Is Cat Cams oil bridge needed?

[Arith2]

There's a mention of the oil bridge being mandatory for the 280/288 cams but what about 272/280s?
ECS says there's no oil flow to the intake rocker shaft in their description. I'm not trying to have a starving cam.

[Arith2]

Question answered, just not in a thread with a search friendly title.

The modified oil bridge is only needed when you run CatCam specific followers this is not needed for the oe followers. Reason oil bridge is required for the CatCam followers because of followers lubricating technique, there is a smaller hole on each follower (compared to Oe follower) pointed at a specific angel to the cam lobe creating fine spray of oil directly onto cam lobe, providing better more precise lubrication to the lobe and rocker, compared to the Oe design where the hole is much bigger and pointed more upwards creating more of a splash all over the place then precisely directly on to the lobe creating less lubrication. Per few conversations with Catcam engineer I had, I was advised this was designed for the s54 race engines CatCam was working on after hundreds of race hours on s54 this solution has proven to be more effective creating less wear than oe follower design in race high stress environment. Reason for the bridge is , on the s54 only the exhaust side follower shaft is pressurized the intake side is not, therefore in order for this follower design to work intake side has to be pressurized as well therefore the need for the oil bridge to send oil pressure from exhaust side to the intake side ensuring followers getting proper lubrication as designed. Hopefully this clarifies your question, here a video on it as well.

CatCams Warranty! 280/272 camshafts and new followers ?! for S54 E46 M3 https://youtu.be/pqIquM5BDrE


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Cam questions for those who have installed or regularly perform custom tunes. - NA M3 Forums

I can't find cat cams followers anywhere so hopefully this is accurate.

[sapote]

There's a mention of the oil bridge being mandatory for the 280/288 cams but what about 272/280s?
ECS says there's no oil flow to the intake rocker shaft in their description. I'm not trying to have a starving cam..

These cams must be hollow for the oil supply to the cam bearings, and if the cam lobes also have the grooves cut (as stock cam below) for carrying the oil to the lobe and sling around for the rocker bearing "crater" and rocker pad, then the rocker should be lubed. The EX rocker shaft carries oil (for the cams bearings) but the IN rocker shaft has no oil as not needed.

[sapote]

I can't find cat cams followers anywhere so hopefully this is accurate.

Interesting to see how a Catcam follower looks like, and my guess it doesn't have a crater to collect the oil. Do they use their own rocker shaft or just the OEM shaft? I don't think the OEM shaft has the drilled oil holes for each rocker.

[Mr.wReckless]

The catcam followers and rocker arm shafts are part of a kit along with the oil bridge. The shafts are drilled to allow oil to flow to both the ex-cam as well as to the oil bridge and followers.

See the shaft on the left having oil holes drilled for both the followers, the oil bridge and the ex-cam. Shaft on the right has holes for the followers and oil bridge.

The catcam follower have the same 0.5mm hole drilled to allow for oiling of the contact patch between the lobe and the rocker arm. The oil bridge has a tight interference fit and is actually a bit difficult to slide to the side to allow for shim removal/install.



No point in using an oil bridge if you're not using catcam drilled rocker arm shaft or catcam followers with oiling holes drilled. I've yet to start up my car but having run the crank by hand and on the starter I can confirm there's a nice flow of oil over the followers.



Regards

[Arith2]

Schrick are basically the same price by the time I've bought everything. My cams don't have pressure relief valves because both engine that have been in my car are from 2006. It seems there are a lot less caveats involved. Using Schrick followers would void the warranty but in the US that's all we really have. For Schrick it seems like a straight forward, change cams and followers and be done. I appreciate the feedback on this. You guys really helped me come to what I think is the right conclusion.

I think I'll be doing Schrick over Cat Cams.

[Mr.wReckless]

I don't think you can go wrong with either Shrick or Catcams tbh. Both are reputable companies and as long as you do the followers along with new cams you should be good to go.

Regards

[Santino]

catcams solutions looks like atempt of bulettprofing problem of wear on the followers

[Syfon]

I do not have the oil bridge mod in mine. Stock valvetrain bar cat 280/272's.

Note the cat cams are hollow and require the 4.5 bar pressure relief valves.

[sapote]

catcams solutions looks like atempt of bulettprofing problem of wear on the followers

The bridge is to oiling the follower bearings and I don't see this has any positive effect on the cam lobe/rocker pad wear. On their setup, how does the lobe/pad contact point get the oil?

[Mr.wReckless]

The bridge is to oiling the follower bearings and I don't see this has any positive effect on the cam lobe/rocker pad wear. On their setup, how does the lobe/pad contact point get the oil?

There's a 0.5mm oiling hole on the eye of the follower shooting oil direct at the follower/lobe contact patch. Not super easy to see on my photo but clear enough if you look for it. So the oil bridge is not just to feed oil to the follower bearing.



Regards

[Arith2]

I don't think you can go wrong with either Shrick or Catcams tbh. Both are reputable companies and as long as you do the followers along with new cams you should be good to go.

Regards

Definitely have followers on the way. That's not a risk I'm taking. I'm pretty sure I have a flatish follower anyways so there's no way that's getting neglected. There will also be a defect warranty with new followers as there won't be without.

Lang actually had followers for less than everyone else, and I do prefer to order from smaller businesses when possible. ECS has the cams "on sale" to basically offset the fact you have to pay sales tax from out of state in Ohio and can get the cams for the same price elsewhere.

[sapote]

There's a 0.5mm oiling hole on the eye of the follower shooting oil direct at the follower/lobe contact patch. Not super easy to see on my photo but clear enough if you look for it. So the oil bridge is not just to feed oil to the follower bearing.



Regards

It seems to be a good design. Thanks for the pic.

[Arith2]

Who sells Cat Cams followers in America? I searched a bit with no hits.

[zzyzx85]

Anyone have any updates on Cat Cams with the oil bridge? I suspect I have a flat follower (lots of tapping) so I'm getting cams and followers in the near future.