Plastic Camshaft?

I was not a believer in the M16 rifle, plastic valve covers and plastic cams, but since I tried the first 2, I have become a believer.

It isn't the material, but the task at hand that matters. Does it do the job?

Steve
 
I hear you Steve!
But putting a utility engine on a motorized bicycle, usually involves governor removal and more rpms as a result.
From the research Ive done in the past few days, it seems like a horrible idea.
A lot of guys on the other forums have experienced failure, especially with the Honda and Kawasaki engines.
So Im going to continue looking for an old America engine, as a result.
 
Springfield, as an apprentice machinist 40 years ago, I ground a double lobe cam (exhausts on 2 cylinders, intakes were bronzed over) on an Austin 4 cylinder engine for the owner to use as a portable air compressor source. With light springs needed for moderate rpm and a good ramp design there is not a huge amount of load. Were the failures from sliding wear (worn out) or from load (breakage)?

My experience with Briggs is that without a cam change you cannot get much more revs out of them anyway. I always wanted more guts out of my mowers and rototillers and snowblowers. Better to go for more torque anyway. If I wasn't going to rev it to the moon i'd leave the plastic cam and stock springs in there and concentrate on valve angles, porting, angle planed head, better carb and exhaust and maybe some timing advance.
 
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So this is what I got from this. If you do mods. for more torque at close to stock rpms float isn't a issue. so the stock springs will work fine and the cam will still be at stock load. With the torque increase you could mess with gear ratios and maybe get close to what you were looking for through higher rpm.
 
I hear you Steve!
But putting a utility engine on a motorized bicycle, usually involves governor removal and more rpms as a result.
From the research Ive done in the past few days, it seems like a horrible idea.
A lot of guys on the other forums have experienced failure, especially with the Honda and Kawasaki engines.
So Im going to continue looking for an old America engine, as a result.


That's BS, the only people that have trouble with Honda are those who never change the oil.Removing the governor the engine is now operating outside of its design parameters, you can't realistically hold the manufacturer responsible.
If you want a performance engine look at the Honda GX 160 and GX 200 cart engine , its well supported with all kinds of speed parts including metal cams , light rods,flywheels exhaust systems etc etc etc
 
This Honda did not hold up very well:
 

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