need advice on cams for 89 turbo auto

[JCFsupraman]

Upgrading camshafts... wtf, why does that sound sooo incredibly wrong to me?

Ok, let me try it this way....

Camshaft(s) are NOT something you just 'upgrade'. A well rounded motor will have a camshaft set selected that will amplify the VE of a given motor. The camshafts need to be selected based on intended RPM range, and HP range @ a given positive pressure.

Personally, I'd like to know what our stock cams are... .336/.332" lift isn't all that much, but my experience with OHC engines is limted to the 7M and the A20, as far as 'performance' applications go. My experience with OHV engines, OTOH, is quite a bit more extensive

220/226 @ .050" with a 264/264 SAE, tells me these cams open up hard - even harder, though, on the exhaust side, and stay open a good bit. I could see these cams running a 3.0L I6 to 7200rpm+

Camshafts are not something you should really consider an 'upgrade' - The cylinder head and the camshafts are the HEART of where power is made. Yes, you can throw a bazillion psi of pressure at it, and get more power, but you'll make more power, with more reliability, at less psi, with an appropriately selected camshaft set.

Just .02 here

Doward, what your saying although is Greek to me by nature makes some sense. I am not mechanically or technically inclined so to me that would be like foreign languages to someone who has no ability or desire to learn anything other than English. I have been reading and trying to learn as much as a can and your comments certainly assist.

Question - given that my mods include HKS intake, Lexus AFM, RC 550's Mallory FPR, HKS dp and sport exh., and Greddy Mits TD-06 20 G what in your opinion (or anyone else who cares to help me learn ) be the appropriately selected camshaft set? stock cams or someones brand?

I just want the car to be quicker and put down some decent times at the track on occassion and be comfortably streetable. I hope these don't contradict each other.

 

[IJ.]

The Motor is a system and needs to be built as such or you end up with an imbalanced PoS....

I chose my Cams based on 30 years of playing with motors but have to admit that in the end I still wasn't sure how the 7M would respond but I'm very happy with the outcome!

Anyone that tells you Cams don't make a difference on a 7M or any motor are talking through their Butt and should be ignored.

 

[JCFsupraman]

when ur trying to boost to say 20psi the stock cams will choke of your engine, exactly as you stated volumetric efficiency. the stock cams will stop making power around 6500 rpms, if you have a built motor you can upgrade your valvtrain and continue to make power well beyond that, not only that but a boosted motors volumetric efficiency will go up when it breaths better

89supturbo, can you elaborate. Built motor? The motor is a USDM stocker out of the crate 6 years ago with about 24,000 kms on it. So it is not built if I understand correctly. Previous owner had tried to do somethings to it and messed up bigtime so he went to the dealership and voila. I do have intake, exh, fuel, and turbo upgrades (see above posted reply) so is that what you meant? Still learning sorry. Yes have noticed in the past the chokeing off that you refer too within the rpm band so ve could be stretched a little higher (not that I drive it or drove it that hard too often)

 

[JCFsupraman]

The Motor is a system and needs to be built as such or you end up with an imbalanced PoS....

I chose my Cams based on 30 years of playing with motors but have to admit that in the end I still wasn't sure how the 7M would respond but I'm very happy with the outcome!

Anyone that tells you Cams don't make a difference on a 7M or any motor are talking through their Butt and should be ignored.

IJ could you tell from my mods what the best or a good setup would be for me? I understand that changing internals from stock may not work all the time but do think that cams could help given my mods.

 

[IJ.]

JCF: CheapNeasy I'd swap in an NA Intake cam and see how that works for you as your motor is lightly modded.

 

[Doward]

JCF -

How much boost are you running on the 20g?

How many RPM are you spinning?

The camshafts control how much air is moved, and for how long during the intake/exhaust strokes.

IJ's cams, for instance - have more lift, but the ramps are not as steep as the BC cams' ramps are.

What does this mean? IJ's probably gotten some good midrange/upper RPM increase, and improved his torque curve everywhere over 2500rpm.

