i am thinking of putting a camshaft in y truck since i already have it apart, anyone have any suggestions as to what i should put in. i am thinking of going with a bigger turbo or possably twins someday. i just wanted to go ahead and put a cam in since i am putting seals in everything while i have it apart. i have read about the helix cams, were could i get one of these and will it work ok with my setup and bigger injectors. thanks

 

Hamilton BIG stick gets my vote for sure i love it

 

I have heard great things about Bill Fletcher's cam. Bill has been building race cummins engines for years he built a 9 sec cummins 6 years ago! Installed one in a first gen and just by cranking the engine over the turbo already starded spooling up. Also a friend just installed on a second gen 12v and at 1 inch of pedal was making 30lbs. The other guies selling aftermarket cams speacialize in building fuel pumps, Bill builds race engines been doing it for years.

 

A good cam will loose 5-10lbs of boost over a stock cam

A small intake lobe aids in great spoolup but does not move as much air as larger lobes. Combine that with a large exhaust and the turbo is driven much harder producing much more boost, this recipe for cams explains why others are making so much boost pressure. Earlier opening exhaust makes much more drive pressure, The added boost is in the intake making pressure not in the cylinder making power. CFM is much more important than PSI

Other side benefits of making more power with less boost are.
1 The intake temps are MUCH lower (more dense air)
2 longer turbo life
3 Much less drive pressure

 

yup! Which cam would you recomend?

 

Which cam would you recomend for towing? Do you have a website?

 

I love my Helix 2.

 

Call it a hunch, but I think he would recommend a Hamilton cam.
I've got a Big Stick on order, looking forward to seeing the difference.

 

i called source automotive and they talked me in to the hamilton cam, said i wouldnt regret it. so we will see i guess, i asked about the helix and they said it was on back order and he thought that the hamilton cam was better. well see. iam a little nervous about it but i think it will work

 

there are a few good cams out there. I'm not trying to advertise but rather poke holes in some misconcieved ideas about cams. If you are making a lot more boost, I question the design of the cam unless you are trying to get a lot more drive pressure to keep you charger lit on a unlimited size single pulling class.

Factory cams open the exhaust valve very late.This is good in that it gets every ounce of heat energy(expansion) to be applied on the piston and makes for a longer power stroke as well as lower emissions.
ALL performance cams open the exhaust valve sooner, some more than others. This allows the boost to come on lower in the rpm range. There is a point around 126 degrees after TDC in the power stroke when opening it much sooner wastes energy that should be pushing on the piston.

On the intake side smaller intakes put on the right centerline will usually make better bottom end due to the fact that they are not open after bottom dead center as long. If a cam keeps the valve open after bottom dead center then at low rpm when the piston is traveling upward all of the air is being pushed into the intake instead of making compression. This loss of air makes a slugish dead bottom end but makes a much better mid and top rpm due to the fact that you can keep filling the cylinder higher in the compression stroke the higher rpm you go. At 5k the intake valve opens 41 times per second. This means you need duration and lots of it. Larger duration intakes let more air pass through the engine with less restriction. Boost being a measure of restriction, the higher the boost the higher the restriction. Do nothing other than open the valve higher, and leave it open a touch longer, air enters the cylinder easier..........less restriction, less boost, more power.


Now if you use very aggressive intake ramps then you have a shorter seat duration numbers but maintain great duraton at high lift. You will maintain great bottom end without having to use a monstrous exhaust valve and waste all of your heat energy to spool the turbo. Moving LOTS of air through the engine will show itself in greater power with lower boost. Lower egts with 8-10psi less boost should not make sense unless you are moving a lot more air.



Zach

 

This guy knows his cams! BOOYEAH!!

 

Tingram-don't be nervous, if you don't like it I will buy it back or I will buy you a helix. Fair enough? I've thrown that offer out a lot. Haven't had to buy one yet!

Here is a cam comparrison with the two cams you are mentioning.
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...an_Pic0002.jpg

 

pretty impresive, thanks for the offer but iam sure you wont have to buy it back. that is one hell of an offer and personally i like someone who is confident in their work i respect that. as soon as i have it in i will post some results. thanks for the comparison as well. it will be a while before i get my head back so i will let everyone know my first impressions.

 

I live close to Rip at sourceautomotive been pondering the cam also I have heard so much gunk from threads on people that dont know what they are talking about. I think you (hamilton) have the knowledge. I have been told that due to me and a six speed that a cam would be useless. I dont tow much, dont sled pull. just daily work, driver hotrod. will soon go to bigger sticks and twins. so with a 6 speed and what I have now. where would my biggest compliment come with your cam and springs. also keep in mind planning on bigger injectors and twins next year from source. thanks.

 

I called Zach and spoke with him about this. He said I would notice faster spool up less egts and possible a power increase due to the longer time the combustion pressure has to "work" in the cylinder.

Zach, correct me is I misspoke

Jason