How can you tell a marine cam from automotive?

[cantaris]

Short of buying a "marine cam", How can I tell if a cam is Marine, RV, truck, or car? This is for a v8 chevy 350 that I am going to put into my 24footer.

 

[Bondo]

Re: How can you tell a marine cam from automotive?

Ayuh,...

Either by Part #, or Measure it...

 

[Lucky Penny]

Re: How can you tell a marine cam from automotive?

Price

 

[Mkos1980]

Re: How can you tell a marine cam from automotive?

Alot of the marine cams nowadays are auto cams. Just like the roller cam for the 5.0 and 5.7 roller motors. Its the same cam as in the RamJet Crate motors.

 

[cantaris]

Re: How can you tell a marine cam from automotive?

I have an engine that I got that is disassembled and I am putting it back together. was told original engine was not winterized after a fresh rebuild. Blocked cracked. New block bored out. Machine shoptold person that all the internals with reuseable. So I have a cam and am wondering if there is a way to actually tell if it is indeed a marine cam or rv cam.What would happen if a regular automotive cam were used. This is a chevy 350 with Edlebrock performer intake Holley 4 barrel double pumper carb,which may not be a"Marine carb".

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: How can you tell a marine cam from automotive?

Here's what Crane Cams says about "Marine cams"

Marine Tech Tips

? Camshafts with a wider centerline like 112 ? 114 are better for marine use because they idle better during docking or shifting in and out of gear.

? Also wider centerline camshafts have less valve overlap, so you have a lesser chance of water reversion in the exhaust system (i.e. water sucking back into the engine at idle).

Google is a beautiful thing!



Cheers,

Rick

 

[John_S]

Re: How can you tell a marine cam from automotive?

Meauring including overlap will require a degree wheel and dial indicator. Might be easier to pull cam and search on any numbers that are found on it. The exhaust and intake lift could then be measured with calipers, which would help narow the search.

 

[Mkos1980]

Re: How can you tell a marine cam from automotive?

HT Good info, but if a newbi were to look at the stock roller cam 109LSA and 110 LSA on the Flat tappet Mercruiser cams they would be confused.

I know my LT4 cam has a 112lsa and it has no problem.

 

[Tharsheblows]

Re: How can you tell a marine cam from automotive?

Short of buying a "marine cam", How can I tell if a cam is Marine, RV, truck, or car? This is for a v8 chevy 350 that I am going to put into my 24footer.

Take it to a shop and have a tech "Mic" it or look at the data #'s on it. Most cams are easliy identifies by trained eyes. Or try a Summit, Jeg's or other performance catalog and take a look at some of the specs. Like said before Marine Cams make a smoother idleing motor at low speeds.

Think of it as a Bracket Drag Racer and how it sounds. ***BLAP***BLAP***BLAP***(REVVV)**BLAP***etc.

Imagine trying to do keep a a motor running that while navigating between bigger (more expensive) vessles. I know this from "personal" experience. We had a guy come into the shop wanting to put 660 lift Cams into Twin 383's for a Cigarette boat. We kinda warned him. When he came back 2 weeks later with a $6K Hull damage bill as proof needless to say, he then wisely changed to a much more reasonable low 500 series.

 

[Bondo]

Re: How can you tell a marine cam from automotive?

So I have a cam and am wondering if there is a way to actually tell if it is indeed a marine cam or rv cam.

Ayuh,...

Is it Worn,..??
Did you keep the Lifters in Order,..??

Clean it up,+ Look for the Part #.....

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: How can you tell a marine cam from automotive?

Right on bondo, Cam and lifters should always be replaced as a set, never mix lifters the lifters, if re-using the cam, each lifter must be matched with it's respective lobe, as well as the pushrod and rocker arm. you can mix all the valve train parts up and put it together and it will probably run ok but the engine won't last very long.

 

[cantaris]

Re: How can you tell a marine cam from automotive?

The only numbers I found on the cam is GM 77 and 6930. So I guess it is not a marine cam. Any chance it is an RV cam? Can some one recommend a rv cam part number that I can buy at an auto store. Probably need to replace lifters as well since I do not know if they were marked. I just don't see the need to pay "marine prices if a RVcam is so close that you would not notice a difference. Iread that somewhere. I just want my 24 footer to git me to where the fish are and back. Not looking for a hotrod.currently have a edelbrock performer intake and holley 4bbl double pumper im guessing to be 770cfm.

 

[John_S]

Re: How can you tell a marine cam from automotive?

Assuming flat based hyd lifters, DM lists the Comp Cams XE 250H-10 Extreme Energy as slightly more than the stock GM marine cam (+10-15hp). It looks to be close to $100: http://www.jegs.com/i/Comp+Cams/249/12-230-2/10002/-1#

Get an Edelbrock 1409 at the same time. With that Holley DP you can end up sleeping with, instead of catching the fish. Even if it was marine (it would have J tubes) it is no match for a stock or near stock 350.