Hello everybody,

Someone on ebay is selling a A-cam for 240 cars. Is there any difference in this cam and the K-cam. Presently I have the b230f engine in Brick.I would like to bid on this cam but just want to be sureit will give me more mid and high end torque. All info. is appreciated.

Brenton

Michael's ranking is right. The A is better than the M but worse than the K.

The A cam was used in carbureted 240s in Canada.

Here's the most thorough compilation of Volvo camshaft data I've ever found.

Well, I'd like to think mine is a little more complete....It may come up and down this spring as I try to find time to get a domain name and time between a couple jobs and other-than-volvo-interests

Watch out for any one using the Green book valve opening points to figure out cam specs. The checking clearance is dramatically different to what cam manufacturers use. You can guestimate using those figures *if you make allowance for clearance ramp*. Using them as opening points make all your cam events very much retarded, which is incorrect to the way they are installed in the engine. (most volvo cams are advanced).

That's a very impressive listing, where did you get all those figures?

A couple of questions: you noted several times that there are different "cores" for same cams on different engines, does it suggest that an "A" cam for B23 is diferent from "A" cam for B230?

Another thing is the rightmost column where you put the exhaust valve close event - shouldn't it read "After TDC" rather than "Before TDC"? Otherwise, I'm a bit confused.

"...does it suggest that an "A" cam for B23 is diferent from "A" cam for B230?"

An "A" cam that comes from a B21A will work on either a B23F or a B230F, but it wouldn't work on an older pushrod engine. There is an "A" cam for a pushrod B20, and a totally different "A" cam for a OHC B21F.

Cams for pushrod engines (B18, B20, etc) are different than those for OHC engines (B21, B23, B230). The first picture below shows a cam for a B18/B20 engine (note the gear on the left side). The second picture shows a K cam that will fit a B21/B23/B230 engine.

Mike thanks for the explanations, but my question was about B19/21/200/23/230 OHC family engines, not the older pushrod ones.

If you look at the page where OHC engines cams are listed, you will see several references to different part numbers for same cams used on 2 different generations of OHC engines (pre- and post-84 aka "low friction").

That's why I was interested to see the differences between.

Are there any?

Thanks

Andrew

I don't have experience with either the A or K cam, but personally I wouldn't bother with the A. The lift (int/exh) on the A cam is .413/.413, compared to .374/.413 for the M cam (stock cam in your B230F), so there isn't a huge difference. I'd rank the following cams from best to worst by performance, based on the specs and what I've read:

M (B23F) - lift .374/.413

A (B21A) - lift .413/.413

VX3(ipd) - lift .452/.424

K (B23E) - lift .471/ n/a

I'd wait and find a K cam if you're looking to save money over an IPD or Unitek cam. The last K cam that sold on ebay went for $50, and before that, $71. However, just to be clear, the A cam is a step up over the stock cam and will give you a bit more high end power without sacrificing as much low end torque as the K cam would, so it may the right choice for you.

The camshafts section at turbobricks.org gives some useful info, but all of those trials were done using a turbo engine, so take that into consideration. There's also a bit of information, and a chart of specifications at this site:

http://www.mcbrooms.com/volvo/cams.htm

Actually, the VX3 sold by ipd is a replica of the Volvo VX3 grind used on B230FB of B230G engines.

Thanks. I knew it was very slightly different, but I didn't know what engines it was used on.

VX3 - .448/.419 (lift, int/exh)

IPD's "VX" - .452/.424 (lift, int/exh)

Also, while the B230FB/G engines were fitted to 940 series cars with the output of 131hp, the Volvo 240 green book says VX3 was also used on 91-93 240's with B230FX engines producing 136hp.

At the same time, there are indications that B230FX was equipped with VX rather than VX3 - otherwise I find it hard to explain the 5 hp difference.

Above all, it's a very rare find.

"I'd rank the following cams from best to worst..."

I meant "worst to best", with the "M" being the boring, stock cam and the "K" being the hotter, high-revving cam.

Check out www.turbobricks.org

Mods section, I believe, under "camshafts revealed"

You'll find what you want there.