I'm trying to guestimate the cam profile in my pinto. Are the opening and closing points of the lobe taken when the dial guage just starts to move or at a predefined lift like 10thou.  Also, is it Ok to measure from on  top of the valve spring retaining cup (sorry dont know the correct name).
I've taken some numbers so far but they dont get close too anything in AVON's ultimate guide to camshaft profiles http://www.classic-ford.org/cfp/tm.aspx?m=20701&high=pinto+camshafts so i'm guessing i'm going about it all wrong.
 
So far: the total lift measred at the top of the valve spring is is  9.27mm and exhaust 9.18mm. If I measure at the lobe I get 649 & 642 which gives me a rocker ratio of 1.43 which seems low. Also  the profiles in AVON's thread seem to have the same or more exhaust lift. 
 
The motor is in the car so space is a bit limited. What i've done is print out  a degree wheel of the www the size of my balancer and tape it on, setting a bit of wire to line up at tdc. I've raided the kids textra collection and I mark the wheel as I rotate the engine, then check tdc is good before I take it off, does that sound logical?

I would look for an ID stamped on the end of the camshaft. Use a torch and a inspection mirror.

thanks, I think it reads  
 
JC T
    0A
 
256ES
 
any thoughts ?
 

 I did a bit  more browsing which indicated quoted lifts were with no valve lash. So I gauged a spare head I had in the shed, with std 8thou gap I got 1.436 ratio, with no gap 1.499 .
 
Reading forums, rockers are usually only referenced as std or long pad, any idea how the advertised ratio's from 1.5 to 1.65 in AVON's thread are achieved?
 
I also confirmed with the spare head I acheived the same lift figures by measuring at the valve head and at the spring retainer. 
 
 
 
 
  

rallyrs

 I did a bit  more browsing which indicated quoted lifts were with no valve lash. So I gauged a spare head I had in the shed, with std 8thou gap I got 1.436 ratio, with no gap 1.499 .

Reading forums, rockers are usually only referenced as std or long pad, any idea how the advertised ratio's from 1.5 to 1.65 in AVON's thread are achieved?

I also confirmed with the spare head I acheived the same lift figures by measuring at the valve head and at the spring retainer. 




 

I can't find anything on the numbers you posted here either.
 
On a Pinto you can't measure the size of the Cam by referencing the valve, because the rocker ratio varies depending on how the valve train is set up.  You need to measure the lobe.  You can get an idea of the lift by measuring the base circle on the lobe, then measure the overall lobe size (from the base to the tip of the lobe).  Get your measurments and subtract the base circle size from the lobe height size.  That will give you your lobe lift.  As for the other specs, the only way you will be able to confirm what you have is to take it to a Cam grinder that has a "cam doctor" which will measure the lobes for you.
 
Cheers
Woz

thanks Woz for the feedback.
I used a dial gauge  zero'd on the back of the lobe and  achieved maximum lift of 6.42mm ex & 6.49mm inlet. Does this achieve  the same as your method above ?
    

rallyrs

thanks Woz for the feedback.
I used a dial gauge  zero'd on the back of the lobe and  achieved maximum lift of 6.42mm ex & 6.49mm inlet. Does this achieve  the same as your method above ?
   

 
Yep, that will work.  Thats not alot of lift, you sure the cam isn't just a std replacement?
 
Woz

Thanks for the help. I'm thinking the same, if it isnt stock it isnt far from it.  Unsure about the specs. bought the motor off ebay, it was feshly rebuilt with stage 1 valves. Cam and CR unknown. It made  103HP atw so I thought it must have had something in it. Must be just the valves & the quad TB's making the extra bit.  Its done a reliable 3 years of club work but now I want a bit t more hence I was trying to work out what it had.
 
Any thoughts on a good dirt cam that will run std rockers and single valve springs.
My spare head has a CROW874, unsure if its worth putting this in and re-dyno or go for something else bigger.
 

just read ratta tats thread, guess i'll save me money and leave the crow in the shed. Will the cranking compression give an idea of CR.

No, big cam with lots of cam could crank the same as a small cam with low compression. You can use it as a guide to see if you are under cammed with regard to the whole package.