b> Ahealey help <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" 
href="mailto:healeys@autox.team.net";>&lt;healeys@autox.team.net&gt;</a><br>
              <b>Subject:</b> [Healeys] Denis Welch Tappets 
Again<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        </div>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
        <div>
          <div>
            <p class="MsoNormal">As I get closer to starting my 100
              engine I have yet to replace the modified Denis Welch
              tappets like a list member suggested I do.  I got nervous,
              so I ordered a set of NOS tappets from Ahead4Healeys to
              swap with the installed Welch tappets recently.  Now,
              searching the archives, I  find someone had problems with
              NOS lifters after 6000 miles. Ruined a cam and the
              lifters.  So, what am I supposed to do now?  Should I just
              buy aftermarket tappets?  Are the aftermarket tappets
              hardened correctly?  Why wouldn't the NOS tappets be
              hardened right?  I don't want to replace the cam after I
              get this thing running.<o:p></o:p></p>
          </div>
          <div>
            <p class="MsoNormal">Mike MacLean<o:p></o:p></p>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
      <br>
    </blockquote>
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