camshaft advice

Hello, and thanks for all your help so far in my searches.
I have a 1974 mkII 850 with about 34k miles I just obtained. It has sat since 1985 so I am going through everything just to be sure, but it will be a stock rebuild and it the bike is not going to be raced or thrashed on, just riding it. I wanted some advice on this camshaft and lifters to see whether or not you think they are reusable. Engine number is 3098XX if that helps with the hardness of the cam I hear affects late 74 and MkIII's.
I do not see any pitting, but was questioning the apparent uneven wear on the lobes. It is not evident as a depression when I put a straightedge over that area.
If it needs to be replaced my options seem to be:
1. Webcam 312 regrind, but problem is they cannot do the lifters and are 6 weeks out to do the work. Cost 475 USD
2. Replacement AN, cold iron, keep the lifters or replace. Cost 355, if replace lifters, add another 750
3. Whole JS0 kit with pushrods, lifters, cam and blocks, cost 995

I know you get what you pay for, and after coming this far I do not want to split the cases again anytime soon, but also don't want to add a thousand dollars to the cost of the rebuild if it is not necessary.
Thanks for your time,
Aiden

I used this one... I'll let you know later.

IF it needs replacing?

Unless my eyes deceive me, your first pic shows that cam is scrap !

From your description it sounds like a standard cam would suit you fine. Re use you old lifters (assuming there’s no wear or scoring on the sides) but get them re faced.

Fast Eddie said:

If it needs replacing?

Unless my eyes deceive me, yiu first pic shows that cam is scrap !

From your description it sounds like a standard cam would suit you fine. Re use you old lifters (assuming there’s no wear or scoring on the sides) but get them re faced.

Click to expand...

Left hand intake lobe is smoked.

Fast Eddie said:

If it needs replacing?

Unless my eyes deceive me, yiu first pic shows that cam is scrap !

From your description it sounds like a standard cam would suit you fine. Re use you old lifters (assuming there’s no wear or scoring on the sides) but get them re faced.

Click to expand...

100% agree.

Just curiosity, why is there a washer on the drive side end? Norton didn't put it there that's for sure!

I just had the washer there so it wouldn't get lost while I was doing other things.
I think I have the answer I need regarding the condition of the camshaft. Thank you for the replies. Any suggestions on who to contact for refacing the lifters?
Aiden

Fast Eddie said:

IF it needs replacing?

Unless my eyes deceive me, your first pic shows that cam is scrap !

From your description it sounds like a standard cam would suit you fine. Re use you old lifters (assuming there’s no wear or scoring on the sides) but get them re faced.

Click to expand...

Does this help ?

cliffa said:

Does this help ?

View attachment 82467

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Yup, s’wot I’m talkin’ bout.

JS Motorsport components......hands down....you will not be dissapointed.I would also take a look at his rod-piston kit .I used his stuff and it revolutionized the riding experience....smoothest free revving torquie norton I ever rode.I too did not want to spend thousands if I did not need to and it did add about 2K to my build but I am glad as hell I decided to go this route.I have not regreted it for a second

Keep it stock Norton cam. Reface lifters so it all beds in together nicely.

Cliffa,
Is your post meant to point out the wear on the sides of exhaust lobes and that lifters should be replaced as well and not just refaced?

cliffa said:

Does this help ?

View attachment 82467

Click to expand...

Confirms the worst....you are looking at scrap, or at most a usable core.

JSM stuff is good. I use a lot of it in my race engine. I particularly like the pistons and rods, they really do make for a smoother engine, which is really beneficial in a rigid mounted frame.

If you have a desire to spend the $2K mentioned, because it won't stop at the $1K cam kit, go for it!

850 road bike never being revved much over 5500, probably rarely over 5000, I would still go with a standard cam and reface the followers.

You will get a lot of miles out of the minimum investment, and you won't be opening it up again any time soon. (unless of course there is some other failure lurking already!)

Aiden said:

Cliffa,
Is your post meant to point out the wear on the sides of exhaust lobes and that lifters should be replaced as well and not just refaced?

Click to expand...

Firstly welcome Aiden, I think it's you first post ?

Unless it's an optical illusion, that cam lobe looks to have worn pretty badly. It look as thought there is a lip on it where the lifter has not been contacting?

To me the lifters look ok TBH, but it's difficult to tell going by a photo.

cliffa said:

Firstly welcome Aiden, I think it's you first post ?

Unless it's an optical illusion, that cam lobe looks to have worn pretty badly. It look as thought there is a lip on it where the lifter has not been contacting?

To me the lifters look ok TBH, but it's difficult to tell going by a photo.

Click to expand...

They do, but would still need facing for a new cam.

It is the first post, the search feature has guided me until now, and thanks again to you all.
I understand the photos are tough to tell. I see for sure what you are talking about on that lobe, and both of the exhaust lobes (?) look the same. It isn't much of a lip, at least when I lay a straight edge across it, not sure if that would tell anything.
I understand the cam is shot. To me the lifter faces look good and if I reface them I think I would be fine with the stock cam for the riding I will be doing, but also don't want the lifters to eat the new cam and then wish I had gone with the JSM.

i vote for the web cam! however since they are rewelded, the also will true the bearing surface which my result in it being smaller od than stock ,meaning you mave have to rebush the cam bearing in the crankcase... spec is about 0.0015" clearance so it needs to be checked,

with it sitting that long your valve spring will have sagged below min length, so check them too.

One last option to consider, Jim at JS emailed to say they offer a JS0 cam and he regrinds my lifters at 649. (vs AN stock and having megacycle regrind)

Webcam, Megacycle, JS #0, JS #1, stock… all great options, all will work!

Only you can decide what you want.

In your opening post it sounded like you’d be happy with stock performance, so the stock cam would certainly give that!

If you want to pep things up then fine, many do. I had a JS #1 in my 850 and it was fabulous! But my current motor is a 920 with a race cam, so I am a bit of a habitual pepper upper !

But generally speaking, if you want the best out of a performance cam you gotta raise the compression some, and you’ll put more power in the higher echelons of the rev range.

All depends what kind of bike you want and how you want to ride it.

Understood. I like stock mostly because pepping up tends to start snowballing out of control as I discovered doing the Porsche/Type 4 conversion in my VW bug.