Cam spec help

TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Wasted my motor recently and I wanted to make it a point to do a build this time with decent parts, especially now that I am getting tuning down so well. I know that when some people read this they will think, well thats not a big build. And thats ok because I don't think it will be necessary, ever really. What I am looking for is what kind of cam specs I will need to go with. Or should I just let COMP take care of it? Here is what is going on,

stock block
stock mains
eagle rods
srp pistons (8.5:1)
ported vortec heads (2.02's/1.60's)
ported manifolds (upper and lower intakes)
alky
pte60

Now eventually when I can afford it, I will be switching to either a stealth 70 or a gt35r. So what do you guys think I will need for a cam? I am kind of bent at this point on a custom grind. For $285 I say its not a bad deal at all. Any thoughts?
 
dgoodhue

dgoodhue

BuSTeD 4.3
Re: Cam spec help

TYTILIDIE said:
No I didn't know that. Do they just send it out or do they do it in house?
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They are comp cam custom grinds. ie the vendor pick out the cam blank, lobe seperation, and lobes from comp cams master lobe catalog. I would just order a cam from them rather guessing or having someone from comp cams calculate what you need. Its not all that much more expensive than buying an off the shelf Comp Cam 412, 415, or 422
 
Quickstop [UK]

Quickstop [UK]

Combating adversyty.
Re: Cam spec help

How come you aren't doing the mains? Seems you are most of the way there and that would really benefit you.

Just curious...

Good luck with it :D
 
JSM

JSM

Active member
Re: Cam spec help

Yep I would agree. On my build I let Nolan pick out what he thought was good. My theory is with a dyno right there he knows what works and doesn't.

I am starting to think TRW pistons are better for budget builds. Several SRP pistons have cracked here, TRW's are heavier and cheaper. Heavier may not be all the bad since we don't spin our motors that much anyways.

Now if you get the full JE turbo pistons different story, but different budget also.

I would at a minimum do main studs on bottom end.
 
Ty 1885

Ty 1885

New member
Re: Cam spec help

The problem with TRW (heavier) pistons, is the balancing. Heavy pistons or rods, means the machine shop has to ad heavy metal to balace it, this costs about $500.
Lighter parts means two things, easier on the crank, much lower balacing bill. They just remove metal from the crack (drill holes)
 
TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Re: Cam spec help

Quickstop [UK] said:
How come you aren't doing the mains? Seems you are most of the way there and that would really benefit you.

Just curious...

Good luck with it :D
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You know I toyed and toyed with it but in the end I just don't think I will need it. In reality, I will probably not be going for a bigger turbo than the 60 for a while, like more than a year. Plus, you see stock mains holding up all the time. If everything is well taken care of and the tune is on the money I can't see why I need to do that. I haven't totally banned the idea either though. But you know as well as I do that if I do that, everyone is going to say, dude you are so close, why not go with a forged crank?:lol:
 
Tooky

Tooky

Serious about performance
Re: Cam spec help

Good luck getting it direct from Comp. They wouldn't even respond to my repeated requests for a cam spec. I spent a fair amount of time putting in detailed requests on their website cam spec form, total waste of time. Just another company that wants to avoid talking to their customers at all costs I guess.
 
TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Re: Cam spec help

Tooky said:
Good luck getting it direct from Comp. They wouldn't even respond to my repeated requests for a cam spec. I spent a fair amount of time putting in detailed requests on their website cam spec form, total waste of time. Just another company that wants to avoid talking to their customers at all costs I guess.
Click to expand...

Odd, last winter I called them and they said to get them the info on my build and they would do it for me for 285. Maybe try calling them?
 
Tooky

Tooky

Serious about performance
Re: Cam spec help

Too late now I already got a cam. I just searched my email, I contacted them at least once in 2004 (no response).
Then I contacted them again in 2007 and recieved a copy of my own cam request (WTF?) from "mmaxwell" at compcams. That was the last I heard. I sent another email to follow up and ask "mmaxwell" for status and he didnt respond.

I guess next time I'll try hounding them on the phone, or better yet - go to another company who responds to the first request instead of wasting my time with forms that nobody's handling.
 
TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Re: Cam spec help

DaveP said:
Something about 4-bolt main caps that some people may not know or realize: This is more to strengthen the block, than to 'hold the crank in'. Visualize it. More structure holding the two 'halves' of the block togeather across the bottom of the V. Reduces cracking in the main saddles at higher outputs.

Now someone please explain why the gray iron caps on the stock SyTy block are better than the regular steel stuff?
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I have no proof or experience to back this up, only what I have been told by a few shops around here. What I have heard is that it can actually weaken the wall by drilling the extra holes. A guy at the machine shop I currently use races 4.3 in circle track. He has had a ton of experience racing with them and tried the 4 bolt caps and said that they ended up cracking part of that wall. He told me he has been racing on the 2 bolt for years now and has yet to break them but that the main problem with the 4.3 period, is the oiling system being that they only have two gallies as opposed to the SBC or Bowtie that have three. Essentially the cam, right lifter bank and crank all share the big one on the right I believe. He told me he didn't try the 4 bolt caps again and doesn't think it is necessary but he couldn't tell me not to do it either. Again, don't bash me if this info isn't 100% correct, it's just someone elses experience and I thought I would relay it.
 
TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Re: Cam spec help

What I would be interested in is if htey had aftermarket (nicer) 2 bolt caps. Any one know of any or have any links?
 
Six-is-Enough

Six-is-Enough

Use to do a little Boost
Re: Cam spec help

Tooky said:
Good luck getting it direct from Comp. They wouldn't even respond to my repeated requests for a cam spec. I spent a fair amount of time putting in detailed requests on their website cam spec form, total waste of time. Just another company that wants to avoid talking to their customers at all costs I guess.
Click to expand...


Try Cam Motion. They do alot of Turbo mustang cams and easy to deal with. Cheaper then Comp too.:2cents:
 
JSM

JSM

Active member
Re: Cam spec help

Yes they do make billet 2 bolt caps. I would agree with your engine guy if you used a straight 4 bolt cap, I don't agree with splayed caps.

I have seen 2 bolt caps walk around, which slowly eats at bearings. As much keeping thing in 1 place as anything.
 
TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Re: Cam spec help

Well, this whole thread is now obsolete since my entire build plan has changed. Because I am not building anything but buying Ry's old short block. I already bought the heads from Ryan last feb or march so with hte bottom end ready to go I should be in business.
 
turbodig

turbodig

Active member
Re: Cam spec help

Dan Strezo did mine... DLS Engine development.
He built Doc Hoover's original motor, I believe.
 
turbodig

turbodig

Active member
Re: Cam spec help

TwinTurboV8Ty said:
Yes they do make billet 2 bolt caps. I would agree with your engine guy if you used a straight 4 bolt cap, I don't agree with splayed caps.

I have seen 2 bolt caps walk around, which slowly eats at bearings. As much keeping thing in 1 place as anything.
Click to expand...

Personally, I think 2-bolt caps will hold as much power as anything else. The common reason for bearing failure and caps moving around has nothing to do with structural integrity or oiling. Detonation kills a lot more than pistons.

Your engine guy is right about the oiling, but he also spins the crap out of his motors. Yours will be less than 6k, always.

My motor has:

TRW pistons
Eagle rods
Stock 2-bolt Nodular caps with ARP studs, torqued and re-torqued a bunch of times.

People want to believe that they need to spend big $$ on flashy engine parts... the truth is that the simple stuff will work just fine....

...unless you let it ping. Then, you could spend $20k on internals, and it would still spin bearings, break rods, and hammer the crap out of pistons.
 
turbodig

turbodig

Active member
Re: Cam spec help

SY2455 said:
Can you explain this?
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Not much to explain, really.

I used the main caps it came with, and replaced the stock bolts with ARP studs that I got from Hood. I put the new bearings in (they have a dry film lube on 'em), torqued 'em, and checked clearances with plastigauge. It agreed with my previous crank/bearing measurements, so I disassembled, cleaned the plastigauge off, added the assembly lube, and put the caps back on. I torqued the nuts down again.
Then, I loosened the nuts again, and retorqued. Repeat 4-5 times more.

The re-torqueing insures that the studs will stretch a uniform amount, so the torque is consistent across all the studs, and won't change once the caps are loaded.

I also had someone else verify my final torque check, too, just to make sure my head was on straight that day. It was. :)
 
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