Custom Cam or Shelf Cam?
12-07-2009, 01:37 PM
#1
Custom Cam or Shelf Cam? There are lots of threads on cams here and most compare the shelf cams. Then there are some people that are running a custom cam. Are these custom ground cams really worth the extra cost? I can see it if we're talking about a race car on a track but why would you buy a custom cam for a street car? Is changing a few degrees here and there really going to make or break it for a street car? Has anyone posted a comparison of a shelf cam and a custom cam to show apples to apples what the improvements are?
12-07-2009, 02:01 PM
#2
There are lots of threads on cams here and most compare the shelf cams. Then there are some people that are running a custom cam. Are these custom ground cams really worth the extra cost? I can see it if we're talking about a race car on a track but why would you buy a custom cam for a street car? Is changing a few degrees here and there really going to make or break it for a street car? Has anyone posted a comparison of a shelf cam and a custom cam to show apples to apples what the improvements are?
Are they worth the money ask any one like my self who has used them and I will say Yes. My last cam $450 and very happy with each dollar spent.
12-07-2009, 02:49 PM
#3
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a custom cam is made for the mods you have/will have, what power band u want, torque vs peak hp numbers. its made for YOUR car and YOUR wants and needs
12-07-2009, 03:13 PM
#4
02*C5 made a good point in that for an auto tranny it make more since and this might be true if you are talking large cams.
12-07-2009, 03:15 PM
#6
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my car is a dd, i chose a cam with awsome power down low, tourquer v.3. and its awsome on the street, im auto too, i actually drove the car a good while without the stall. no bucking or throwing it into neutral.
12-10-2009, 01:47 PM
#7
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You and I research a lot of the same threads printmanjackson 
I have decided upon a custom myself. I bought a set of 243s this week and I am going to drop them off at Advanced Induction 4 a valve job, minimal porting and slight mill to bump compression. They are going to customize a cam to match what they do to the heads and work with my Yank SS4000 verter 
I have no proof that is the best way to go but I have read a thousand(may or may not be an exageration) threads and I feel this is the right approach. Best of luck with whatever u end up with. I am sure I will be reading about it
Jman
What part of TN? I grew up in McMinville and lived in K-town 4 a while
I have decided upon a custom myself. I bought a set of 243s this week and I am going to drop them off at Advanced Induction 4 a valve job, minimal porting and slight mill to bump compression. They are going to customize a cam to match what they do to the heads and work with my Yank SS4000 verter I have no proof that is the best way to go but I have read a thousand(may or may not be an exageration) threads and I feel this is the right approach. Best of luck with whatever u end up with. I am sure I will be reading about it Jman
What part of TN? I grew up in McMinville and lived in K-town 4 a while
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12-10-2009, 01:59 PM
#8
You and I research a lot of the same threads printmanjackson I have decided upon a custom myself. I bought a set of 243s this week and I am going to drop them off at Advanced Induction 4 a valve job, minimal porting and slight mill to bump compression. They are going to customize a cam to match what they do to the heads and work with my Yank SS4000 verter I have no proof that is the best way to go but I have read a thousand(may or may not be an exageration) threads and I feel this is the right approach. Best of luck with whatever u end up with. I am sure I will be reading about it
Jman
What part of TN? I grew up in McMinville and lived in K-town 4 a while
I have decided upon a custom myself. I bought a set of 243s this week and I am going to drop them off at Advanced Induction 4 a valve job, minimal porting and slight mill to bump compression. They are going to customize a cam to match what they do to the heads and work with my Yank SS4000 verter I have no proof that is the best way to go but I have read a thousand(may or may not be an exageration) threads and I feel this is the right approach. Best of luck with whatever u end up with. I am sure I will be reading about it Jman
What part of TN? I grew up in McMinville and lived in K-town 4 a while
Advanced Induction has my 243's and I'm going to wait on the flow numbers before I decide which way on a cam. Mine is a MN6 so I have some leeway. I have had people ask me why I picked AI to do my head work. My responce is do you know where AI is? When I tell them Concord, NC is when you can see a light go off!
