3 Or 4 Bearing Camshaft Head?

[conaero]

Hi, I am running a 1.9S engine with a P2 head off a mid 80's Rekord/Carlton.

Yesterday I bought a Manta GTE head of one of the members on here that has been ported and has big valves, it has X2OS stamped on it, I take it that is off Manta 2L GTE?

Its missing its camshaft, and this head runs the 4 bearing camshaft I believe.

My question is, am I running a 3 or 4 bearing camshaft in my current P2 head?....do 3 bearing cams fit in 4 bearing heads if not?

The guy selling it said the best one for fast road is a Kent OP234. Does anyone have a decent fast road (not competition) high lift cam for this head for sale?

Edited September 9, 2011 by conaero

[cam.in.head]

hi. your p2 head will have a 4 bearing cam(all but 1600`s had them) BUT if its a lateish 2 litre head then it may well have a front cam journal that is solid.(early ones had a machined groove in the front journal to let oil flow up into the rest of the head. the modified head you are going to be using will more than likely need to have this groove so it would be wise to get a machine shop to cut one into the cam. also make sure that the modded head has unleaded seats. prob will but you never know.

one final note; ive come across ONE head in my time that had oversize cam bearings & cam to suit.

[conaero]

Thanks mate, i just had a look at the front cam journal and it looks all smooth to me, no sign of a groove in it.

Thats good news as that means I can use my old cam shaft. I also noticed there are no rockers with the head, I assume I can use my ones from my 1.9S head? This head came with solid lifters, and I had hydraulic in my current head, but dont get on with them. Its due to me not using the car much and they collapse and drives like a right dog thill they fill up again.

Can someone just confirm that a X20S head is from a 2L GTE Manta?

Edited September 10, 2011 by conaero

[cam.in.head]

the cam will not be any good without having a groove machined into it.because you cannot be sure the design of the new head.if you put a groove in it & it doesnt need it that will be ok but if you dont & it needs one then the head will be starved of oil.im pretty sur the modded heads came in at about 82 but not 100% sure. also an x20 head is NOT an unleaded head UNLESS whoever did the big valve job made it into one.

you can use your rockers & followers(most if not all 2 litre cams were ground for hydraulic followers but should run ok with solids)

Edited September 11, 2011 by cam.in.head

[conaero]

Ok, thanks, I take it when you say grove, you mean in the camshaft and not the cam journal. I will check my old camshaft for the grove, if in doubt, I will buy a new one.

So the X20S head is not from a 2l GTE Manta then originally, I was told it was.

[cam.in.head]

the head could be from a gte yes ,its just that unleaded heads were marked p2e & were from march 1985 onwards.yours could be an earlier head from a gte or even from a cavalier .either way whoever did the big valve conversion may well have put unleaded valve seats in.

the groove i refer to is in the from cam journal .if you google `manta camshaft' there is a picture showing the difference. its a picture from somewhere here in this club.you may find it by searching here. cheers .