Mostly concerned about using these in Y block Ford engines BUT there appears to be a difference in timing and lift of later E2 shafts over the years. I also know that the E2 was availiable for other makes of engines. Can you guys fill me in on what is known about these bumpstickx? Thanks,Oldmics
All I know is that My brother had one in his Cad engine in the late 50s. Then he had a 5 Cycle. Call Isky and ask them.
Thc specs on the E-2 and E-4 changed at some point probably mid sixties, mainly the lift increased. The newer versions are also on narrower LSA's. Same deal on the Z-20 and Z-30 that are currently listed. They also have different specs than the Z-20 and Z-30 that were in the 1959 catalog. Period cams are a big kettle of worms. Big thanks to Littlewing, she posted that '59 Isky catalog, this has been a big help to me, and to a local cam grinder that I am trying to sort some of this stuff out with. I havent tried calling Isky, but I doubt its going to do much. One of the Y block guys did some new E-2's with Isky, from what I heard, they had to cam doctor his old original E-2 to get the specs.
I bought a new E2 from Isky about 2 years ago for my 331 Caddy. The specs are as follows, all at .020 lift. Intake timing: Duration - 264 deg. Open - 24 b.t.d.c. Close - 60 a.t.d.c. Cam lift - .298 Valve lift - .448 Valve lash - .018 hot Exhaust timing: Duration - 264 deg. Open - 60 b.t.d.c. Close - 24 a.t.d.c. Cam lift - .298 Valve lift - .448 Valve lash - .018 hot Overlap: 48 deg. The following is taken at .050 lifter rise: Intake: Duration - 228 deg. Open 6 b.t.d.c. Close - 42 a.t.d.c. Exhaust: Duration - 228 deg. Open - 42 b.t.d.c. Close - 6 a.t.d.c. If I remember right, the cam for my 235 Chevy also is an Isky E2, but I don't have the specs close by.
I would think the caddy and six banger E-2 are the same, once you account for rocker ratio, but I dont know for sure, I haven't looked at any of the 6 cylinder stuff. However, what you have there is the second generation E-2. The original E-2 for caddys was .420 lift at the valve. As I alluded to above, the early E-2 is a different cam from the later version.
Yeah, it's the 2nd generation. I bought it new, only 2 years ago. As in brand new, and newly ground by Isky when I bought it. The Caddy version is available new from Isky, at least it was 2 years ago. It took a few phone calls to the right Isky guy, since it wasn't listed in their catalog. Now, I just need to find a good set of adjustable rockers to go with it.
I'm not sure, but I am ***uming by the tone of his post, the OP is looking for the early one? Thats what I am trying to pull off, I am trying to hunt up a master lobe for an original version E-3 for a SBC, and I think I have a good lead. From what I know(all second hand) about how Ed Iskenderian did things, the original masters for the first gen cams are probably there SOMEWHERE, but no-one knows thats what they are. From what I have heard, he never threw anything away, so the original masters are probably in a dust covered box somewhere with no label on it. This is the same situation I am facing with the guy I am trying to sort this out with. thats why getting the original duration @ 020 numbers and lift from Littlewings info was such a big help. At least now we know what we are looking for. Now its just a matter of cam doctoring dusty old masters until we find ones that match up, and we will probably be on the right track.
You have to remember that Isky is still the King of product promotion, 5 cycle, Cross Flow, Polydyne,Hyperbolic, Super LeGuerra MO-FO.!! Geez he had us teens running to the dictionary or the highschool physics teacher every time Hot Rod came out. Best one was "The Potvin Eliminator" Garonteed to Eliminate all compe***ion !! or the engine ! Geez ,I miss the "Cam Wars" ! Not a weekly Dragnews came out without a new record falling because of Engle, Howard,Isky or Potvin being responsible ! Great ,exciting times those . Then comes along this Gartlits guy from the swamps and screwed all our heads up ! I saw Isky himself pull $1000 ,moth eaten, moldy greenbacks out of his wallet to pay DG at Riverside over a matchrace 'tween him and "The Greek" who didn't show. " Looks like that Greek fella didn't show so that Thousand dollers Is rightly mine says The Swamprat to a crying Isky! That grand musta' netted Ed a couple mill in advertising .
Just found this thread through an internet search, to follow up, Hamber Pete1 wound up grinding a 1st generation E-3 for my Olds 324. I still need to degree it.
