Table of Contents
What does a higher lift camshaft do?
CAMSHAFT LIFT Lift describes (usually in millimetres) how far the valves open – the higher the lift, the taller the camshaft lobes have to be to achieve this. More lift gives more flow, which, in turn, usually gives more power, and with only very minor ill-effects to performance elsewhere in the rev range.
What does a long duration cam do?
Longer duration (higher number) improves top-end power but almost always sacrifices low-end torque. Lower duration improves low-end torque and makes the car idle better, but it limits top-end power, and you can get only so much valve lift with a short duration cam due to the rate-of-lift limitations of the lifter.
Which is better cam or lift or duration?
Designing a cam profile with more lift results in increased duration in the high-lift regions where cylinder heads flow the most air. Short duration cams with relatively high valve lift can provide excellent responsiveness, great torque, and good power. But high lift cams are less dependable.
Does cam duration affect idle?
Again, keeping all else constant, more duration will make the engine less efficient at low rpm, with more overlap dilution of the induction charge, and the later intake valve closing reducing the trapping efficiency. Therefore, a long-duration cam will cause rough running at idle (lope) and a loss of low-rpm torque.
What makes a camshaft choppy?
Registered. LSA (lobe separation angle) determines the choppiness, it has to do with the overlap of when both valves are open, as in when the exhaust valve is closing and the intake valve is opening to pull fresh fuel in on the intake stroke after pushing out the burnt fuel. Most GM cams come on a 112, 114 or 116 LSA.
Does a cam give you more HP?
Does a camshaft increase horsepower? Yes, a camshaft adds 10 to 20 horsepower depending on the setup. To get the full potential of the high-performance camshaft, you’ll have to swap out additional components like the air intake, exhaust manifold, injectors, and valve heads.
What causes lopey idle?
Many different problems could result in a rough idle for your car or truck, including: dirty fuel injectors, clogged air filters, bad spark plugs, and a variety of exhaust system issues. Let’s go over each of these causes in more detail and learn how they can be remedied.
What is camshaft lift and duration?
The easiest way to explain camshaft lift is to think of it as how far the valve opens to its furthest point off of the valve seat. Camshaft duration can be simply explained as how long the valve stays open off of the valve seat.
Should you put a lift cam in a 500-lift engine?
The opposite applies if you only put a .500 lift cam in an engine with heads that flow more air — you’re leaving a lot on the table because you’re not getting the full potential of the engine,” Yoder says. Getting the right duration needs to be approached slightly different, according to Yoder.
Why hire a camshaft Pro for your project?
Getting the lift and duration right on a camshaft is what will take it from just sounding good to making solid horsepower, and taking the time to speak to a camshaft pro will make that process much easier and assist you in building a powerful engine for your application.
How does camshaft duration affect torque?
The less duration the camshaft has, the more torque an engine will make; the higher the duration, the engine will make more top-end horsepower, but not as much torque. One of the reasons they don’t make as much torque is because when you’re increasing the duration timing, it increases overlap, and that basically decreases low RPM cylinder pressure.