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Matching heads and cam??

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Old Sep 20, 2003 | 03:31 AM
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Default Matching heads and cam??

People always say to match the cam to the heads. What do you do when you have stock heads? Matching might work but it seems the bigger cams are making more power regardless of flow numbers..?? The heads will be staying stock for now so whats the best cam to go with on stock heads? I can always sell it when I finally do get heads. I have been looking at the TR230 forever now. People say the LGX2 cam is the cam to go with but it seems a bit much for me. The lgx2 and the tr230 are suppossed to flow close to the same with identical mods but they are totally different, 230/224 and 232/240?. 16 degrees or duration on the exhaust size is quite a bit different. TR says that the reverse splits are strong and keep good street manners but LGM says they aren't as powerful. Whos right?

What I want to know is this. A shop is having a great sell on cam kits and I want to get it to save some cash. Will cams with identical specs be more or less powerful, sound different, perform different than others? Will this company's 230/224 make 10 less rwhp than thunders 230/224? Do the ramp rates have a lot to do with Thunders results? Is this even a good cam to go with on stock heads? Please help.
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Old Sep 20, 2003 | 07:39 AM
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Mike K.'s Avatar
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Default Re: Matching heads and cam??

both cams have gotten good hp according to the guys here, but generally I would say the bigger the cam the more power so go with the bigger of the two if you are wanting max power or go with something smaller if you want it more streetable.
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Old Sep 20, 2003 | 10:23 AM
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Default Re: Matching heads and cam??

but generally I would say the bigger the cam the more power so go with the bigger of the two if you are wanting max power or go with something smaller if you want it more streetable.

Not necessarily true on either account. I've seen larger cams not put down the # of a smaller cam, and I've seen smaller cams not as street friendly as some bigger cams.

It's(again)not just lift/duration that determines the power/manners of any given cam. Lift,dur.,advance, ramp rates, ICL, LSA, LBC, B/ATDC, B/ABDC #'s, the TUNE, all play into the equation. Single pattern, split, and reverse split cams all have different charactoristics, and react differently w/like mods.

You will not necessarily see a bigger gain w/a big cam on stock heads vs. a "smaller cam", but it will make power, and the gains will(should) be measurable when/after you do better heads.

Hate to see folks get hung up on the bigger is better theory. The cam in my sig(T1)made better power than some of these "bigger is better" cams out now. I'm not dsi'ng LG or anyone else whose "bigger" cam on stock heads made a respectable #, just understand that it's not always repeatable on your application.

A better(clearer)understanding of camshafts, how they work, and what makes them work(or not)is your best bet in determining what's right for you. There have been many cam tech threads here over the last forever with alot of very good/usefull info.....do a search ....some of it is very interesting reading.

Good luck
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Old Sep 20, 2003 | 03:49 PM
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Default Re: Matching heads and cam??

i believe this is jason99ta's dyno

I have the T230/224 thats going in any day now, its possible to be at 370-400rwhp with this cam depeding on what bolt ons and tranny you have.
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