12-10-2009, 03:11 PM
#9
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Ha ha I had a few ask me the same. I just link them the thread here with pics of the 241s and 243s and to their website with their 9 and 8 second cars That usually answers all questions 
I was ignorant about them myself til I started researching and I live less than an hour away from them
That usually answers all questions I was ignorant about them myself til I started researching and I live less than an hour away from them
12-10-2009, 03:37 PM
#10
Custom cam all the way. It will be ground to your cars specific needs and your driving habits. There is no guess work. Shelfs cams aren't bad but there is more to it than fitting a pair of pants 
The fastest cars run custom cams. They don't pick a cam and then build the engine and car to it. You cam the car accordingly to application and hardware.
The fastest cars run custom cams. They don't pick a cam and then build the engine and car to it. You cam the car accordingly to application and hardware.
12-10-2009, 03:57 PM
#11
Now if your going custom I would highly recommend Ed Curtis and I would do the AZPS02. I had it ground for my automatic and I had Advance Induction do my heads (243s) also, they do a lot of work for Ed and the car is 450 rwhp and that's through my RPM stage IV 4l60E
12-13-2009, 08:38 AM
#13
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There are lots of threads on cams here and most compare the shelf cams. Then there are some people that are running a custom cam. Are these custom ground cams really worth the extra cost? I can see it if we're talking about a race car on a track but why would you buy a custom cam for a street car? Is changing a few degrees here and there really going to make or break it for a street car? Has anyone posted a comparison of a shelf cam and a custom cam to show apples to apples what the improvements are?
Off the shelf type of cams are ok and will give you an increase in power but in general they are designed for motors that are stock or with after market exhaust systems. With a Custom Grind cam you can get one designed for your current or future applications and for the type of power curve you are looking for. I have an A/4 trans and in most cases off the shelf cams just won't provide me with the power transitions that a Custom Grind will.
12-13-2009, 02:41 PM
#14
i wanted a cam to get me into the high 11's low 12's and pred specd me out mine and i ran a 12.10 with a 1.8 60ft. my goals were met perfect and im sure i could get a 11.99 out of it but im past that lol. im trying to shoot for low 11s cam only now. but all im saying is spend the 25 or w.e it is to get a custom cam b/c it will do whatever YOU want
12-13-2009, 04:00 PM
#15
Although the cam is a very key part of everything. There are so many cars doing the same thing with off the shelf cams. Buddies MS4 cam and bolt on car went 11.43 the other night and it has more in it(tire spin). But the tune is just as important as the cam. Who is going to do your tuning?
12-13-2009, 11:20 PM
#17
E-85 conversion.
Ed Curtis Cam
90port & polished/90 ported
80# injectors
fuel rails
Fuel pump
vararam VRB2
American Racing 1 7/8 primaries to 3" collector
AR 3"X2.5" X pipe
RPM Tranny
vigi 3400 stall
Comp 921s
LS6 valves
243 heads (done by AI) w/ catch can
And a hell of a tune. it drives like stock.
Daily driver with 85K miles and running strong.
Last edited by 02*C5; 12-13-2009 at 11:26 PM.
12-14-2009, 10:51 PM
#18
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I would most definitely get a custom as stated above it will fit exactly what you need. I had Pat G spec a cam for my 5.3 and i absolutely cant wait to get it installed. IIRC Pat G's cams get knocked down to 399 if you order them through one of his vendors.
12-14-2009, 11:55 PM
#20
LOL!!! ^^ there is nothing wrong with off the shelf cams. most of the people on this site just want a little bit more performance, and cars are daily drivers. its easier to just look up off the shelf cams in a certain size and see the results, as to a custom cam where you dont really see much as it is a custom cam. i think if you are building a specific application then a custom cam would be the route to go. the best bet is just to call a sponsor who is making great results and see what they suggest.