I had a Z30 Isky cam in my 301 57 Corvette in 62 and it was a wicked sounding drive in special. Sounded like a million bucks but the car ran better with a $20 Mellings cam in it. Would you believe I paid $500 for the 57 Corvette with no engine or trans ? It was a strip out and they cut the floor out of it with an axe. The 301 in it was a stock car motor that had won 38 straight features at Hialeah Speedway in Miami Fl. The pistons sounded like they were swapping holes but it would fly and just waste new 327 fuelly 62 Vettes. All I did was change the cam and drive it. The Z30 specs were 280/280 430 lift. Why I recall that 55 years later is beyond me. Thats at 0 lift
Funny to see a thread I started back then return to life ! I did find out the differences between the early and late E2 bumpsticks. I then had Isky grind me a bunch of the old style that were more radical then the later flavor . Oldmics
old thread, new information: GM Pontiac part numbers for dealer over-the-counter Isky cams, late 1950's: E2- #524744 E3- #535490 E2 released 1957 for the new 347 CID engine that year, and retrofit for the 1955-287, 1956-317 CID engines of the time: solid lifter cam 270 degrees duration intake/exhaust advertised intake open 27/close 63, 108 degree ICL exhaust open 59/close 31, 104 degree ECL 106 degree LSA, cam ground with 2 degrees cam timing retard, for high end rpm overlap- 58 degrees lift with 1.5 rockers- .420" lift with SD421 1.6 rockers- .448" lift with SD421 1.7 rockers- .476" lift with 400 RA IV 1.65 rockers- .462" most know, the cams will fit any Pontiac engine 1955-79, including the post-1957 370, 389, 421, 326, 400, 428, 455 in chronological order. they'll probably fit the late-model, 1979-82 low-deck Pontiac engines, 265 and 301, as well that is a tight LSA cam! obviously made for a high compression racing engine. wow ! judging by the split in ratio between duration at .050" and advertised duration in previous Caddy E2 cam specs, the Pontiac E2 would have about 233 @ .050" lots of duration for the engines of that time...huge cam...had to be good 'n' lopey in a little 347 engine... 228 @ .050" is a whomper cam for a 331 Caddy as well, it's straight up w/108 LSA. Pontiac only used 230int/240ex duration @ .050" on the Ram Air II, IV 400 CID engines, 10 years later, rated at 366-370HP advertised. the SD421 Mckellar #10 cam had 236int/247ex @ .050", for the 11:1 12:1 13:1 racing engines as delivered from Pontiac in 1962-63, I have a NOS Crane blueprint Mac-10 cam with the cam card. Mac-10 is similar specs to Isky E-2, but the Mac-10 was ground on a 113.5 degree LSA, with a 112 degree ICL, 115 degree ECL, advanced 1.5 degrees. so...Isky E-series cams were honkin', ahead of his time, grinding less advertised duration, more duration at .050" back then. that means really steep, fast opening/closing lobes, valve action
I called Crower a few months ago regarding solid lifters, at that time the sales dept. was one guy at home with his dog, answering the phone. Yes you really don't get anywhere. I sent Isky an email to their webpage contact address, asking about Le Guerra cams, no reply. BTW the Pontiac E2 specs I just listed, that is from back in the day, that cam had a narrow LSA too. Did anyone else notice, the new modern high-tech cam grinds today are efficient as hell, but lack the marvelous sounds of the old cams...the new grinds make every motor sounds like a big electric can opener.
I think you will have better luck with Schneider Racing Cams. Take a look at their website. Jerry Cantrell should be happy to answer any questions you might have. Ken, of Oregon Cams, is another good source of information.
The early E2 had a higher lift velocity than was common for that type of cam. That is why they had so many failures, even with the hard face ones. That is why they performed so well also. They were not exceptionally long life on a steel billet either. If running one, expect to go fast but not for very long.
YES, I believe it was old man Crower himself who referred me to Schneider for resurfacing chilled iron lifters. over 20 years ago... I also spoke to Ken at Oregon Cams a few weeks ago...about the same thing. His demeanor was one of quiet confidence on the phone...after 40 years of dealing with different machinists, vendors, you get an intuition on these things, a read on the person...
me too but when the overblown covid hoax-a-rama political stunt hit, Crower's customer service was working from home, on the phone. I ordered custom length longer connecting rods for a Pontiac 455 from Crower, back in the 1992, ordered by phone on Monday, they showed up in a box on my doorstep on Thursday ! those were the days...
exactly what I suspected from those highly AGGRESSIVE cam specs ! Isky really tightened up the LSA, makes an engine go wild in the midrange from the overlap.
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