? about 416 kit and cam

[crashinmatt]

Ok, I know that topics like this are everywhere. But I was reading other posts, and people were saying that if you get a 416 kit that you should just seal the cylinder with some silicone or something and use a xr gasket on top. Would this hurt the cam timing any. It sounds like it could. Also, I was wondering what cam would give me more performance, the xr cam or the W/B all-around cam? I hear everyone saying to get the xr cam, but from what I can tell the W/B cam should be a little better. If anyone has any other cams I should consider I would welcome the input, but I do want something that will be available soon.

[VegasEx'r]

Here is my understanding of the subject. The advertised CR of aftermarket pistons is based on the xr400 engine, which uses thinner gaskets, so when you install it on an ex, the CR is lower (a 10.8 piston is only 10.5 or so). Miuckey Dunlap has suggested using sealant at the base & an xr400 head gasket to get the CR up, and there are some people who have done it without any problems (I guess), but at the same time, there are people who say the power that you gain from this isn't worth the reliability you loose. When I built mine, I noticed that the Cometic base gasket was MUCH thinner than the stock gasket, and the head gaskets were the same thickness (I measused the thickeness but don't remember the exact #). I used the Cometic base gasket, and the xr head gasket. Doing anything with the head & base gaskets (to make them thinner) will retard the timing, but the amount of timing that is taken out is minimal. You can always install a Sparks timing key, that would more than compensate for the gaskets.
As far as cams go, this was in a post I saw a couple of days ago. I copied it into a Word document so I could reference it easily, so I didn't get this info, & I don't remember who posted it originally, but thank them.

Lift Duration@.050"Lift
Intake Exhaust Intake Exhaust
400EX .316 .302 234 238
XR400 .326 .321 240 244
WB All Around .345 .335 240 248
HRC .350 .339 254 256
WB Track .350 .345 256 256
WEB 450/451 .350 .345 256 256
WEB 479 .378 .378 250 250

Many people use the xr beacuse it is an original Honda part, even though it is a mild cam. I can tell ypui from experience that it will wake up any ex.

[crashinmatt]

Thanks VegasEx'r. What would you recommend using for the gaskets and what cam would you recommend.

[shook]

Id try the w/b track cam256 350/345 its a little larger than the xr cam just about the amount of difference that the xr cam is over stock ex cam.I have an xr cam wish I would have went bigger.