What makes a cam "computer friendly"?
10-02-2002, 12:13 PM
#1
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Car: 1988 Chevy Camaro Hardtop
Engine: Turbocharged/Intercooled 3.1
Transmission: World Class T5 5 Speed
What makes a cam "computer friendly"?
Just curious... headed down to my local Auto parts store to check out camshafts, and they've got a stock cam for $99, or a "high performance" for $100.
Difference?
Cam #1 is a 195º/200º @ .050" lift
Cam #2 is a 206º/206º @ .050" lift
No specs on gross lift of the cam though, but the 206º/206º is real close to the cam specs I'm looking for.
The other cam I was looking at was the Crane 2030 - 204º/214º
I'd rather go with a single pattern cam, though, as my experience seems to show that a Chevy engine runs better on that. Now on the (real) Pontiac engines, like my '77 354, I'd go dual pattern, due to a weak exhaust setup....
Anyway, what can the stock computer take, as far as cam specs, without reprogramming it?
Difference?
Cam #1 is a 195º/200º @ .050" lift
Cam #2 is a 206º/206º @ .050" lift
No specs on gross lift of the cam though, but the 206º/206º is real close to the cam specs I'm looking for.
The other cam I was looking at was the Crane 2030 - 204º/214º
I'd rather go with a single pattern cam, though, as my experience seems to show that a Chevy engine runs better on that. Now on the (real) Pontiac engines, like my '77 354, I'd go dual pattern, due to a weak exhaust setup....
Anyway, what can the stock computer take, as far as cam specs, without reprogramming it?
10-02-2002, 12:22 PM
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Car: 1988 Chevy Camaro Hardtop
Engine: Turbocharged/Intercooled 3.1
Transmission: World Class T5 5 Speed
Perhaps I should add -
This is an '88 Camaro, MAF setup. 2.8 right now, but I plan a 2.8-into-a-3.1 later.
This is an '88 Camaro, MAF setup. 2.8 right now, but I plan a 2.8-into-a-3.1 later.
10-02-2002, 12:39 PM
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Car: 95 E-150 & 07 Kawasaki ZX-6R
Engine: A slow one & a fast one
Transmission: A bad one & a good one
Axle/Gears: A weak one & a chained one
If you're gonna do an engine swap, don't waste the time doing a 2.8 to a 3.1..do a 3.4 swap. There's like a thousand and a half articles on it in here. The 3.1's only made 5 hp more than a 2.8, although the torque difference is noticeable--15-20 more. A 3.1 is simply a stroked 2.8... The 3.4 is much nicer..160 hp vs a 3.1's 140. And I believe the 3.4 is right around 200 ft/lbs.
10-02-2002, 12:55 PM
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Car: 1986 Firebird
Engine: 2.8 V6
Transmission: 700R4
Supposedly, if a cam is computer (and emissions!!) friendly for a V8 TPI, a cam with a similar grind will be friendly with our computer. One such measurement is lobe separation. The higher the #, the smoother the idle- less valve overlap, and more vacuum. The lobe sep for our stock 2.8 cam (85-89) is 108 degrees. The compucam 2030 is 109 degrees, which suggests that it'll give a smooth idle. The GM performance cams have 112! Valve overlap is when both valves are open at the same time. This can be good for power because when the exhaust valve is closing, and the intake valve is opening- because the exhaust gas is leaving, it helps to suck the intake charge into the cylinder. However a computer car would see that and have a fit; the oxy sensor would probably go nuts.. not to mention the poor idle quality which would probably throw the comptuer off, too. So the less valve overlap = the more computer friendly.
Stock, for a 305, the cam with a manual trans has lobe sep of 114.5. Cam for automatic trans has lobe sep of 109 degrees. (Note, already, from the start, the v8 has higher lobe sep #s). The compucam 2030 for v8's has a lobe sep of 116 degrees. What's cool is that the advertised duration at 0.050" is the same as the 2030 grind for the 2.8/3.1! Kind suggests that since the 2030 for v8's (part #104221, from page http://www.cranecams.com/master/apps/chevy37.htm ) is emissions legal, that the 2030 for v6's might also be emissions legal.
'Course this is more of a concern for anyone in states like mine that do their emissions testing on a dyno...
Stock, for a 305, the cam with a manual trans has lobe sep of 114.5. Cam for automatic trans has lobe sep of 109 degrees. (Note, already, from the start, the v8 has higher lobe sep #s). The compucam 2030 for v8's has a lobe sep of 116 degrees. What's cool is that the advertised duration at 0.050" is the same as the 2030 grind for the 2.8/3.1! Kind suggests that since the 2030 for v8's (part #104221, from page http://www.cranecams.com/master/apps/chevy37.htm ) is emissions legal, that the 2030 for v6's might also be emissions legal.
'Course this is more of a concern for anyone in states like mine that do their emissions testing on a dyno...
