Help: trying to work out Pinto cam spec

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?

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

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

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

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.

thanks,
warmed it upto temp, pulled the fuse for the coils and got 195psi on number 1, checked 2 as a comparison and got the same which is a bit better than stock.
 
A bit more about the motor, I had the head taken off when puchased to check it was fresh and found the pistons are between a  flat top and a domed piston, that is they have extra material extending into the combustion chambers. Couldnt find the photos. The block is also o-ringed. As a club car, its always used 98 octane.

Thanks Spigot & Wozzah for all the advice. She's all back together now for this season after a xmas refresh, now with a weld in 6pt cage. Waiting now for the next event that isnt rained out. I'll leave some kent cam adds laying around, with luck santa may take the hint. Even with only 103hp, she can still be steered with the right foot and hold her own against those  pesky 2L civics and 20 valve corollas which run up here  

 I bit the bullet and bought a kent rl31 kit (3 months ago). On the weekend I finally got the esky in the shed and in bits and the head stripped. I have done what measurements I can,  The head volume is 55cc. the pistons are 91.5mm and the valve spring height is 38.8mm. The pistons have L2359 marked on the top and have some machining marks on the dome.
Any clues how to work out the Compression ratio with these pistons. what cr should I aim for with the rl31.
The Kent specs for valve spring installed height is 37mm, will I need to shim the springs or is it ok to have more height.