Cam for my 4.1 build

B

Black Power

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2006
Well the 3.8 made an early exit Saturday night due to a little too much nitrous.

I am building a budget 4.1 with hyper pistons. Plans call for a CPT 61 journal bearing turbo, 9/11 3k stall, FMIC, and slightly ported heads.

The cams I am looking at are the 212/212 on a 110 LSA (leaning towards this one), 212/212 on a 112, and the 218/218 on a 110.

This is a street car that I will run at the track once or twice a month.

Supposing I do choose one of the 212 cams, which one and why? And how streetable is the 218? Idle characteristics? Any help appreciated.:cool:

oh yeah, this is not a 109 stroker, this is a factory 4.1 that I am praying has a good strong no cracking deck...
 
Do more homework on the cam selection. Too much cam and the street driving will suffer unless you don't mind big rpm manners on the street. IF it were me I may even consider a 208-208...killer low and mid range power with great street torque. Doesn't do badly at the track either, after all stock cammed cars have been to 10's...not an easy thing but has been done. :eek: I've heard good things on 210-214's also but haven't ran one. Read a lot, maybe talk to a good known builder for advice, and buy once.
 
At the most the 212-212. But that is a cam for mid to high rpm range. For a street motor and non roller I would agree with Lee.
 
:cool: I'll take the 218 man, kicks a$$ in a 3.8 but should kick mow a$$ in a 4.1:biggrin:
I can still see it, that 3.8 with a flat tappet 218 kicking a$$ big time many years ago.
 
Right now have a 212/212 roller but I know I need bigger. Call Mike at Full Throttle and see what he recommends. The 21cid difference in displacement and the reduced valve shrouding can make up a lot in streetability on bigger cams.
 
I used the 218 and it was awesome. I built a new 4.1 and I am using an Elgin 214/224 I got for $69
 
Those bigger cams are great for making big power, but I don't agree with those cams for a person how drives it on the street and doesn't beat it. And if you don't race it but once or twice then I would run a more street friendly cam. I have the comp cams 218-212 roller and love the top end power it makes, but it does have a lumpy idle. Its not for everyone.
 
The "Whoop A$$" 218 that I saw would put down a better 60 ft., 330 ft., 1/8 mile, 1/4 mile and gave the car character; where's the down side?
That GN reminded me of Darth Vader who hadn't had his lunch.:D

There are some better cams out there now but not by much, like maybe that 214/224 or something close to it.

That 218 made my 208/208 Erson look like a cup cake.:D
 
I know not everone who owns a buick wants to make 500 horsepower, so bigger is not always better. There is nothing wrong with going a single step up from stock. And my 218-212 does what I need it to. Just because I don't have the biggest cam does not mean I can't make big power. Matching the engine can make more power than just throwing parts at it. And I built it to make the power I wanted, not what the next guy has.
 
boostingbuick said:
I know not everone who owns a buick wants to make 500 horsepower, so bigger is not always better. There is nothing wrong with going a single step up from stock. And my 218-212 does what I need it to. Just because I don't have the biggest cam does not mean I can't make big power. Matching the engine can make more power than just throwing parts at it. And I built it to make the power I wanted, not what the next guy has.
Click to expand...

Matching the combo/"TUNING" is everything and we all know a roller will make more power than a flat tappet with everything being equal. Back around 1988/89 when these cars were new and not a hole lot of good stuff was out yet this guy named Bob Anderson (not related to Bill Anderson who I also know) was ruining very low 12's with just $300 of parts tops including his "own" chip when "everyone" else was running mid 13's with $3000 dollars of Ken Bell parts; so who do you think I listen too.:D

PS: The only thing that did not look dusty and stock under this guys hood was a K&N 9" filter.
 
A stock bottom end that's been revved too high trying to reach a big cam's potential one time too many is not a pretty sight and can be expensive unless your pocket's are way deep......:rolleyes:
 
WHEEZER said:
A stock bottom end that's been revved too high trying to reach a big cam's potential one time too many is not a pretty sight and can be expensive unless your pocket's are way deep......:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

In my experience,this is how it works.

I use a larger cam,not for higher RPM.But for getting more air into the cylinder at all boost levels.I like to think of it as not boosting against the cam,a smaller cam will keep more boost in the intake than in the cylinder.

I like to use a smaller turbo with a bigger cam to keep the turbo in its efficiency range,and for quicker spoolup without a huge converter like those 70 and up turbos use.

I used a 218 cam and a T63 with a 3200 stall and had instant boost.

I could run 93 octane and 16# of boost and do 7.10 - 7.20 consistently in the 1/8 mile with no more than a 5# launch ,60' was typically 1.52 to 1.53.

I see no downside.I could drive tha car anywhere,matter of fact I drove the car an hour both ways to and from the track running those numbers with no more than letting some air out of the slicks.
 
You should share this with the manufacturers, many thousands of dollars could have been saved by not having to come up with so many grinds....who would have thought one size fits all?? All their countless research and development hours fine tuning specific grinds...wasted for naught. Cam opinions have been around since before you and I were here and will be here after we are gone. You obviously mistook my input as arguing with you. VortechWS6, go get a cam identical to what this guy has and you will be more than satisfied with the results, you have his word on that. Boy. I stand corrected beyond belief for even having thoughts that any other grind may work for you. I humbly and most embarrasingly withdraw my input from this thread and will not ever make the mistake of trying to steer someone in the right direction again on anything. :confused:
 
WHEEZER said:
You should share this with the manufacturers, many thousands of dollars could have been saved by not having to come up with so many grinds....who would have thought one size fits all?? All their countless research and development hours fine tuning specific grinds...wasted for naught. Cam opinions have been around since before you and I were here and will be here after we are gone. You obviously mistook my input as arguing with you. VortechWS6, go get a cam identical to what this guy has and you will be more than satisfied with the results, you have his word on that. Boy. I stand corrected beyond belief for even having thoughts that any other grind may work for you. I humbly and most embarrasingly withdraw my input from this thread and will not ever make the mistake of trying to steer someone in the right direction again on anything. :confused:
Click to expand...

I don't see where I insulted you,all I was doing was explaining why I chose the 218. Thats MY theory,and it seems to work.

Too bad you are not open minded to a different train of thought.

Sorry that not bowing down to your almighty wisdom got you upset.

The man got suggestions by us based on what has worked for US.

Lighten up dude,this is HIS motor,that HE will be using. Your preferences may be different from his.
 
WHEEZER said:
You should share this with the manufacturers, many thousands of dollars could have been saved by not having to come up with so many grinds....who would have thought one size fits all?? All their countless research and development hours fine tuning specific grinds...wasted for naught. Cam opinions have been around since before you and I were here and will be here after we are gone. You obviously mistook my input as arguing with you. VortechWS6, go get a cam identical to what this guy has and you will be more than satisfied with the results, you have his word on that. Boy. I stand corrected beyond belief for even having thoughts that any other grind may work for you. I humbly and most embarrasingly withdraw my input from this thread and will not ever make the mistake of trying to steer someone in the right direction again on anything. :confused:
Click to expand...


:rolleyes: OH,and I'm sure comp and crane and all of those companies have a buick GN that they test cams in all the time.
 
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