10-07-2002, 11:19 PM
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Car: 1988 Trans Am
Engine: 305 TPI
Originally posted by TomP
Supposedly, if a cam is computer (and emissions!!) friendly for a V8 TPI, a cam with a similar grind will be friendly with our computer. One such measurement is lobe separation. The higher the #, the smoother the idle- less valve overlap, and more vacuum. The lobe sep for our stock 2.8 cam (85-89) is 108 degrees. The compucam 2030 is 109 degrees, which suggests that it'll give a smooth idle. The GM performance cams have 112! Valve overlap is when both valves are open at the same time. This can be good for power because when the exhaust valve is closing, and the intake valve is opening- because the exhaust gas is leaving, it helps to suck the intake charge into the cylinder. However a computer car would see that and have a fit; the oxy sensor would probably go nuts.. not to mention the poor idle quality which would probably throw the comptuer off, too. So the less valve overlap = the more computer friendly.
Stock, for a 305, the cam with a manual trans has lobe sep of 114.5. Cam for automatic trans has lobe sep of 109 degrees. (Note, already, from the start, the v8 has higher lobe sep #s). The compucam 2030 for v8's has a lobe sep of 116 degrees. What's cool is that the advertised duration at 0.050" is the same as the 2030 grind for the 2.8/3.1! Kind suggests that since the 2030 for v8's (part #104221, from page http://www.cranecams.com/master/apps/chevy37.htm ) is emissions legal, that the 2030 for v6's might also be emissions legal.
'Course this is more of a concern for anyone in states like mine that do their emissions testing on a dyno...
Supposedly, if a cam is computer (and emissions!!) friendly for a V8 TPI, a cam with a similar grind will be friendly with our computer. One such measurement is lobe separation. The higher the #, the smoother the idle- less valve overlap, and more vacuum. The lobe sep for our stock 2.8 cam (85-89) is 108 degrees. The compucam 2030 is 109 degrees, which suggests that it'll give a smooth idle. The GM performance cams have 112! Valve overlap is when both valves are open at the same time. This can be good for power because when the exhaust valve is closing, and the intake valve is opening- because the exhaust gas is leaving, it helps to suck the intake charge into the cylinder. However a computer car would see that and have a fit; the oxy sensor would probably go nuts.. not to mention the poor idle quality which would probably throw the comptuer off, too. So the less valve overlap = the more computer friendly.
Stock, for a 305, the cam with a manual trans has lobe sep of 114.5. Cam for automatic trans has lobe sep of 109 degrees. (Note, already, from the start, the v8 has higher lobe sep #s). The compucam 2030 for v8's has a lobe sep of 116 degrees. What's cool is that the advertised duration at 0.050" is the same as the 2030 grind for the 2.8/3.1! Kind suggests that since the 2030 for v8's (part #104221, from page http://www.cranecams.com/master/apps/chevy37.htm ) is emissions legal, that the 2030 for v6's might also be emissions legal.
'Course this is more of a concern for anyone in states like mine that do their emissions testing on a dyno...
10-08-2002, 12:36 AM
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There is the 2030 solid flat tappet camshaft also... (PowerMax 2030).
It's entirely different than the hydraulic roller 2030.
It has 110 LSA and does communicate well with the stock computer.
It's entirely different than the hydraulic roller 2030.
It has 110 LSA and does communicate well with the stock computer.
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10-08-2002, 11:32 AM
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Crower stage 2 is the way I'd go...
Crane Cams website...
Lobe separation is the distance (in camshaft degrees) that the intake and exhaust lobe centerlines (for a given cylinder) are spread apart. Lobe separation is a physical characteristic of the camshaft and cannot be changed without regrinding the lobes. This separation determines where peak torque will occur within the engine’s power range. Tight lobe separations (such as 106°) cause the peak torque to build early in basic RPM range of the cam. The torque will be concentrated, build quickly and peak out. Broader lobe separations (such as 112°) allows the torque to be spread over a broader portion of the basic RPM range and shows better power through the upper RPM.
Crane Cams website...
Lobe separation is the distance (in camshaft degrees) that the intake and exhaust lobe centerlines (for a given cylinder) are spread apart. Lobe separation is a physical characteristic of the camshaft and cannot be changed without regrinding the lobes. This separation determines where peak torque will occur within the engine’s power range. Tight lobe separations (such as 106°) cause the peak torque to build early in basic RPM range of the cam. The torque will be concentrated, build quickly and peak out. Broader lobe separations (such as 112°) allows the torque to be spread over a broader portion of the basic RPM range and shows better power through the upper RPM.
10-08-2002, 05:04 PM
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Car: 1986 Firebird
Engine: 2.8 V6
Transmission: 700R4
Originally posted by Snowdog 91 Formula
There is the 2030 solid flat tappet camshaft also... (PowerMax 2030).
It's entirely different than the hydraulic roller 2030.
It has 110 LSA and does communicate well with the stock computer.
There is the 2030 solid flat tappet camshaft also... (PowerMax 2030).
It's entirely different than the hydraulic roller 2030.
It has 110 LSA and does communicate well with the stock computer.
And that reminds me, didn't Crane stop calling the CompuCam a compucam, and renamed it to PowerMax?
10-08-2002, 08:56 PM
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Car: 1988 Chevy Camaro Hardtop
Engine: Turbocharged/Intercooled 3.1
Transmission: World Class T5 5 Speed
Anyone have specs, or tried the Sealed Power EP2 CS-1032R cam? That's the 208º (not 206º!) cam I'm currently looking at...
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