cam identification

OK I just recieved some cams from a guy that said they were a performance cam for the old kawis now they look to be in good shape and all but I dont know how to measure them and I cant find a name anywhere stamped on them I really would like a cam that is good for midrange performance ,can anyone steer me in the right direction and please let me know how to measure these cams with a vernier,I'm still learning thanks for all your help.

Aftermarket cams are always marked on the end of the cam at one end. There will be a stamp which will include the manufacturer and grind #. Each maker has there own grind #. What are the markings on the end flat of the cams?

if they are regrind alot of the time there won't be any id marks i have a set of .520 lift cams that i pulled out of a old 810 alcohol motor and they are not stamped but you can clearly see that they have been redone.

toad wrote:

OK I just recieved some cams from a guy that said they were a performance cam for the old kawis now they look to be in good shape and all but I dont know how to measure them and I cant find a name anywhere stamped on them I really would like a cam that is good for midrange performance ,can anyone steer me in the right direction and please let me know how to measure these cams with a vernier,I'm still learning thanks for all your help.

For lift, measure your overall lobe height. Measure the base circle of the lobe. Then subtract the base circle from the overall lobe.

There are factors that play into the cam that will best fit your application.

How big is your motor?

How big are your carbs?

no markings on end of cams just 4 small lines I have a stock 900 with with mild porting, header,and am in the process of trying out some katana carbs,this winter I would like to throw a 1075,maybe 1015,with a decent overall good cam, Im more interested in bottom to mid range power

A bottom to mid range cam is one with a low duration. For a 900-1000 that has a good reliable street use, you want a cam which has a lift greater than .320 to about .380. More than .380 you will have to do head modifications on that head. A cam lift of this size usually is a cam with also good mild "street" duration.

I would be very suspicious of any cam which has no markings at the end. I have a few welded and reground cams also and they are also marked. You would be able to tell a regrind just by looking at the edge of the lobe. It would have a distinctive visible lobe buildup which would be a different color to the underlying forging. Also towards the middle on each side of the sprocket it would have the tail-tell Kawasaki L & R. A custom built cam will say "Made In USA" & EP-14 in this same spot.

toad wrote:

no markings on end of cams just 4 small lines I have a stock 900 with with mild porting, header,and am in the process of trying out some katana carbs,this winter I would like to throw a 1075,maybe 1015,with a decent overall good cam, Im more interested in bottom to mid range power

Web #536 Grind .378" lift
Dur. 268°@.020", 244°@.050", 218°@.100"

Boy - Larry, I knew you were good but not that good. :lol: :lol: To recognize what "just 4 small lines" means. That is a perfect cam. At the time, the Yoshi "Bonneville" cam was the nicest cam around, for a stock head, and that was .383. This is only 5 thou under. I think that for a relatively stock bike, even one punched as much as 1103 that is a nice cam. With a little bit of effort like head porting, that bike using that cam could be taken to the very low 11s or maybe even in the high 10s.

No!.... I'm not identifying his cams. Just pointing out a good one for what he wants out of the bike...

Sorry about the miscommunication...

Larry - I looked for this cam on their site and I don't see it listed under the 900/1000/1100 bikes? Maybe I'm going blind...

You can call them with the grind # and they will make it or you can go with the #119 which is only a bit taller and will also go on a stock head. That one virtually is the Yoshi Bonneville grind. And the hottest cam you can just drop in.