Camshaft Colors?

[FBRacing]

Read somewhere that camshafts have/had colors painted on them by manufactures to help identify model and/or brand. Can anyone confirm this? I remember yellow and purple. It was years ago reading a thread and typing camshaft colors brings up more than just a few pages of searches.

Back story;

Helping a buddy with his RB25 S1 and he said that the guy he recently bought it from installed Poncams but had no receipt. He doesn't have any extra gaskets to open up the valve cover so I shoved my snake camera thru the oil cap fill hole. Motor is clean with hardly any deposits so (A) he used a motor wash additive like Seafoam or (B) it was actually installed and head was cleaned. Right after the I2 cam retainer, there's yellow paint between lobe cylinder one and two. Maybe it's because all the RB's I've torn down have more miles on them than what they should so the paint disappears, but I can't say I've ever seen paint on cams before. Poncams or something different? If really needed, the guy will order valve cover gaskets but it sounds like that's $100 he doesn't want to spend and 2 weeks of waiting. Knowing what's in your motor is kinda a big deal if you want to tune it right. [emoji57]

Also I can't say I recognize this cam gear either. eBay special?

[Ben C34]

The gaskets are rubber and reusable. Just open it up.

[FBRacing]

Plan to when he comes back next week. You've been around the block a few times Ben. Ever seen yellow marked cams like that?

[KiwiRS4T]

I've used aftermarket cam gears like that without problems - just loctite the bolts when you have finished adjusting (can't help you with the cams).

[JH32]

I haven't seen those markings but a quick search found these guys over your way somewhere, they have yellow and blue or yellow and green markings on their cams by the looks of things:

http://jimwolftechnology.com/customer_part_detail.asp?PartID=461

Another pic here:

http://jimwolftechnology.com/wolfpdf/CAM%20INSTALL%20INST%20FOR%20KA24DE.PDF

Also that cam gear:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/high-quality-cam-gear-cam-pulley-for-nissan-RB25-RB26/538551458.html

And yeah, as Ben said, just take the cam cover off and have a look, those rubber gaskets are reusable.

[FBRacing]

I haven't seen those markings but a quick search found these guys over your way somewhere, they have yellow and blue or yellow and green markings on their cams by the looks of things:

http://jimwolftechnology.com/customer_part_detail.asp?PartID=461

Another pic here:

http://jimwolftechnology.com/wolfpdf/CAM%20INSTALL%20INST%20FOR%20KA24DE.PDF

Also that cam gear:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/high-quality-cam-gear-cam-pulley-for-nissan-RB25-RB26/538551458.html

And yeah, as Ben said, just take the cam cover off and have a look, those rubber gaskets are reusable.

Thanks a bunch buddy! If they are Jim Wolf's, that's killer! So the cam gear decent? I've never used a Chinese one. I've always stuck to when it comes to Japanese Tech, use Japanese parts. American tech, American parts. Ben said it'll be fine if you use locktite on the set screws and they'll be fine. Would hate to tell the guy one thing and it doesn't work.

[iruvyouskyrine]

As said just take the cam covers off. The gaskets are certainly reusable. Don't need to drop a huge amount of cash on name brand cam gears, anything that looks half decent will be fine just loctite all the bolts.

As for cam colours. Just stop. Take the covers off and look at the markings on the cams, they will either tell you what they are or at least have a part number/manufacturer on them and you can find out exactly what they are.

[FBRacing]

Guy came by this morning and found this once pulled off cam cover. Also it's what I feared. No gasket. Someone used gasket maker and tons of it. Bump motor to see 360 of cam. No other visual markings but the paint strip, a "T", and cast imprint of "U3" which is the stock imprint. Looking closer at them, kinda looks like a regrind of some sorts. Told the guy if he wants me to figure specs and mic it out, I'll have to charge him. Didn't see any notching in the heads or cover so this shouldn't be 9.5+mm of lift. Jim Wolf Tech has no current RB25DET cams for sell in their catalogs but doesn't mean they never sold them. Those paint markings are extremely similar to what they advertise for other applications. Sent an email and hope to hear back soon. If someone has seen this type of markings before, I'd appreciate your input. Thanks

[Ben C34]

Of course it's pretty hard to tell from those photos, but the lobe looks stock to me.

If you image search poncams, or anything else, you will see how much "fatter" the nose of the cam looks.

That sucks about the gasket! People do weird shit

[FBRacing]

Found out the cams are a custom regrind. The exact specs are unknown and they have to be removed to be mic'd out to know what they are since Wolf doesn't keep records that far back.

[GTSBoy]

they have to be removed to be mic'd out to know what they are since Wolf doesn't keep records that far back.

Not true. You can't determine the true profile that way. Degree wheel and dial gauge required, no removal necessary.

[FBRacing]

As I re-read what I wrote, I realized I'm a dumbass. Already knew that yet I wrote it out. I even have the tooling somewhere in the shop.

Thank you everyone for your input. Once again this community is awesome