Free at last! Free at last! Thank god I'm free at last...

[Tessie McMillan]

Well maybe not the best Subject line... at least it captures the 
specific emotion I'm having right now. I've just driven my 1988 80Q for 
the first time in more than a month!!!!
 
I was driving a rented 2006 Jeep Liberty whose only real fun was that 
it had the most tremendous sound system you can imagine... but the 
suspension was too compliant, the car complained when I put it into 4WD, 
the rear end got light anytime I took a corner, and lock to lock was more 
revolution of the wheel than I would have preferred &:-))).

So here's my question. My little Audi was down to having compression 
in only 2 cylinders, hence the need for engine work. I thought it would 
therefore be a good time to upgrade my cam and we ended up having the cam 
reground down at Elgin's in California (they're the ones who had it for a 
month before grinding it, rrrrrrrr.) The way I understand it is that in 
going from an OEM cam there wasn't enough material to do a radical grind. 
So, I would like to know if anyone has an idea of what this setup is and 
what some of the numbers mean; are they good numbers?

	260 degrees duration (@ .005") -- I know some of you are running 
272 degrees of duration 
	40 degrees overlap -- does this compensate for lack of duration?
	260 / 110 degrees "H" -- ? ? ? ?
	Intake valve opens 20 degrees before TDC and Exhaust closes 20
		after TDC
	Checking clearance -- 110 degrees L/C
	Exhaust opens 60 degrees before BDC
	Intake closes 60 degrees after BDC

Valve clearance and lift: Intake, 0 clearance, .441" lift at cam, Exhaust 
is the same

I drove the car straight home. She idles a little like a Harley, so I can 
tell the cam is different, and the power seems to be very disciplined, 
coming on at 3000 rpm. I was surprised at how smooth it felt. But man oh 
man, it's good to be back in a car with coilovers, permanent AWD, and nice 
grippy tires. Maybe I should upgrade to a CD player...

Thoughts, comments? Please don't make fun of me for renting the Jeep. 
BTDT. &:-))))

Tess
in Bellevue, WA USA