How to Pick Your own CamShaft better.

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I Feel overlap is the most over looked camshaft spec, lift is the easiest spec to figure out. I like David Vizards approach, figure the LSA and overlap you want/need and the duration will take care of itself.

Not saying got to follow his formula 100% just like the basic idea of it.

Engine Camshaft Basics - Popular Hot Rodding Magazine
Overlap is important yes ! I almost forgot to agree
 
LSA is fixed. You can move the ICL and ECL, not so with the LSA. Once the stick is ground, you have the LSA. No do overs unless it heads back to the grinder.

Overlap is partial a function of the LSA. Wider LSA is less overlap, narrower is more overlap on the exact same spec camshaft.
 
LSA is fixed. You can move the ICL and ECL, not so with the LSA. Once the stick is ground, you have the LSA. No do overs unless it heads back to the grinder.

Overlap is partial a function of the LSA. Wider LSA is less overlap, narrower is more overlap on the exact same spec camshaft.


Just mean if say I wanted a new cam it would be 108 with .500 ish lift and 60-70 overlap so I'd look at all the cams that fit that, then decide on what I thought was the best choice.
 
i always picked the one that sounded right... and then went one smaller.. so far all have been great doing it that way
 
I try and understand as much of this as i can.............
But still rely on someone smarter/knowledge, then me, to pick my cam.

If i had the time and money to pick a half a dozen cams and try them out......I'm sure i could understand it all much better.
 
That’s what I did in the pre internet days.
 
I Feel overlap is the most over looked camshaft spec, lift is the easiest spec to figure out. I like David Vizards approach, figure the LSA and overlap you want/need and the duration will take care of itself.

Not saying got to follow his formula 100% just like the basic idea of it.

Engine Camshaft Basics - Popular Hot Rodding Magazine
Ive spent serious Blowvid aka Covid hours watching Vizard videos. That man definitely has decades of current to this day no BS information. One of many Way ahead of his time. Not bad at all! ANY accurate information is appreciated! Always learning = moving forward.
 
Ive spent serious Blowvid aka Covid hours watching Vizard videos. That man definitely has decades of current to this day no BS information. One of many Way ahead of his time. Not bad at all! ANY accurate information is appreciated! Always learning = moving forward.
He can't win a camshaft competition though, that also is very telling
 
He can't win a camshaft competition though, that also is very telling
Not really. It’s an educated guess made with the best info available. All the camshafts that were close to the winner were very similar.

I’d say it would be the same here. Pick several of the members that you think can make a good camshaft choice for your engine and test them. You’ll find the same results.
 
There has been so much cam tech talk lately. Its interesting how when you call a cam company they come up with a selection pretty quick. They don't give you 3 choices (at least in my experience) or go on some r&d mission.
 
Not really. It’s an educated guess made with the best info available. All the camshafts that were close to the winner were very similar.

I’d say it would be the same here. Pick several of the members that you think can make a good camshaft choice for your engine and test them. You’ll find the same results.
Just saying, his wasn't.
Yeah you're probably right about that .
 
Picking the cam is best left to the pros at Ultradyne, Comp or any of the major companies. The problem
is most guys want lots of HP...and they get a cam that makes big hp but at high rpm where they never
drive. I've found most good quarter mile builds are no fun driven on the street.
 
Picking the cam is best left to the pros at Ultradyne, Comp or any of the major companies.
In Eric's cam contest most were pro's and there was a huge power margin between them so it kind of seems getting a pro to pick your cam can be quite a crapshoot too.
 
Picking the cam is best left to the pros at Ultradyne, Comp or any of the major companies. The problem
is most guys want lots of HP...and they get a cam that makes big hp but at high rpm where they never
drive. I've found most good quarter mile builds are no fun driven on the street.
Yeah, people definitely need to be realistic with their build goals when picking a cam.
 
Problem is everyone is different in their wants/needs and level of compromises, so to find the prefect cam that gives the ideal balance of driveability and performance can vary quite a bit from one person to another, and doesn't help some people insist their idea/level of compromise is obviously the best and everyone else must follow :)
 
I’m not on board with a cam company picking for me and have found 10 phone calls yield 10 different cams from the same big company. Then add in other places.

Learn something and go for it!
 
I’m not on board with a cam company picking for me and have found 10 phone calls yield 10 different cams from the same big company. Then add in other places.

Learn something and go for it!
I know enough to get by and like they say, you can’t teach old dogs new tricks.
In hindsight the cams the mfg recommended to me were great choices (Hughes and Elgin).
 
As 273 says, driveability is a personal thing. I've been lucky enough to use a few different cams and
know how they performed in my builds.
 
I know enough to get by and like they say, you can’t teach old dogs new tricks.
In hindsight the cams the mfg recommended to me were great choices (Hughes and Elgin).
Hughes is a guy that will get you there because he his a machinist and a specialist because he immerse’s himself in the stuff we do and love.

No experience with Elgin.
As 273 says, driveability is a personal thing. I've been lucky enough to use a few different cams and
know how they performed in my builds.
Ahhhh, a been there and done that guy which actually means you know instead of reading forums and parrot others.

Exxxcccccccccccellent!!!
 
As 273 says, driveability is a personal thing. I've been lucky enough to use a few different cams and
know how they performed in my builds.
** Edit, I miss read your statement, I now see your basically agreeing, so my reply was pointless :)


I do believe it's a personal thing, you seem very conservative when it comes to driveability, which there's nothing wrong with that and bet there's a huge number guy's that are similar.

But there is also guy's that are find fairly radical cars acceptable drivers, there's no right or wrong just depends what kind of person some of these OP are (asking cam advice).
 
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