cam comparison

[TurboCajun]

attached is the cam that is in my car, i am just wanting to know how radical is this cam and what new comp cam will be the better cam for a street/strip 206,212 etc. ?

[Steve Wood]

I don't see where you posted anything regarding the cam in the car at the moment.  In a flat tappet cam, I generally like the 208 deg cam

You don't want a radical cam in a street turbo car.  Let the turbo make the power...just use a bit more cam to extend the powerband to a bit over 5000 rpm

[TurboCajun]

sorry i forgot to load the file.

[Steve Wood]

well, we now know why the car has no vacuum.

The car will be a lot happier with something close to what I suggested

[TurboCajun]

so this cam is too much for what i want. when i was comparing the numbers it seemed to me that this cam has too much lift.

[TurboCajun]

Steve can you explain it to me. and how can I tell if my rockers are 1.5 or 1.6

[Steve Wood]

the lift is okay but the duration is way too much.  That would be a good street cam in a sbc 350 but it will not make much cylinder pressure at low rpm and needs more compression ratio to be worth a damn in a small engine like ours.

Our factory cams are something like 196 degs of duration at 0.050" lift and the one you have is 218 on the intake side.  It probably does not begin to make power below 3000 rpm in a 231 ci engine which means the turbo will not spool without a very loose converter.  On the plus side, with the low dynamic compression, you could probably run 20 psi of boost without detonation.  On the other hand, it needs something like 9-1 compression to have decent throttle response.

Our cars can run into the upper tens on the stock cam, but it is easier with a bit more duration which is the reason I suggested something like a 208 deg cam that will let it turn up around 5400 or so rpm instead of being dead at 4800 or so.    It will still be responsive around 2400 which makes it more fun on the street.

Unless I have having a mental hiccup, our factory lifters are 1.55-1

Either one of the first two cams on this page will work....  http://www.taperformance.com/products.asp?cat=158

First one is a 206 and the second is a 208 which has a bit more rpm in theory but I doubt there is much difference in the real world.  I used TA Performance because they claim to have a hardened lifter which would be better.  Whether it is any different than those sold by Full throttle Speed, I don't know.

I would use Joe Gibbs, Brad Penn, Comp Cams, or a similar BREAK IN oil, run it at 2200-2300 rpm immediately on start up and every few minutes blip it to 2600-2700 or so to pump a little extra oil on the cam and spin the lifters a bit faster.  Don't use stiffer springs than suggested for the cam.

[Steve Wood]

oh, the reason I often suggest the 208 is that I think it might be a bit quieter.  Not sure that is a fact..just my opinion

[Charlief1]

I'm really going with Steve on the cam. The one you've got is more like some of the solid cams we used to use. You'd even come out better with the old 204/214 cam than what you've got in it right now.

[TurboCajun]

thanks, someone had mentioned that a cam could cause low vac, that is why i went back to see the specs on the one that was installed by the previous owner. maybe we can get this thing running like it should

[Steve Wood]

yep, low vacuum, bad throttle response...... Lousy idle.....we'd know about the cam, we could have cut to the chase a long time ago 

[TurboCajun]

is this kit good.   http://www.gbodyparts.com/product_info.php?cPath=46_21_51&products_id=1353&osCsid=3aabb5b03e3d0e85821d55cf7834c4f0   

[Steve Wood]

don't know.  I would not buy it because I don't know if Comp ever started using good, US made lifters and it has a double roller timing chain

I gave you my suggestions... I won't do more than that : )

[Charlief1]

is this kit good.   http://www.gbodyparts.com/product_info.php?cPath=46_21_51&products_id=1353&osCsid=3aabb5b03e3d0e85821d55cf7834c4f0   

For what you're going to pay for that one I can get you a 204/214 cam and lifters 2.5 times over.   I keep one that's a Melling cam with melling lifters saved and then get the springs for about $60.   I can post a link if you want to look at it.

[ULYCYC]

I wonder if they retarded the cam to compensate for the high duration? That would be adding more shit to the pile.
I don't like kits. I rather buy al-carte and not settle on what they think I need and fits.