JCF, if you're running 14-16 psi on the 20g, with appropriate fuel mods, I could see a decent increase in the midrange torque output of your motor, with the stage 2 camshafts from BC.

The Motor is a system and needs to be built as such

Exactly! +1 for you!

 

[JCFsupraman]

JCF: CheapNeasy I'd swap in an NA Intake cam and see how that works for you as your motor is lightly modded.

so keep the exhaust cam the stock turbo one and just replace the intake cam with an na and that is safe and should cause no problems in anything down the road eh.

Not that I'm questioning your expertise with 11, 000+posts and an extensively modded car but just want to make sure I understand.

Nice vid by the way only moving vehicle was the big yellow bus at the end almost 2 minutes. Looked like early morning or early evening. Nice ride.

 

[IJ.]

Doward: Thanks!

JCF: Always question!

Post count means nothing

If you're not doing anything to raise the rpm limit the NA Intake will help out a bit midrange and you need to ask yourself honestly "how do I drive my car" If you're at redline a lot, better cams will help!

The specs I'm using give amazing midrange with a whole lot happening at 4000 (can't hook it up with the current tires in the first 3 gears) and it pulls nicely to redline.

No matter how you go it's not going to be cheap to cam a 7M if you need/want/require something more than the NA Intake (Exhaust cams are the same).

Not to mention our motors are a bitch to degree !

 

[JCFsupraman]

JCF -

How much boost are you running on the 20g?

How many RPM are you spinning?

The camshafts control how much air is moved, and for how long during the intake/exhaust strokes.

IJ's cams, for instance - have more lift, but the ramps are not as steep as the BC cams' ramps are.

What does this mean? IJ's probably gotten some good midrange/upper RPM increase, and improved his torque curve everywhere over 2500rpm.

JCF, if you're running 14-16 psi on the 20g, with appropriate fuel mods, I could see a decent increase in the midrange torque output of your motor, with the stage 2 camshafts from BC.


Exactly! +1 for you!

Boost is usually 1 - 1.4 bar so yep in the 14 - 20 range.

Well looking at 1J's dyno sheet it certainly is impressive. Max power at over 7300 rpm and putting down nearly 600 at the wheels if I am converting correctly is very powerful indeed. And the torque is pretty solid & consistent maxing at 5200. Yeah the cheap n easy sounds good but so do the stage 2 BC cams. So if no one else has any input I guess I'll run those by the shop and eventually flip a coin. or try them both and dyno to see.

 

[IJ.]

JCF: As I said the NA is cheapNeasy so why not give it a try get some before and after numbers then if you want more then go bigger?

 

[JCFsupraman]

How would these compare to the BC stage 2

http://www.tedcomponents.com/7mgte.htm

or are these more advanced than the stage 2 BC.

I was told that some of the high horse MK3 on the boards use these Kamakazee Kams but I haven't heard of them before but that doesn't mean much.

 

[IJ.]

Hard to tell without a "@ .050" lift" figure.

 

[yaitsme]

here's another one for you:

Web-Cam they offer a 209@.050/.321 and a 218@050/.322

(thanks Boosted Supra

 

[Doward]

209 @ .050", 230 SAE. That's a short cam, but I do like it for a basicly stock motor

 

[Nick M]

Anyone that tells you Cams don't make a difference on a 7M or any motor are talking through their Butt and should be ignored.

I don't think so. For most people, the stock cam make more than enough power, smooth idle, and will pass emissions.

And GE cams have two different intakes.

The few dyno curves that I have seen posted did add midrange, and nothing on top. That could have been done with adjustable cam gears, changing overlap and duration. But now with GE cams, you have less lift.

 

[89supturbo]

JCF, to elaborate, as many people said, the use of the word choking isn't entirely true, i plan on going for the stage 3 cams when them come out but when i take my car off the road for the winter the motors coming out and getting clevite 77's, eagle rods, JE pistons, and a ferrea comp valvetrain, a t70 turbo and all the goodies to go w/ it, so yea, i'm talkin about these cams from a fully built stand point, the stage 2's however will give u a good power gain and great midrange too if you just have all the basic bolt-ons.