Timing a Kent 286 - Advance it or not?
Turbo Mini Forums

Spent yesterday evening checking the timing with my Kent 286. The 286 Lobe centre angle is 106. When I checked the dot to dot timing the crank was at 107 degrees when at full inlet lift. Ie, 1 degree out.

I was going to get a 1 degree offset key but wondered whether it was recommended to put a bit of advance on the timing as well. Ive heard of doing so before to compensate for the chain stretch but Im installing a used chain so it would already have stretched.

Is it still worth advancing a couple of degrees anyway or should I just set it at 106 degrees?

Is it na or turbo?

1/4 Mile 14.3secs 96Mph Terminal 10psi of boost.


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Bushman, have you got plenty of compression to make it work? If you remember my old road Mini engine from 1999, that had a 286 in it, it was a bloody pig below about 3000rpm, looking back the compression ratio wasn't really high enough.

If this is going in a turbo for road use it will not be a nice drive! Seriously been there done that worst choice of cam I could have made but live and learn.

Own the day

Its an N/A.

Tom told me I couldnt consider doing a Turbo until Id finished this NA build. 10 years later

Edited by JTBush on 30th Jan, 2012.

The engine in question was in the maroon one then went into my blue Clubman Estate, yes it was a grumpy little bugger, great when it was on song above 4000rpm but crap otherwise.

If it is 11:1 then thats more than enough, you'll need to use high octane fuel to be able to run enough advance to get good power without it pinking.

Ill measure the CR this week to confirm it.

So it is worth a couple degrees advance then?

You want it at 104 if its a new chain, I wouldnt go as far as 107

I seriously doubt it!

It's a used chain

Time it at 106 then.
Why not change it? Swifty has some nice new ones

I seriously doubt it!

New chain on, timing now smack on 106. So, do we adjust for chain stretch? Ie, a 2 degree offset key.

Rather than starting a new thread, just timed in a 286 with new chain at 104.5? Opinions. Should I aim for 104?

imo with cams and cr you want to work out the valve closing angle then take that stroke length for you calc as you want dynamic cr not static/spewed

in most cases the pistion is 1/3 up the bore by the time the intake valve closes ie you have zero compression till that combustion chamber is sealed when the valve closes the reson why a 9-1 or what ever engine is a pig in the low end as the engine simply has far less then the 9-1 or what ever basic cr and is reliying on the higher rpms to ram fill the cylenders

just my take on cams and cr take what you will im a novice and built only two engines many other guys with FAR more experience than me!!

for instance my engine and cam combo gives a sadistic cr of 11.5 but dynamic is 9.7 and with 20 psi boost (not yet running) gives 203psi on the cylinder pressure im more than happy with that in 85% ethanol fuel with a 105-115 rating just gotta watch the intake temps

just me and the way i see things might not be right but its what im going with

Edited by Turbo This.. on 26th Feb, 2015.

My advice is to sell the cam if it's for a road car. I had 1 in my old min with 11.1 compression and using an octane booster. It was an absolute bitch to drive unless on open A roads

Masturbation is not a crime its a hobby

i was interested to see the dynamic cr of the 286 and 11-1 cr so put it in the calc and its only 8.65 so any wonder its no fun at the bottom end about 175psi calculated (perfict world)

imo you want 13 to 14 static cr for a cam like that to make it pull on the low end
its about getting the cylinder pressure correct at the point of ignition that will make an engine pull and be safe

14:1? Seriously? You would not be able to run anywhere near enough ignition advance to make decent power.

completely off topic but I always liked the 286 back in the day; worked well as a budget build with an MG head and stage 1 kit

Having been there and done it...

286 on a n/a does work great.


Same 286 on a turbo....biggest pile of shit ever. Dont even waste your time/effort/money or anything using a Kent 286 in a turbo setup

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

I agree my 286 cam was ace in a na engine I'd imagine there terrible though if the resr engine isnt specked accordingly