'83 on the road...the good and the bad....

Well I got the '83 out on Wed and Thurs for the drive to work. I spent a little time each day messing with the tune in the MegaSquirt and it is running better each time. So far no leaks and aside from some squeaking from the brakes (little annoying ones while driving), it's behaving well. I'd forgotten how stiff it is...it's pretty rock solid with the revised cage.

The only bad thing is that I picked up a top end tap on the way home from work last night. Sounds like it's just an HLA going south, but i'll know more in the next couple days.

I've been very glad to have it on the road again, but of course it decides to act up before I could take it out to the local cruise-in :p

Congrats, Chuck.

happy to hear theres one more four-eyed tc on the road

there are just too many late-model tc's out there

Well it appears that the old cam and followers have seen the end of their days.

I'm trying to measure some clarances but not having any luck in checking it out. There is a definite wear "trough" though in the contact area on the followers.

Looks like it's new cam time.....I don't really have the budget for this right now though. I suppose I could just throw a RR in there, but with a BV head, larger turbo, exhaust, etc...it seems like "under kill".

if the cam has no visable sign of damage and its jsut the followers, cant you jsut replace followers and be fine?

I've pretty much heard that's not the best idea.

jsut curious.. my 87 has one follower and hla bad on same lobe, but the cam lobe dont have a edge or anything. I was going to jsut replace the follower and hla...

Chuck,
I found the same thing on my '86. The cam showed little sign of wear, there were no ridges at the edges where the follower runs, but the followers had the "trough" you describe. I replaced them with new TRW items. Replacing with new should be fine. Just go easy until the followers develop a little work hardening. I'm almost certain that the followers are ment to be a little softer than the cam, so they wear first. I believe it to be part of the design.

Well what about using some good used followers? I poked around and I have some on a head in the garage. The cam looks fine really. It's running double-springs in it, so I imagine that might cause havok on new followers. The used ones would at least have a little work hardening on them.

I suppose I could try it and if it doesn't work I was planning on swapping out the cam/followers anyway.

Chuck, no personal experience here but I have always heard you don't want to use followers anywhere but the original cam and lobe they were on. Based on that I would be more comfortable with the new followers/old cam than old follower/different old cam sceniaro.