How do you guys classify "CAM ONLY"
How do you guys classify "CAM ONLY" There has been some discussion on our local board about the term "cam only" and I am simply wondering what sort of rules or guidlines you guys go by to call something "cam only".
BTW my cars:
1991 Lumina 4-door 3800 Series II Whipplecharged - 12.545 @ 108, 1.8 60'
1997 Grand Prix GTP stock + Whipple - 330 hp / 440 tq - 13.3 @ 100, 1.9 60'
Dads car:
1998 Vette C5 Concepts "Thresher 450"
BTW my cars:
1991 Lumina 4-door 3800 Series II Whipplecharged - 12.545 @ 108, 1.8 60'
1997 Grand Prix GTP stock + Whipple - 330 hp / 440 tq - 13.3 @ 100, 1.9 60'
Dads car:
1998 Vette C5 Concepts "Thresher 450"
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 273
Likes: 1
From: Trois-Rivières (Québec / Canada)
For me, it's stock heads and stock bottom end, but with bolt-on and breathing mods.
IMHO a cammed engine with full bolt-on mods, headers, intake, tune, etc... but stock heads, pistons, connecting rods, and crank is a cam-only engine.
IMHO a cammed engine with full bolt-on mods, headers, intake, tune, etc... but stock heads, pistons, connecting rods, and crank is a cam-only engine.
Originally Posted by Blue Hawk
For me, it's stock heads and stock bottom end, but with bolt-on and breathing mods.
IMHO a cammed engine with full bolt-on mods, headers, intake, tune, etc... but stock heads, pistons, connecting rods, and crank is a cam-only engine.
IMHO a cammed engine with full bolt-on mods, headers, intake, tune, etc... but stock heads, pistons, connecting rods, and crank is a cam-only engine.
Thanks Matt.... I'm not trying to start a flame thread or something that gets out of hand... I just want a definition of the term "cam only"
Blue Hawk posted what he considers "cam only", is this what everyone here considers cam only or is it one guys opinion?
Blue Hawk posted what he considers "cam only", is this what everyone here considers cam only or is it one guys opinion?
Trending Topics
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
Generally when someone gets as far as a cam swap, they have already done the basic exhaust and bolt-on mods so that they get the full benefit of a larger cam. So I would have to agree with others.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 14,620
Likes: 17
From: BFE
I consider "cam only" when the only internal part of the motor that is changed is the cam.
Now we all know that when you change the cam, you also change springs, retainers, p-rods, and sometimes t-chain.
I've described my cam only before with a head gasket change (.045 instead of .054 graphite) and I was jumped on that this was not cam only. But the heads were untouched.
So relatively speaking it is a loose term.
Now we all know that when you change the cam, you also change springs, retainers, p-rods, and sometimes t-chain.
I've described my cam only before with a head gasket change (.045 instead of .054 graphite) and I was jumped on that this was not cam only. But the heads were untouched.
So relatively speaking it is a loose term.
Originally Posted by PREDATOR-Z
I consider "cam only" when the only internal part of the motor that is changed is the cam.
Now we all know that when you change the cam, you also change springs, retainers, p-rods, and sometimes t-chain.
Now we all know that when you change the cam, you also change springs, retainers, p-rods, and sometimes t-chain.
Originally Posted by TroubledWine3
It means the only thing done to the internals of the motor is cam-related. No aftermarket or stock-ported heads and stock bottom end.
This is probably the most reasonble definition that I have heard of and it does make sense. Now Matt, if you caould have explained it like this a month ago, that would have saved the internet from all the useless posts on wichitaracing about it
. 
To me a cam-only car has a cam, valvetrain to handle the cam, and exhaust(and MAYBE injectors).
When you start getting into electric water pumps, underdrive pulleys, throttle bodies, intake manifolds etc..you are disqualified IMO.
The reason i count in exhaust is cause the car wont run well with a big cam and restrictive exhaust, but it can run well as everything remains stock.
Electric water pump, pulleys, tb, intake manifolds, bigger MAF, etc..all these things are completely on their own and can vary the power difference by as much as 40 horsepower..so it defeats the term "cam only" which is a term people use to get a general understanding of power vs speed. + or - 40hp is not an acceptable window IMO.
Cam-only should also be a term more oriented to the whole car, rather than just the engine. Again we use the term for a comparison for how much faster a cam makes you go. Stalls and gears can greatly vary the numbers too therefore should be disqualified.
When you start getting into electric water pumps, underdrive pulleys, throttle bodies, intake manifolds etc..you are disqualified IMO.
The reason i count in exhaust is cause the car wont run well with a big cam and restrictive exhaust, but it can run well as everything remains stock.
Electric water pump, pulleys, tb, intake manifolds, bigger MAF, etc..all these things are completely on their own and can vary the power difference by as much as 40 horsepower..so it defeats the term "cam only" which is a term people use to get a general understanding of power vs speed. + or - 40hp is not an acceptable window IMO.
Cam-only should also be a term more oriented to the whole car, rather than just the engine. Again we use the term for a comparison for how much faster a cam makes you go. Stalls and gears can greatly vary the numbers too therefore should be disqualified.
Originally Posted by Var
To me a cam-only car has a cam, valvetrain to handle the cam, and exhaust(and MAYBE injectors).
When you start getting into electric water pumps, underdrive pulleys, throttle bodies, intake manifolds etc..you are disqualified IMO.
The reason i count in exhaust is cause the car wont run well with a big cam and restrictive exhaust, but it can run well as everything remains stock.
Electric water pump, pulleys, tb, intake manifolds, bigger MAF, etc..all these things are completely on their own and can vary the power difference by as much as 40 horsepower..so it defeats the term "cam only" which is a term people use to get a general understanding of power vs speed. + or - 40hp is not an acceptable window IMO.
Cam-only should also be a term more oriented to the whole car, rather than just the engine. Again we use the term for a comparison for how much faster a cam makes you go. Stalls and gears can greatly vary the numbers too therefore should be disqualified.
When you start getting into electric water pumps, underdrive pulleys, throttle bodies, intake manifolds etc..you are disqualified IMO.
The reason i count in exhaust is cause the car wont run well with a big cam and restrictive exhaust, but it can run well as everything remains stock.
Electric water pump, pulleys, tb, intake manifolds, bigger MAF, etc..all these things are completely on their own and can vary the power difference by as much as 40 horsepower..so it defeats the term "cam only" which is a term people use to get a general understanding of power vs speed. + or - 40hp is not an acceptable window IMO.
Cam-only should also be a term more oriented to the whole car, rather than just the engine. Again we use the term for a comparison for how much faster a cam makes you go. Stalls and gears can greatly vary the numbers too therefore should be disqualified.
I think most everyone else have been right. Pretty much whatever boltons and supporting mods that are needed, desired, whatever. Just as long as the heads and rotating assembly are left untouched.
Another way of looking at it is this. When people say "cam only" they are meaning they don't have "heads/cam"......I believe this is the originating factor that born the term "cam only"
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 332
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by TroubledWine3
It means the only thing done to the internals of the motor is cam-related. No aftermarket or stock-ported heads and stock bottom end.
Originally Posted by BriancWS6
I COMPLETELY disagree!
I think most everyone else have been right. Pretty much whatever boltons and supporting mods that are needed, desired, whatever. Just as long as the heads and rotating assembly are left untouched.
I think most everyone else have been right. Pretty much whatever boltons and supporting mods that are needed, desired, whatever. Just as long as the heads and rotating assembly are left untouched.
i'd say cam only is no heads, no power adders, stock bottom end, everything else is game.