Cam Spec Help.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: Burnsville, Minnesota.
Cam Spec Help. Hey people. Im farely knew to doing internal work on these cars. Ive done plenty of bolt ons for now.
Basically, what are all the #'s that are on the cam specs? I know Intake, Exhaust are the first 2, but what is good, and what is bad? What do the rest stand for and how do they help the performance?
Right now I know I want a farely agressive cam. I dont want it to have idle problems though. So, maybe a few upgrades above stock. Ive heard a lot of good things about the Thunder Racing cam's. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
John
Basically, what are all the #'s that are on the cam specs? I know Intake, Exhaust are the first 2, but what is good, and what is bad? What do the rest stand for and how do they help the performance?
Right now I know I want a farely agressive cam. I dont want it to have idle problems though. So, maybe a few upgrades above stock. Ive heard a lot of good things about the Thunder Racing cam's. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
John
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 331
Likes: 0
From: Gambrills, MD
Re: Cam Spec Help. The key cam specs are lift, duration, and lobe separation angle. Go to www.compcams.com & read the "Timing tutorial" --- it provides an excellent overview of camshaft/valvetrain basics.
There is no "best" cam --- it depends on your priorities, driving style, and other mods. What's "streetable" for one person is unacceptable for someone else, and emissions testing varies widely from state to state.
There is no "best" cam --- it depends on your priorities, driving style, and other mods. What's "streetable" for one person is unacceptable for someone else, and emissions testing varies widely from state to state.
Launching!
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
From: Evans GA
Re: Cam Spec Help. http://www.gafba.com/articles/article.asp?tid=6
This is a good article. Do lots of reading and some searches and you will find some good info. When your ready to buy just call the vendor that you are going to buy from and they will help you choose for your application. From my understanding anything below 114 degrees of lobe separation will be chopy on idle. The numbers go as follows Intake/exhaust duration (at .050 lift) and then intake/exhaust lift and then Lobe separtion (LSA). Those are the numbers usually presented on a cam.
This is a good article. Do lots of reading and some searches and you will find some good info. When your ready to buy just call the vendor that you are going to buy from and they will help you choose for your application. From my understanding anything below 114 degrees of lobe separation will be chopy on idle. The numbers go as follows Intake/exhaust duration (at .050 lift) and then intake/exhaust lift and then Lobe separtion (LSA). Those are the numbers usually presented on a cam.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: Burnsville, Minnesota.
Re: Cam Spec Help. Well, I live in Minnesota and we dont have emissions here.
I basically want to get a nice set of heads (next summer) and want to push over 400RWHP. I want to be able to hear the cam change and have a nice idle. I also dont want to have any reliablity worries. I know reliablity is sacrificed for performance, but .. yea. I know I can get double springs and other valvetrain components to help with reliablity.
Thanks a lot so far for the help guys. I know I'll end up going with the TR set or MTI set. I just need to learn more! Im only 20, so I still have tons of years left to absorb all this information. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />
I basically want to get a nice set of heads (next summer) and want to push over 400RWHP. I want to be able to hear the cam change and have a nice idle. I also dont want to have any reliablity worries. I know reliablity is sacrificed for performance, but .. yea. I know I can get double springs and other valvetrain components to help with reliablity.
Thanks a lot so far for the help guys. I know I'll end up going with the TR set or MTI set. I just need to learn more! Im only 20, so I still have tons of years left to absorb all this information. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />
