DaveX

I am looking for some advice for a cam to go with my dart 225's, .040 gaskets, and SCR of 11.33:1. My car is a 99 A4 with a 3500 tci, and it will have 3.42's, lt's w/catted Y, LS6 intake, ported TB. This is a street car, not a dd, with occasional trips to the strip. But driveability is very important to me and I want to be able to take it on a road trip here and there. This is a full weight car; it has t-tops, all options, and SLP sfc's. It's not a light car and I'm not going to gut it. I am looking to maximize the power under the curve, while still pulling hard up top and shifting about 6500 - 6600 (since 6800 is about max for the stock bottom end).

I was originally going to get a F14. But then I read some results with the new high lift cams from both futral and various comp LSK cams such as Patrick's torque thread, and now I can't decide which way to go. I have spent countless hours reading up on cam specs, and I think I've tried to absorb too much information. It sounds like I'm really going to be giving up power under the curve if I go with something in the 232/234 range. So perhaps I'd be better off with something in the 224/228/230 range. I'd like to keep the lift around .610 max so I can use the springs that came with the heads. But if it's well worth it to go higher then that's what I'll do.

Here are some of the grinds I've come up with:

- 228/230 .588/.592 110 +0

IVO 28.5 4 -35.5
IVC 68.5 44 4.5
EVO 69.5 45 5.5
EVC 29.5 5 -34.5
ECL 110 110 110
Overlap 58 9 -70
dcr 8.73 (to high for pump gas?)

If the dcr isn't too high, and looking at the IVC/EVO numbers, this should be a very torquey cam, while still pulling hard up to 6800 or so since the IVO/EVC is 1/2 degree biased on the intake side. It should also have a lopey idle, but not too extreme. Sound about right? Is the DCR too high?

- the popular 228/232 .588/.595 110 +0

IVO 28.5 4 -35.5
IVC 68.5 44 4.5
EVO 70.5 46 6.5
EVC 30.5 6 -33.5
ECL 110 110 110
Overlap 59 10 -69
dcr 8.73

Very similar to my first choice. I doubt I could tell the difference in them. By the numbers, which would be better for my application and why? Same DCR as above.

- 230/232 .592/.595 110+0

IVO 29.5 5 -34.5
IVC 69.5 45 5.5
EVO 70.5 46 6.5
EVC 30.5 6 -33.5
ECL 110 110 110
Overlap 60 11 -68
dcr 8.66

Similar to the above 2, but with a little more duration and overlap/choppier idle. Valve events still look pretty good. Am I starting to give up power under the curve here with my setup, or is this were I need to be? DCR looks better for pump gas.

or how bout a

230/230 .612/.612 111 +1 (XFI)

IVO 29.5 5 -34.5
IVC 69.5 45 5.5
EVO 72 47 9
EVC 28 3 -35
ECL 112 112 112
Overlap 57.5 8 -69.5
dcr 8.66

I like this one. It has a bit more lift, but would still work with my out of the box darts. Has good valve events, but maybe I'm giving up some torque with the EVO of 47. Nice DCR.

I could go on and on but my head hurts. Any advice from the cam gurus here? It would be greatly appreciated.

Edit: I do not want to fly cut my pistons.

DaveX

Anyone?

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

while those are good cam choices, i wouldn't use them with the 100/111 LSA. reason is you are concerned with drive ability.


the xxx, 055, or 056 cam would be ones i'd choose from
http://vincihighperformance.com/CAMS...%20LS1%202.htm

405HP_Z06

iTrader: (11)

+1, I'm installing the same heads and using the XXX cam (222/228, .551/.551, 115+3)

JPH

iTrader: (2)

232/234 .624/.590 112+3 custom crane is what i used in the last 346, dart 225 head motor i did for a customer. i makes really good hp/trq.

Studytime

iTrader: (15)

and how much would that be?

I think Futral was having a lot of good luck with their highlift FM14 and the Dart 225 heads.

Ben T.

DaveX

Thanks for the replies everyone. From what I've read, the high lift cams work really well with these heads. But I'd like to use the springs that came on them if I can still get what I'm looking for and stay under the .625" lift they are rated at.

Does anyone know which type of split would work best for my application with these heads; traditional, reverse or symetrical?

JPH

iTrader: (2)

usually in the $400 range.