8A_Honda

Okay, I'm starting to get ready to build my motorbut not up to date on all the cam stuff. Anyone mind giving some info on cams? Not sure what the difference is between the roller, tappet, or whatever else there is. Also, not sure which would be best to go with for this motor. I'm wanting to stroke it to a 408 with about an 8:1compressionand a power adder.

I'd personally like to be able to drive it more than I work on it (like I had to with my last car). So not having to adjust the valves all the time would be nice. Which cam needs to have the valves adjusted and which one doesn't? Is there a cam that doesn't require a lot of machine work to the block? Pro's and Con's for the cams? Thanks for any feedback.

Scott

MadMan@TheWheel

Damn, that is a lot of questions.

Basically I would look at what you want for a power-adder, that is going to determine a lot. If you are wanting a huffer then the dynamics of the cam will be different. If you want a Centri or a Twin Screw will also determine cam choices.

To get the most out of any motor, the cam and head choices are amongst the most important decisions you can make. If you are going to be fuel injected, then even a somewhat radical cam is not too bad street driven. 408's are great motors and I have driven them plenty every day. Your biggest issue will be finding the Heads that will allow an 8:5:1 compression ratio, or in that ballpark, it's out there but it can be a task.

Roller cams are great in the proper application. Put simply the lifters have a roller bearing on the bottom side of the tappet to reduce friction. The camshaft also undergoes a slightly different machining process to establish the proper finish for a roller bearing. If you have a roller block then it is the way to go...period, if you don't flat tappet motors are good also and have been tried and proven many times over. Basically and hydraulic lifter is going to need adjusting as they have a tendency over time to weaken due to lifter spring compression and load changes associated with high rpm's and temperature. You will find adjustment hard to get around.

The next thing so far as cam choice is for best streetability try and keep your lift under .550 and be sure to get with someone who knows about piston clearance to ensure you will not need it. (Certain heads require a cut piston regardless) So do your research on that ahead of time. And if you are running an automatic be sure that you use a proper cam/stall combination also. As you can see there are a ton of things to consider. You can P/M me for more specifics and links if you want, I have built a lot of 408's, I can be of some assistance.

Good luck and have fun!!

8A_Honda

Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, links would be good. Anything to help guide me in the right direction would be really helpful as I'm not yet aware of all the good sites to find good information from. Appreciate it.

MadMan@TheWheel

www.kennebell.comTwin Screw Superchargers Considered the best
www.vortech.comCentri S/C
www.andersonfordmotorsport.comA great place to get top end packages
www.crower.comA cam manufacturer
www.lunaticams.comAnother one
www.cranecams.com And yet a third.

MadMan@TheWheel

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/tec..._pushrods.html

One of the best explainations of valvetrain components, the differences and how they work. It is from a Chevy Magazine but the basics never change.