3800 My cam questions.

[dole21]

OK...I've been looking into these....but the problem is I have no idea what these numbers mean. This is the 1st I've started looking at them.

I dont' wanna have to port my heads or anyting like that...


Intense 1-$199.99
CAM-670 - INTENSE™ Stage 1 Blower Cam, duration @ .050": 209º/204º, lobe lifts: .305"/.298", valve lifts with 1.60:1 rocker arms: .488"/.477", lobe separation angle: 113º, intake centerline: 108º


Intense 1X-$299.99
CAM-671 - INTENSE™ Stage 1X Blower Cam, duration @ .050": 210º/221º, lobe lifts: .321"/.329", valve lifts with 1.60:1 rocker arms: .514"/.526", lobe separation angle: 115º, intake centerline: 111º (+$100.00)


Sooooo..i see the number differences but can someone actually tell me what they mean?


Thanks for helping the cam newbie....lol

Click to read more...

 

[antpearl]

you know...i have the same questions...i realize the numbers are different but what do they mean? Scott...big Jeff any input here, we've got two "which cam" posts.... you could try pm'ing a couple of the 'smarter' guys. maybe they can help

 

[Dreamcat78]

well me being a little GT..I am going with the N/A 3800 Cam from intense...I truly feel its the best cam for my car.... i think each car is unique with its mods ..so it needs a certain cam if chosen to get one!
good luck on the cam hunt!

 

[imported_Ron Vogel]

A good rule of thumb with cams: look at the lobe seperation. The bigger it is, the rougher the idle. This is because you are tuning to a rpm band. The stock cam has a tight lobe seperation and tunes for a lower rpm band, and cylinder pressures at lower rpms are higher, giving more complete combustion at idle making it smoother. As the lobe seperation is wider, the idle will lope as the combustion events overlap. The reason the lift is higher is mostly to cope with the higher flow required at higher rpms. Both cams have the potential to make the same power with similar mods because of rotational friction. The faster you spin, the more friction you see, but the rotational mass will carry you through the shifts. On the street I would opt for a tighter lobe seperation, since most of your cars operational rpm's are lower. If you upgrade to a steeper gear you can better take advantage of a wider lobe seperation because you will be able to rev quiker. It's easy to throw too big a cam in a street car and have a bog machine if the proper balance of components is not acheived.

 

[imported_Ron Vogel]

BTW, in an old Pontiac 400, I had a 3/4 race cam: 221 duration at .050 lift, .480 lift with 1.6 rockers, 111 lobe seperation. Very good street/strip cam, on a good launch I could pull the front tires. My rev ceiling was around 6300, and power dropped off quickly at 6800.