Hmmm
Great clip!
I think most people get all wrapped up in cam dynamics because of behavior more than actual performance. Once you get into performance grinds with higher lift, increased dur, and choppy overlap the cam mainly becomes an RPM range selector. This is why I have backed WAYYYYYY off on my cam picks lately for street use and focused on the fun factor and overall wow element that cams certainly do provide. The fast SBE cam only car is still the TREX which GS spec'd back in what? 02? 03? somewhere around there. So most of the cam talk and "modern grind" bs is about selling hype and catering to the bench racing market or jack stand legends that are the fastest thing ever with secret sauce cams that make 200hp more than anyone else....
Where cams have come a long way is on lobe design with regards to valve stability and control. Again a Geoff Skinner pioneering effort, the guy knows his stuff. I still love the TR224 112 on a 346 that is a super fun cam with a 6spd on the street. 228r for a 6.0L cant go wrong tons of fun. When you go north of 230deg duration on a 6.0L or smaller? Street manners go South and maintenance go UP and for what? 10 or 20 of maybe even 30hp more? AFTER 6500RPM. So for a few ponies at the peak of your useable RPM your going to lose all that fun and reliable driveability making the same level of power and more torque UP TO 6500 RPM? See what im saying here
Cams, choose em wisely
I think most people get all wrapped up in cam dynamics because of behavior more than actual performance. Once you get into performance grinds with higher lift, increased dur, and choppy overlap the cam mainly becomes an RPM range selector. This is why I have backed WAYYYYYY off on my cam picks lately for street use and focused on the fun factor and overall wow element that cams certainly do provide. The fast SBE cam only car is still the TREX which GS spec'd back in what? 02? 03? somewhere around there. So most of the cam talk and "modern grind" bs is about selling hype and catering to the bench racing market or jack stand legends that are the fastest thing ever with secret sauce cams that make 200hp more than anyone else....
Where cams have come a long way is on lobe design with regards to valve stability and control. Again a Geoff Skinner pioneering effort, the guy knows his stuff. I still love the TR224 112 on a 346 that is a super fun cam with a 6spd on the street. 228r for a 6.0L cant go wrong tons of fun. When you go north of 230deg duration on a 6.0L or smaller? Street manners go South and maintenance go UP and for what? 10 or 20 of maybe even 30hp more? AFTER 6500RPM. So for a few ponies at the peak of your useable RPM your going to lose all that fun and reliable driveability making the same level of power and more torque UP TO 6500 RPM? See what im saying here
Cams, choose em wisely
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 22,288
Likes: 3,615
From: Central Cal.
This guy has lots of videos like these if anybody hasn't watched yet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSoTVmPni_s
For example, the 706 truck head, long considered useless for about anything, was discovered to be better in many apps than the long-revered 243/799. Not a lot better, but still at least as good or a little better IN SOME CASES.
Last edited by G Atsma; Dec 8, 2019 at 02:16 PM.
looking at the graphs, there was more of a difference with the cathedral heads, but it was still minimal. it was like 5 whp max in certain spots. the rectangle head cam actually did better, lol.
they were almost the same on the rectangle heads, like virtually overlaid.
of course, 5 hp could have been from a driver farting at the right time (dyno "margin of error") so you have that.
they were almost the same on the rectangle heads, like virtually overlaid.
of course, 5 hp could have been from a driver farting at the right time (dyno "margin of error") so you have that.
