Renault Hemi Camshafts

[Ultimaguy476]

Dakazman posted links for me listing a lot of Europa parts that I was giving away that don't fit my heavily modified car anymore.
I got a lot of inquiries about camshafts for the Renault hemi.  Fact is, I have about ten of them (used) but they are all somewhat to heavily pitted.  This was an issue with those cams as the metal wasn't so great.  I can still use them for regrinds as nothing stock is radical enough for me but they still have the inferior metal problem.
I assumed these were 'unobtainium' as they were impossible to find for many years (hence why I bought five of them for $100/ea about 15 years ago when I got the chance).
Anyway, I did a search and found at least two places in europe....and possibly a third....that are selling them.  I am still working out the details (cost without VAT, cost in bulk, cost of shipping to US, etc) as I just sent out the inquiry emails yesterday.  I assume they are 'new' and not 'new old stock'.....which will mean better metal.  I have heard back from two of the suppliers that they do, in fact, have them available.
Anyway, I would like to get an idea of who might be interested so I can have some purchasing power...and also combine the shipping to the US where I will forward them on their merry way.
I don't have much info yet, but they are the original grind for the Renault 12 Gordini.
They are listed at around 300 euro including VAT.  I would love to see some buying power get that down to around $300US including shipping to the US but I might be dreaming.
Not cheap, but not ridiculous.
So, if you are interested, please send me an email at nickg@madriver.com and I will start an excel spread sheet of interested parties  so I can negotiate with them.  I will email a reply confirming that I got your email but it will likely take a while to work out the details and see them in hand so don't expect any other communication from me anytime soon.
They come with the distributor drive gear thingy, too.

On another note it should be noted that the cam lobes don't line up on center with the lifters.  As such, the design was for the lobes to be tapered (ever so slightly) and the lifters to be crowned.  The lifters are supposed to spin.  I've never actually seen this in practice but my most recent regrinds were done this way.  Hence, if the lobes on your cam are flat, your lifters should be also and you must pray that they line up correctly.  If you have tapered lobes, you need crowned lifters.

While I am at it, I am going to make another post with a few engine building tips I figured out the hard way.  Keep an eye out for it if you are interested.

[jbcollier]

Someone measured the stock followers and they were flat.  News to me as 99% of flat cam engines are ground asymmetrical to promote lifter/follower rotation.

[BDA]

  Ultimaguy476!!

Sorry I'm not interested in the Renault stuff but I didn't take the opportunity to welcome you in your other thread so I thought I'd do it here!

[lotusfanatic]

Hello Ultimaguy476,

I'm also taking the opportunity to say...

 

Mark

[Richard48Y]

I have no idea of the specs for my current cam although it is claimed to be exceptional with 8K RPM capability.
I hope to be dismantling my engine for inspection and assessment about April.
Once that is done I will be able to look at another or spare cams.

[dakazman]

  We love pics here Nick , I’m still interested in seeing your Europa even though your ultima stopped me dead in my tracks and I enjoyed the YouTube videos you mentioned. I’m one that purchased a cam from overseas without knowing the specs , they seem to be quite rare . I figured they are stock and it came with a new dissy gear. Correct not cheap, but I checked another box to get my engine running condition. 
 I’ll be looking out for those tips on the crossflow.
Dakazman

[Richard48Y]

This is probably an appropriate time to mention once again that current engine oils are severely lacking in anti-scuff additives so will ruin a conventional cam very quickly.
I am running "Racing" oil even in my stock Chevy truck as it is less expensive than the $20.00 a bottle ZDDP additive.
None of my vehicles have a CAT so no worry over adding Zinc.

[Ultimaguy476]

This is a follow up about the availability of camshafts for the Renault cross flow. 
I found three places that sell them in Europe.  One, however, doesn't ship to the US for liability reasons??

There are two others:

Renault12shop seems to be the best deal, selling for 289 euro (minus VAT) including drive gear:

https://www.franzose.de/en/Renault/R16/Kurbel-Nockenwelle-Kolben/ANR80179/

These only come in one grind.....My inquiries as to the specifics of the grind were met with 'they are stock'.  Lotta good that does.


The other supplier is CATCAMS out of Belgium.  They have a US phone # but it just goes direct to Belgium.  They offer six different grinds, from mild to wild:

http://www.catcams.com/engines/engine-selection.aspx?SelectedManufacturer=20

Choose the last one under 'pushrod engines'....807-20

Unfortunately, they want $550US per cam, including drive gear......ouch!
They have offered a 20% discount for orders over $2000, but that doesn't help much.

On the interest side, I was fairly certain that there was interest out there but not a single person got in touch with me.  That contrasts to about ten inquiries for cams when I offered some of my europa stuff for free (but not items that still fit my car, which isn't much due to modifications.  These cams, however, do still fit and were not on the free list).  So it seems that the interest was only for free cams, not for ones with a price tag. 
I was surprised by this since these cams are very rare on this side of the pond.  I jumped at the opportunity to buy 5 of them about 15 years ago for $100/ea so I would have them for regrinds.

I am set on these cams.... I was really inquiring for others and would have ordered one for myself if the price was right. 

Any interested parties can take the above info and run with it.  I would love to hear how they look if someone receives one.

Warning....make sure the fuel pump drive is in the correct place...or go electric.

Nick

[Richard48Y]

I will have to remove and examine my current cam before I will know if I need a replacement or not.
Hope to do that in May.

[jbcollier]

But I don't need a cam.  I had a good core in my engine and I sent it to Salv in the UK for a slightly more aggressive grind over the stock 807-13 spec..  Followers went to Elgin for refinishing.

[MRN I J]

Salv gets followers made now

[Ultimaguy476]

Are his followers available? 
Are they crowned?

[Rainer]

I have bought one set last year, they are radius ground like the original ones.

Regards
Rainer

[MRN I J]

Are his followers available? 
Are they crowned?

salv.sacco@virgin.net tell him that I recomended him

Chris

[jbcollier]

He is the Crossflow God.