cam follower material

[windy]

After last Sundays 129.33mph blast with the flash steamer I have redesigned the valve seat and guide to overcome a problem but now concerned about the cam follower.
With the increased valve spring pressure the air hardening steel cam follower with stellite tip is having a hard time.
It has been cleaned up with 500 then 1200 wet and dry.
Bear in mind this has to contend with 11,000 plus impacts a miniute and the high pressure steam on the valve head.
Would a silver steel follower hardened straight out then slightly tempered be any good.
The lube has been moly slip and has been good untill this increase in spring pressure.
Any other suggestions welcome.

Paul

 

[Goldflash]

Hi Paul
I am not sure about your cam follower design but I am assuming its a round cylinder operating up and down in a bush.
I am assuming that you have some type of adjustment for valve clearance on the cam follower similar to a Side Valve Motor cam follower.
therefore I am also assuming it needs to be drilled and tapped, so you need a steel that can be worked before heat treatment.
Silver Steel I think if you did not get the heat treatment right would be either to hard ( Brittle ) or not hard enough.
I think a good quality case hardening steel with high core strength would be more suitable. ( EN 36 is a good steel )
The problem is getting someone to be able to do the case hardening on a relatively small component.
There are articles on the Internet on how to do your own case hardening, and suppliers of case hardening compound,and I once had some case hardening compound that was cyanide based and worked quite well providing you stuck to the procedure and had good ventilation.
In the end I got rid of it as I just didn't like the idea of having such stuff floating around in the shed.

Would like to see some photos of the parts in question

Regards Ralph