what cams?

[yayoboy]

as you know from my project thread im buildin a 'race spec' c20xe, just wonderin what cams to go for, i bought some ast1612s (kent fast road) before i decided to go extreme on the engine so now on the on the advice of phil of here im lookin at gettin some more suited to the spec, i have been told by chd and kent to go for ast 1603s, with the competition lifters (iv already had the head work done dual springs ported etc.) would like to stay with kent as used them b4 and like them. any ideas? thanks

[philip]

on duals maybe look at the 1623's;)

are you going hydraulic or solid followers???

[yayoboy]

still undecided m8 been told 2 use kents competition hydraulic lifters?

[philip]

i cant see there being very much differance between a normal INA hydraulic and the kent.

tbh from the things you were suggested about the mild cams, springs etc, they really havent got a clue about building a decent spec head thats going to be good enough and reliable enough for what you seem to want.

what are you going to be using the car for?

[Will F]

Define 'race' spec.

Does it mean race on the road, track, up a hill etc etc?

If you mean a high spec (hot rod etc) XE, the only way to go is solid/mechanical lifters with custom (kent etc) cams....

Have a look at some and choose what spec you want then buy the cams to suit - Kent will make you whatever you want.

[yayoboy]

the car is going to be half road half track, something i can have a play with on the odd weekends, not an everyday car. he has suggested to me going to the 1603 with hydraulic followers as if its going to be used on the road those cams are more suited ie not ticking over at 2500 and having to rev the **** out of it to get the power, spoke to kent and with my setup they suggest about 240/250 ish bhp with the 1603s?

[philip]

tbh matey i dont rate kent at all. on what they qoute powerband wise, they say with the 1603s it could make that, i wouldnt be so sure. 278 deg cam is quite mild compared to what you want to gain imo. im running wilder cams for 250bhp!

if it was me id look at QED 450v's, newmans, maybe piper bp300s and definately go on solid lifters, especially if want to do track days, there far better than hydraulics.

[Will F]

the car is going to be half road half track, something i can have a play with on the odd weekends, not an everyday car. he has suggested to me going to the 1603 with hydraulic followers as if its going to be used on the road those cams are more suited ie not ticking over at 2500 and having to rev the **** out of it to get the power, spoke to kent and with my setup they suggest about 240/250 ish bhp with the 1603s?

240/250?? Wow, you need a LOT more than cams to get that sort of power.

Whats the rest of teh spec. for that sort of power you WILL need solids and rev it to get the most out of it.

I have some quite lairy cams in mine and it idles lovely at 900 rpm. All down to the mapping mate.

[philip]

will - check his project build matey.

PEC rods and wossner pistons etc. ive spoke to shaun(yayoboy) about the head spec last week and from what he was reccomended by a supposidly good headshop was shocking. for what he wants from the engine. i dont rate the company at all anyway tbh.

id definately say go for the solids and something cam wise that ive mentioned above.

[Will F]

OK - but steel rods and forged pistons are just the start - the head/valve train will need a lot of work too....

Appreciate that he is asking the right questions though.

[philip]

i had a chat with him on the phone as i priced a head up for him, and found out what work he was going to have done, and tbh the spec they gave him was ****e.

but as you said, its best to ask about first than rely on what the companys have said will work, when turns out there talkin ****e...imo anyway

[yayoboy]

goin for 1608s, decided, im gonna stay hydraulic at the mo and then go for solids later on, when the car becomes more track based, ill be gettin in touch with you phil about that, but as regards chds head work, its damn good, just dont think he has the best idea with cams, kent themselves have said to go for the 1608s then will be goin for solids, im still pretty confident tho from speakin to kent, sbd and chris astley that i should be there or abouts at 225 230 we will see. what everone has to bear in mind is that i do have an idea of what im doing and so do all these other companies who recommend me, but at this mo in time its not going to be a out and out track car, thats why i/they think these cams on hydraulics will suit for now, any ways, phil, ill be in touch m8, oh, how good are the hydraulic lifters from autosport? cheers for opinions

[philip]

no prob matey, just i know what it would be like if geting told that this and that will make X amount, then when it comes to it, it doesnt. so just basing my comments/suggestions on what i know and seen to work. not from a selling point of view.

any pics of the head work? would be interesting to see if ok?

btw go to SBD or autovaux for INA lifters;)

[yayoboy]

thanks m8, will get some pics up when i get the head back 2moz, will you be able to do all the shimmin when i go solid?

[philip]

yeah can sort the shimming, just let me know when;)

[yayoboy]

more than likely when i leave the rollin road cryin lol!

[philip]

lol, can i say...told you so if doesnt make power you want? i know how hard it is to get an xe making gen power


let me know how get on anyway matey:thumb:

[Will F]

SBD used to claim 225 with their 278/284 cams, but that was on a dyno - without all the ancilleries etc....

Anything over 200 will be an achievement on hydraulics, or on anything tbh.

People tend to think its easy to achieve big power with XE's, which I spose it is if you have a large bank account....

I guess its getting the balance right between longevity and power