For the love of a tractor engine: The life and times of the 18R-G

[o_man_ra23]

I run a 22R flywheel on my 18R-GTE with 18R starter. The 22R starter should fit, however as it will be a reduction gear unit, the starter will stick out further. Keep this in mind if you are shy on space (like you have an EFI return line off the rail or something....) Should bolt in easy enough though.

[egamirrorim]

Hi guys
I have a set of 18RG camshafts that I want to sell but before I advertise I am hoping someone can provide a bit more information about them.
They are marked "NPR" at one end and have "1351(1/2) - 88251" at the other end. They don't have any regrind marks on them.
The only specs that my engine builder has provided are:
268° & 9.6mm net lift.
He also stated that they looked fairly new or unused but cannot confirm this.
Is anyone able to tell me if these specs coincide with the specs of any of the factory camshafts?
Also, any idea what they're worth? I'd like to be able to advertise them for a fair price.

I tried searching this thread but there's that old saying about needles and haystacks...

[andrewzuku]

Hey egamirrorim,

I spent quite a bit of time looking into cams a few months back. Here's what I learned (mostly from members on this forum )...

The numbers on yours make them standard 18R-GU cams. The specs provided by your builder look right.

18R-GU (88251) and 18R-GEU (88270) cams are worth about $50 - $70. It doesn't seem to make a difference to the price if they have the gears with them.

The earlier 18R-G (88210) and 18R-GR (88231) cams seem to be the ones everyone wants (fixed, 3-bolt gears).

There's also 88250s out there, which have the more aggressive profile like the earlier engines, but the single-bolt gears like the newer ones. I'm not 100% sure if they come from an 18R-GR or 18R-GU (anyone who knows, please step in here).

If they were reground, there should be a number stamped/engraved into the face that the gears bolt to. You'll have to take them off to see. Depending on the specs of the regrind, this would increase their value a bit. Genuine TRD cams would be a lot more expensive, and those Kameari ones are just ridiculous.

See page 20 of the 1990 TRD Catalog for info on the TRD Cams.

[The Witzl]

I have a 22RE starter motor in my 18RGEU / W50. I have a lightweight flywheel from DCS in QLD but the ring gear is an 18R item.

So that should confirm it for you.

I actually have that same flywheel, with a couple of mods to the weight distribution on it (more weight around the perimeter), with an 18R ring gear.

Yep the 22RE starter is bulkier, so it could foul on the KE70 steering column...... but it's worth a shot.

[Javal]

I actually have that same flywheel, with a couple of mods to the weight distribution on it (more weight around the perimeter), with an 18R ring gear.

Yep the 22RE starter is bulkier, so it could foul on the KE70 steering column...... but it's worth a shot.

It's definitely bulkier but it clears the 18RGEU intake manifold and all associated hardware nicely along. I imagine the ke70 intermediate shaft will be your deciding factor.

[ra_28]

Well I just purchased a 1.4kw starter and I'm about to do the ke70 rack install into the 28 so hopefully it all clears.

[andrewzuku]

While I've still got cams on the brain... What do the guys with wild cams do about cam gears? I wasn't able to use a regrind set I have because the standard 4-hole gears from the 88251 cams don't have enough adjustment.

Are people using those 13-hole or fully adjustable Kameari ones, or are there other options out there?

Can more holes be drilled in the standard gears?

[ra_28]

I'm using the fully adjustable kameari ones, only done 1500 km's in 3 years but so far they're ok....

[Willofan]

When you get cams made with higher lift and longer duration, you will get an information sheet to help dial the cams in. The Kameari ones are very good in getting the degrees perfectly set to maximise performance. I use the Kameari ones and have a spare set of copies if you want them $250 for the pair.

[andrewzuku]

Thanks for the offer Willowfan, but this was just out of curiosity. That's a good price for those gears BTW!

You may remember a while back when I found out I had regrinds, and got the specs (Clive Cams 273A: 288° duration, 10.287mm lift). I bought a piston stop, degree wheel, and dial indicator to degree them properly. That's when I discovered the standard gears wouldn't work, and ended up buying the 88231 cams from you.

I still have the regrinds for future use with higher compression pistons, but that has to wait. I'm still poor from shipping my RA28 to Canada.

[RA35GT]

Hey Willofan,

I'll take those copies off your hands if no one wants them!

[MorGo]

Put the STD gear with pin on last hole on cam and use it as a quide to drill more holes to cam.Both sides.Then line gears back to back ans using same tactic drill both gears full of holes.By using the other gear as template you keep the 2º/hole pitch as stock.
If you didn't understand this don't drill anything.

[andrewzuku]

MorGo, That makes sense.

I think I'll still get the Kameari ones when it's time, though. I like the idea of being fully adjustable, even if it costs $500ish.

[73GTV]

Unrelated, But can anyone explain to me why it always seem to be the #3 Cylinder on a 18RG that fails.

I have disassembled about 23 2TG and 18RG back in Okinawa, Japan (1983 - 1989) during the mid 80's and have rebuild several 18RG since then and after reading a recent post, it made me have to ask this question to other builders. You see the damage or the lower compression in the Number 3.

I have seen the damage from Valve locks letting go and found the bent valve laying in the mid of the shattered Piston in the bottom of the Oil Pans. From stock engines to professionally build performance engine, but most of them had a rod thru the block, and That was usually the #3 Cylinder. This is just my observation, and excuse me if I'm a bit slow in realizing this...lol

Here is a link to a set of Cam sprockets that may solve your question posted earlier...

http://page18.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/j...ion/w115071617

[73GTV]

Here is a link to a set of Cam sprockets that may solve your question posted earlier... Looks like they drilled them as stated before.

http://page18.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/j...ion/w115071617

These seemed to have been drilled per your conversation.