Im thinking about upgrading my camshaft? What would be the best cam to get and what all is involved with installing a camshaft?
1 Answer
First you must decide why you want a new cam, what you expect to get out of it, and are you determined to do it right. You need to make sure the pistons and valves don't clash, (clearance?) will the new configuration require more breathing space? Intake, exhaust, and if EFI, injectors to increase the amount of fuel introduced to the cylinders. The valve train will need to be beefed up. This will generally best be suited with new heads, high flow and less restricted one are best. There are a lot to pick from, but go with the well known one, like Chevy, Dart, Edelbrock, etc. They have invested tons of money to make them work right. Good nonrestrictive headers and larger exhaust with good flow mufflers are a must. Will you EFI system handle the increased need for fuel for power and economy, and SMOG? Will the transmission handle what you are doing? More power adds strain to the drive line. You may have to reprogram a few of your sensors / computers. Other that that, have fun and enjoy. Most well know cam makers offer suggestions of what to do to make your transition a more smooth one. I placed a great cam in my non-smog carburetor-ed Corvette. It had a lot of power, sounded great, but when I had to tear it down due to an internal part failure, I found I only had 0.001 inch clearance between the pistons and valve, so had to de-tune the cam shaft, losing 10 hp. So be aware of what you order