Could someone explain to me what determines if a cam is emissions legal or not. What should I look for? lobe, lift, duration? Thanks in advance for any info guys.

 

It all falls in a massive grey area. If its C.A.R.B legal thats just an issue of whether or not it was approved, but if you're asking sniffer legal, traxion took a cam to extremes and still passed with the aid of a brand new cat and some tuning. So First off, define your "emissions legal"

lobe sep / duration will have the biggest effect on emissions

 

Id like to pass smog, basically with no problems. This CA emissions law is strick.

 

Ahhh yes

Well you can try for as much lift as your springs/wallet can handle, but duration and SMALLER LSA create a harder condition to get by emissions

 

Thanx for the replies tpi_roc! Do you think that a cam with the specs of duration: Int. 218 Exh. 224, lift: Int. .495 Exh. .503, LSA 112 would pass smog in CA?

 

I still think traxions is a little bigger than that one, and he passed, but it takes tuning and a cat

 

What test are they running in Fairfield? I'd assume its not the 'enhanced area' treadmill/dyno test, but just a sniffer up the pipe. If its just the sniffer, you wont have a problem with that cam unless something is wrong with the car. I have a 350 with 224/232 .497/517 with no EGR, AIR, but a cat and passed the sniffer with flying colors.

 

Thanx for the info fellas.

Madmax,
Yea, its just the regular old sniffer we have here in Fairfield.

I think I will read up on the cam article they had on CHP in the 2002 May issue, "Overlap Chronicles". Maybe I will learn more about cams. Thanks again fellow T-geners!