Picking a Cam??????

[87TurboGirl]

Well I am shopping again for a new cam. We just bought a new lunati cam and lifters, and had horrible luck with it. 3 lobes are gone. So after new oil pump, new timing cover and some other odds and ends, we were getting ready to change out the lifters and noticed the cam was flat.

My question is if I change the cam size do I have to get a new chip? (Probley a stupid question). I currently have a 210/205. Which from reading posts is quite the old timers grind (lol).

And what is the best cam for my application? (please read my sig).

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Nick Micale]

Originally posted by 87TurboGirl
Well I am shopping again for a new cam. We just bought a new lunati cam and lifters, and had horrible luck with it. 3 lobes are gone......do I have to get a new chip?

And what is the best cam for my application? .......
Thanks!

Here is my opinion as to what I would do in your case.

As to grind, I prefer the 206/206 as having done many of them.
They are a docile street cam that can take you into the 10's when properly supported.

Since you have already suffered the grief of a wiped cam, I would use the new Comp Cams ductile roller kit. It is easily installed with your current timing chain set up and even your valve springs. The ductile roller is the same technology that has been around for years in late Chevy motors with great success. Comp has done it for turbo Buicks just about a year ago.

There are now many running with excellent performance and manners, and should prove to be reliable. So far, only "caveat" is to be sure your block does NOT have excessive wear at the front of the block where the cam thrust rides. Normal installations have been free of any glitches.

Your chip should be fine with a street-grind new cam.

 

[87TurboGirl]

Thanks for the info Nick, It is much appreicated. My husband wasn't sure witht he changing of the chip, because with his camaro if he changes anything he needs a new chip.

Thanks.

 

[Gr82baGN]

I agree with Nick,

I had the new Comp Cam 206\206 ductile roller kit installed and so far it has been trouble free. I'm really impressed with how it woke the car up in everyday street driving.

 

[FJM568]

Been away from this BB for a little while...

Curious on this ductile roller cam...What kind of price are we talking about here??? And most of all, the long-term reliability of it??? If this has been discussed before, then please direct me to the proper threads...

And another question about the cam thrust surface on the front of the block, Nick...How much do you consider "excessive" wear??? And how would you go about fixing that??? Some kind of machined into front of the block thrust bearing or something??? I'd hate to lose all the time and money spent on the block to pitch it and start all over again(Have steel center mains, align bore, etc...)

Thanks for any info...

 

[STP]

Nick or anyone else with experience with these cams, is the valvetrain noticeably louder? What is desired spring pressure? Does it come ready to be installed? or do you have to machine the nose off it?

 

[87TurboGirl]

I am curious as well, I had origionally told my husband about the ductile roller cam, and he looked at me like I was making something up, He just told me to get more info on it and a price....

Also what is the difference between a 206/206, 212/212, 218/218? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

 

[Nick Micale]

Any hydraulic roller cam will have a slightly different sound than a stock flat tappet. Hard to notice any difference with a roller normally unless it is one of the more agressive grinds.

It is a simple install, with no machining necessary. Spring pressure can be 110#'s according to Comp. Use higher pressures if lots of high RPM use is intended.

This is a recently introduced product that Comp has been developing for a couple years. Installs I have done are like Gr82 said above, runs, sounds great, no hassles.

If your block/cam surface is worn 0.050 or more, repair should be done no matter which cam is installed. This is not a normal situation, and there are various ways to fix it.

The larger more agressive grinds above the 206 should be used when MORE than an occasional trip to the track is planned and with GOOD flowing heads. This is just my opinion based upon installs I have done. The 206 grind is nice on the street and will go easy 10's with the proper support items.

 

[Brian Mc]

What is this cam? what does "ductile roller" mean? I didn't see a description of what it is yet. Did a Yahoo! search and came up with nothing.

 

[87TurboGirl]

Yeah I can't find any info on it either, Brian. Very curious though.

Thank you Nick for the info on different cams.

 

[STP]

"ductile" is the type of material the cam is made of. Just got off the phone with CCams. The 206/206 with .496 lift ductile costs $612 w/lifters. You will need, like Nick said, at least 110# springs and correct length pushrods. It comes ready to be installed, with even fire cam nose. I'm trying decide if it's worth it on my driver..

 

[Nick Micale]

Thanks for the help STP!

A ductile roller differs from a billet roller in that the dist/cam sensor gear is cast into it like a stock cam. On a billet or odd-fire cam, a separate gear [long discontinued], spacer and other parts are needed for install. Also, a different timing set is required as well as machining for the cam, gear and other parts.

Complete billet roller kit costs over $1000 plus being more difficult to install. Ductile roller with integral gear make it cheaper and easier to install a roller cam in a Buick motor.

Chevy, Buick and others have used roller cams in factory motors since late the 80's. This is the same technology that Comp Cams used in bringing out this "retro fit" cam kit for the turbo Buick motors. Hope this helps explain the background of how we arrived with this new product in the Buick community.

 

[lazaris]

Nick,

Would they be durable enough if you went with a big cam like a 236 and acompanying higher spring rates in the 150# range?

 

[Chris McDade]

Nick,
Do you sell the Ductile iron roller cam kit? If so how much for the 206/206? What sizes do they ( comp ) offer in this kit? Are they stock?


Thanks in advance

 

[Turbo RX-6]

Summit sells the cams and lifters. Cams go for $275.00 & lifters go for $280.00.

 

[TURBO 6]

I am interested in the Comp roller also.
Nick, What grind should I go with? My heads flow like gangbusters. I am thinking the 218/212. I want to notice a difference when I spend the money. Check my sig for the #'s and the combo. Thanks!

 

[STP]

Laz can you run 150# closed seat psi on an iron head without experiencing coil bind?

 

[boostedLC2]

Originally posted by Nick Micale
Thanks for the help STP!

Chevy, Buick and others have used roller cams in factory motors since late the 80's. This is the same technology that Comp Cams used in bringing out this "retro fit" cam kit for the turbo Buick motors. Hope this helps explain the background of how we arrived with this new product in the Buick community.

Just a point of clarification... the Chevy small blocks (Gen I pass car, Gen II pass car, Gen IE truck, and Gen III car/truck) have all used billet steel roller cams, not iron cams. The 3800 series II motors have also employed steel cams (forged steel for a while, now billet). The 2.5L iron duke motor did use an austempered ductile iron cam w/ rollers when it was in production.

Not saying that these new cams won't work - in fact I think they're a great idea as long as you don't go crazy with lift/spring loads. The ADI cams have a yield stress of approx 240 Ksi while billet steel can run up to 300 Ksi.

Hope this helps,

Jim

 

[49-blues]

What other grinds are available ? any of them come with a longer exhaust duration like a 204/214 ?

 

[lazaris]

STP,

It depends on the installed height of the spring. You may require a larger diameter spring to get the job done and if so would require machining the spring seats on the head.