I just got this cam, it's used, I thought is was a Comp Cams XR264HR-12 but upon closer inspection at home it's marked LT1 XR264HR-14. I can't find specs for this online, (the -14 ending is throwing me off). Also do the Comp Cams usually come marked like this with an electric pen from the factory? Thanks ahead of time with any info guys.... -Ed

 

My comp cam was stamped it looked like, definitely didn't look all sloppy like that

 

That would be a custom grind, same as the XR264-12 except ground with 114 degree LSA.
I'm not sure it was ground by Comp though. Every cam I've gotten from them had the lobe numbers in the id on the end of the cam, ie. something like this: 2214/2218 HR 112+4

 

Oh wow! I must have got my hands on a counterfeit..... I wonder who ground it and what the actual grind is? I knew it was suspect with electro pen markings and all....

 

I wouldn't jump to that conclusion right away. I said I wasn't sure if it was ground by Comp. Maybe they DO label some cams that way; call them and send them that pic to find out.
And regardless, it's not necessarily a show stopper. If it's ground by someone else, or even a re-grind which is common, the marking just tells you what they copied.

 

Yeah, I plan on calling them this Monday to see what they say, sending in a pic for verification of course. I'm shure they keep some type of record by the serial # of the cams made. Is there any way to tell from the casting marks on the blank of its origins? The guy did give it to me 'Howards Cams' plastic container and all..... hmmmmm...

 

Comp almost always puts the lobe #s on their cams; in 86's example above, those are what 2214 & 2218 are.

You can easily enough look up the lobe specs for the XR264 on Comp's site, measure your cam, and see if it's even close to that.

Can't tell much from the markings on the core; lots of cam mfrs use cores from the same source(s).

What I'm seeing in your pic, is a stamped #, with the electro pen over the top of it. Might want to spend some time w a magnifying glass and see what's stamped underneath.

Looks vanishingly unlikely to me, that it's really a XR264HR-anything.

 

The core stamping says: 4615 YN on top and an asterisk * on bottom. If that means anything. The (6) and (1) are hard to make out due to the non-existent stamp imprint on the tops of the numbers because of not being stamped straight. The (6) looks more like a little zero.

 

Can this cam be used in non roller blocks with a cam button and linked roller lifters? It says LT1 on it.

 

That # doesn't mean anything to me. But I'm no expert.

Yes you can do that, with a few cautions; might have to shorten the dowel pin a bit, and it might not have a fuel pump lobe.

 

Ok, I called Comp Cams today, they looked at the pic and said that it checks out with their markings and all the cams there are hand electro penned.. They did a check on the serial number that does match with a spec card, no custom grind, it was a XR264HR-12. CC said it looked like the person that engraved on the cam just messed up and put 14 and not 12. CC said I could send it in for polishing for $75 if I wanted and they would check it out for 'free' to be shure. The cam was made back in 2003, so there is no warranty on it now. So I'm still kinda 'out there' on what or who's it really is. There can't be much of a difference 2 deg. LSA right? I was going to degree the cam, but now what if it is off from the cam card specs?

 

You want to nail it,even if you had a correct cam card,you measure it yourself.

 

What do you plan to use it in?

 

2 options: I have a '88 van with TBI 350 I could put it in, (I don't know if it has any roller provisions, it has a flat tappet cam in it now), after a freshening up along with vortec heads, or a '87 305 I'm building now, for same vehicle, (I have a set of 059's for that one). Hmmmm.... Well, kind of backwards planning maybe, but I do already have this cam (XR264HR-12/14) and a L31 vortec roller as of now, so I'm still definitely still in the planning phase. As of degreeing the cam, I find it very interesting to 'check' the cam before finally timing it, you'll then know what you really have to get it just right. I will try to get as much info as I can to do that properly when the time comes. Are cams typically advanced a few degrees for performance?? -Thanks

 

Contact Comp Cams and give them the # off the cam and they can confirm the grind. That's what I did. One email and they got back to me in 24 hrs.

 

Thanks, I did that, look 4 posts up.... ty

 

No problem, I saw that right after I posted it.

 

If the CR on that 305 is on the low side (9.5 or less), then I'd say the L31 cam would be a better choice for it. A 350 at 9.0 CR or more should like that XR264 cam. Of course, this is gross oversimplification!.....many other factors to consider that we're not aware of here.
Yes, they're typically advanced. Comp's norm is 4 degrees ground in; ie. a 112LSA cam would have a 108 ICL, a 114LSA a 110 ICL,....etc.

 

As far as the 305 is concerned, I am having it bored .060 over now and putting Speed Pro H534CP60 flattops in it, and with a 58cc chamber of the 059 heads I'm guessing close to 10 to 1 CR. On the other hand the 350 has yet to be torn down, not sure what piston would go in that, if I stuck with the factory dished pistons, (only replacing them if I bored it over, then a 64cc vortec head would be considered) I'm thinking it would benefit with the 58cc chambers of the 059 head compared to the TBI heads on it, not sure what the CR would be, maybe 9.5 to 1 (don't have the true vortec heads yet, just talkin with what I have now).