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Hello all, Can someone please advise me of the location of the camshaft casting part number on a 35 Super Eight camshaft. The number is supposed to be 215647. An engine rebuilder called me and is fairly sure that the camshaft in the 35 Super engine he is doing up is not the correct camshaft. He has previously set the valve timimg to 30-30 but the engine then pulled no vacuum. He set it to around 5-5 and it appeared to work fine. It is out because of some issues with pistons nipping up because of insufficient skirt claearance. He mentioned to the owner about not being able to set it to 30-30 and the owner now wants the correct camshaft in the engine. any clueson if he can see the camshaft part number with the camshsft still installed? and does anyone have or knows of a spare 215647 camshaft available? It is the same camshaft 34 through 36 Super Eight.
Best regards, Peter Toet

P/N 215647 was used on the Super Eight from 1934 thru 1936; 1933 used 270605, 32 and earlier used 170021. It's a forging, not a casting. The only difference cited in the Service Letters with the introduction of the 270605 is to increase the exhaust valve clearance from 0.004" to 0.006". It's been a long time since I looked at one out of the engine but most likely the # is somewhere along the shaft between lobes. Perhaps removing all the rocker arms would allow it to be seen. It's a bit of a chore but the rocker arms and levers can be removed and reinstalled without removing the valves and springs.

The camshafts were changing through the years along with the camshaft bearings, so I don't think it is possible to install the wrong camshaft unless someone is missing something very fundamental.

I don't know what 30-30 and 5-5 means because the gear is keyed to the camshaft and the timing marks are self explanatory. If somehow the gear is wrong that is worth looking at. The crankshaft key should be at 12 O'clock if memory serves me correctly.

In any case, a zero vacuum situation should be visible when observing the valve action with the cylinder head off.

But where are the timing marks? As well there are timing marks on the distributor drive gears.

I agree with you both and I would normally refit the chain to the camshaft and crank gear with the timing marks on both sprockets. I don't know what his difficulty is but he has been using the line before and after the flywheel ignition timing marks to fit the chain. Not sure why he hasn't been using the marks on the sprockets. He says that he has done a number of these engines and is familiar with pulling the counterweights off, etc.
The 30-30 of the Super Eights refers to the Intake valve opening 30 degrees BTDC and the Exhaust closing 30 degrees ATDC. The 5-5 refers to the 120's and 37 + Sixes having the Intake valve opening at 5 degrees BTDC and the exhaust valve closing at 5 degrees ATDC. I do not have access to the engine. he has the rocker levers blocks out and is trying to verify the Part Number on the camshaft. The camshaft is of course forged...sorry Dave. I am enclosing a snap of the part number of a 288-327 camshaft part number(412581) which is located at the non drive end of the camshaft. Perhaps the 35 Super camshaft may have its number in much the same position.

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