Engine and Transmission Tech

I have a New Crane Cam in the 1967-76 3.5L Rover 3500S #43001141A 10.5:1 block I just got and have been trying to identify it online.

HI-216/2852-2S-12 stamped above and 90 48 8 stamped below on rear of cam. Beige paint dot.

I know this cam has been used in Buick 400s, so I am pretty sure it will work fine as a street cam for this engine.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Ken

Give them a call on their tech hotline...866-388-5120
...or send them an email:
tech@cranecams.com

Graham,

Thanks. I thought Crane went out of business.

Cheers,

Ken

From a two year old post at V8 Buick.com:

Quote:

Found the cam card! I was foggy in my recollection, but not much!
Grind#: HI-216/2852-2S-12
Type: Hi Intensity Hydraulic
Specs: 266/278 duration, 216/228 @.050, .456/.480" lift (1.6 rockers),
112 LSA
Part#: 850571

This WILL do the job in a mild 400-430-455, with stock gearing and exhaust manifolds, A/C, and all the goodies. The powerband is listed as 2000-4500, but it idles at 600 (maybe LESS) and responds INSTANTLY, I never revved mine over 5000rpm, but it never nosed-over at that shift point.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2010 09:26PM by MGBV8.

Ok Ken, I'm a little confused. Your building a 3.5L Rover ? Why would anyone think what works in a 400 Buick would automatically work in a 3.5? Their both V8's, thats about the only similarity. Tell me this is'nt a 400 cam you plan to install ? Good Luck, roverman.

Art,

The cam was already installed in the Rover 3.5 when I bought it, hence my query as to how to identify the cam and determine if it is appropriate for my engine. The post above from Carl Floyd does spell out the tech specs, but I cannot determine the appropriateness of the cam for my engine based on said specs. I am not a mechanic or internet technical guru so that's why I asked. Since the cam was in the engine, I thought maybe the previous owner picked it for a reason I wasn't clear on. So forgive my naivete on the subject and I'll forgive the pejorative tone of your post.

I am interested in a cam that will be appropriate for the street with the 10.5:1 CR engine. Not looking to race.

Ken

Probably just the same generic grind for their Hi-Intensity series. Specs sound good to me.I've used a similar Crower spec cam in a 215 Buick.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2010 11:08AM by mgb260.

Sounds like you're referencing the Crower 50232 cam.
[www.crower.com]

I just spoke with a tech guy at Crane Cam and he said the :

HI-216/2852-2S-12
Type: Hi Intensity Hydraulic
Specs: 266/278 duration, 216/228 @.050, .456/.480" lift (1.6 rockers),
112 LSA

Cam was produced for the 1961-63 Buick and Olds 215 and the 1967-76 Rover 3.5L.
It is a relatively stock cam grind and the same cam can be ordered with a new
Part # 90 HI 0000 4

Thanks,

Ken

I had that cam (Crane H-216/285-2S-12 hydraulic flat tappet)
in my 1980 Triumph TR8 for a while. It's specs are:

266/278 degrees duration (advertised)
0.456/0.480" lift
112 LSA
intake opens 21 degrees BTDC
exhaust closes 27 degrees ATDC
intake closes 65 degrees ABDC
exhaust opens 71 degrees BBDC
48 degrees overlap (21+27=48)

The previous owner of my TR8 installed the cam, a set of Rhoads
fast bleed lifters, a 500 CFM Edelbrock AFB carb, Offenhauser
Dual Port intake manifold and tri-y headers with dual exhaust.
The long block was a stock 8.1:1 compression 3.5L. While the
engine was snappy at lower revs, it didn't rev as well as it
should and the lifters were noisy. Rhoads lifters require a
means of setting the lifter pre-load that the rockershaft system
of a stock Rover V8 does not have. If the pre-load is not properly
set, they can be noisy and not operate as advertised. With the
Rover, the easiest fix is a set of adjustable push rods. While
the previous owner had installed adjustable push rods, they were
too long and there was no way to get zero pre-load to establish
a known point to measure from. I pulled a lifter and found the
lifter bottom was no longer radiused. The cam looked fine but,
just to be safe, I ended up swapping out the cam and lifters,
along with the intake. I installed an Edelbrock Performer Rover
intake and an Erson cam from Woody Cooper at the Wedge Shop:

Erson RV10/RV15 hydraulic flat tappet (Wedge Shop custom grind)
280/288 degrees advertised duration (208/214 @ 0.050")
0.448"/0.460" lift
111 lobe separation angle
4 degrees advanced when installed straight up

Additional cam card info:

intake opens 33 degrees BTDC
exhaust closes 29 degrees ATDC
intake closes 67 degrees ABDC
exhaust opens 79 degrees BBDC
62 degrees overlap (33+29=62)

Note the Erson cam has more overlap but a stock ramp rate (a measure
of the aggressiveness of the lobes). The previous owner installed a
set of new but stock spec valve springs. The mild ramp rate of the
RV10/RV15 works well with the stock springs and the engine revs better
than before. More aggressive ramp rates will make better power but
will require stiffer valve springs and may wear more quickly, depending
upon how aggressive the lobes are.

On the chassis dyno, with the Erson cam and Edelbrock intake, the low
compression 3.5L made just under 160 RWHP at 5200 RPM but was running
rather lean (13.5:1) with the timing retarded. I'd been playing with
the carb trying to see how lean I could go at cruise. I need to richen
the primary and main jetting and set the timing back up. I may run it
a while and switch to synthetic lubricants before returning to the
chassis dyno.

Dan Jones

Dan,

Thanks for the information. I decided to re-install the Elgin stock specification cam and Lunati lifters I took from the engine with the slipped liner. Since the re-install I am quite happy with the smooth, low rumbling idle, stock performance and relatively quiet engine bay. I never intended my car for competition, so this solution is just what the cam doctor ordered. Cheers!