This guy is absolutely remarkable! an excellent teacher. Explain extremely well. I’ve seen a lot of so call teachers , hey not even close to this guy. My opinion @ the top of the list, if not the top. My vintage iron keep it 100!! Thanks
Dude. I wish you could see the smile on my face when it clicked when you were talking about the exhaust pressure waves and what creates the sound we hear! You don't get to see this on YT like a teacher in the class, so I thought I'd tell ya. 😂😂😂
41:06 While you were out partying I was studying the combustion.... lol. Thanks man, you made it possible for the average gear head to select a cam with something more then an educated guess. For that we salute you.
You are the fortune cam guru that millions of people have needed for at least 30 years you would have saved me tons of money and time experimenting with engines and trying to create easy horsepower and torque, my hats off to Sir.
00:00 - Intro 00:27 - Overlap 04:21 - Overlap explanation using a whiteboard 09:29 - Lobe Separation Angle (LSA) 12:40 - Engine size matters when selecting a cam 15:52 - Cam selection is based on the head flow, not on the engine manufacturer 16:53 - Cam recommendation for LS 4.8 20:21 - Cam recommendation for LS 5.3 23:11 - Cam recommendation for LS 5.7/6.0 25:32 - Valve events 28:28 - Cylinder blowdown 32:20 - Scavenging effect, exhaust pulses and exhaust header design 40:00 - Outro
This guy and Richard Holdener: Bald, white, middle aged men with glasses are automotive geniuses! ROFL! I finally learned how to pick cams after 13 years! I watch this every night!
you just saved me a bunch of aggrevations,my early bronco is sitting on 35 inch tires,,411 gears 351w stroked to 392, edelbrocked heads i ported the exhaust ONLY to get my flow to 77 percent,im choosing a medium cam,215/220 duration,540/540 LIFT,112/114 lsa,thanx a bunch for your very clear teachings
Absolutely excellent presentation. Some of the stuff i've been told over the years were just dead-set wrong. Its really great when you properly understand the principles of these things. You did really well at breaking down a quite complex topic into something readily understandable and making sense. A sincere thank you for taking the time and posting
Your two videos regarding cam selection may be the most important videos on the internet for gear heads. My first car was ‘70 Charger with a 318. The guy I bought it from dropped a Crane Fireball cam in it and made no other changes. To say the cam didn’t work with a stock 2bbl carb and 2.73 gears would be an understatement. It sounded cool but accelerated like a constipated snail. I learned at the age of 17 the meaning of mismatched parts.
I know I'm late to this video, but thanks for making it and explaining the what and why, I was absolutely the guy who would ask "this is what I got, what can I run?" Now I can have a more educated conversation with my speed shop and achieve my goals the 1st time
Update, hands down you are the best person on UA-cam for deep dives into the details on cam timing and camshaft events. I have followed you for years. I understand the work that goes into producing a video. I appreciate your time. I am getting a world class education. 🙏
Thank you for demystifying the camshaft. I was starting to think it was tippy top secret information ,or nobody actually knew. It's really straight forward; why this is the only comprehensive explanation on the internet is the only mystery I have left.
These two videos are really educational and takes all the effort out of selecting a cam and matching this to the heads and engine set up. Highly recommended.
Hey Mike, you stopped at het point where negative pulse pressure in the exhaust enters the exhaust port and cylinder in the valve overlap area. Where it actually helps draw in more mixture through the intake valve. The key to archive more than 100% volumetric efficiency in a properly tuned and cammed engine. Perhaps a subject to bear on in the next episode. Love your videos.
Hi There. I actually picked up on this as well and would love it if Mike could go into this side of it as well... I would like to develop my understanding also of the inlet side of the equation which i have found out is also very important. Tuning the inlet tract length and matching it in relation to cam duration. I feel that the velocity and pulse of the inlet wave is also helping with performance. Any light on this subject would be very welcome also
I’m learning everything I can to build my first sbf in an 85 crown Vic I’m making a sleeper , and I can’t be more thankful your channel exist, you’re an awesome teacher!
Thank you for the great information.You are answering a lot of questions I have had for near 50 years about performance building and camshaft/head/ facts..I really haven't found much on the net about the topics you covered.
This actually helps me understand another aspect of why variable cam timing is so awesome on a modern DOHC engine...you can tune this overlap if you have variable intake and exhaust cams. Awesome video!
I liked part 2 even better! Even if it was mainly LS based, and I don't see myself getting one - unless I can find a 1982-87 El Camino.... And considering that I'm 56, and haven't been able to afford ANY Car for over 8 years, that's not happening soon enough. 😭 BUT I bored you with that story in the last Video of yours I saw. I actually left more of a short story than a comment!! 😖 Sorry. Even though I've been doing this a long time too, I'm thoroughly enjoying not only a refresher course - but a lot of things that I'm learning for the first time! I've been out of the game for almost 15 years.... I get the feeling that you are the one who will be catching me up! 😉 Carmine ✈🚂🚙
I have over 20 plus years experience building high performance engines & fabrications, & I will tell you that he is one of the few who really knows what he's talking about. It's easy to pretend to know what you are talking about with those who don't. And I will call it out when I see it, & so when I see someone giving good information, I will do the same. Especially because I remember the struggles I went thru years ago with getting so much contridicting & bad information which wasted time & money. It stinks! Too many people make videos & have no clue, guessing stuff, &/or giving terrible information that someone else will think is good, & it actually pisses me off. It's not cool! And just to make a video & to be on camera or whatever. Also I enjoy watching stuff like this, especially when I'm in the garage or shop, & definitely would rather watch this type of stuff instead of some keeping up with the Whore-dashians reality TV crap! Can't stand that nonsense! Even most of the "automotive" shows are a bunch of reality tv, made up fake ass drama crap verses building cars, trucks, & motorcycles. And.... no matter how much experience we think we have, every real mechanic, technician, builder, fabricator, etc etc etc, is always, always learning, & not too arrogant to admit & realize this! This guy here, will not steer you wrong! Pay attention, learn!
I can't thank you enough for these two videos. You explained everything very efficiently and also completely at the same time. I feel so much better about my understanding of not just cams, but engine performance as a whole. You deal in facts and physics and they don't lie. Thank you again.
Just ran into your channel and I like the way you break down everything you do. Don't change anything. Thanks for the info you share. Looking to start a high performance street engine build on a $12 grand budget. So I will be watching your videos. Good Job
Wow, that was great. Thanks for taking the time to do this. I'm glad you mentioned the old cast iron heads being garbage compared to what's available now - those old V8's were designed shortly after World War 2. I mean if the basic design came out in the '50s, it was probably being worked on in the late '40s. We've come a long way since then with engine breathing and longevity.
I have a few sets of cast heads that I'd put on a flow bench against Vortecs or anything Summit sells.. the extra weight of em is the only complaint I have.. but the cool factor more than makes up for it..
@@brianmichaels5142 That's cool. I'm installing a set of Dart iron heads on a guy's '68 Chevelle SS 396 right now, and you're definitely right about the weight of them. Heavy. But it is cool.
I actually had a guy message me this morning with a set of iron darts for sale.. then he went to check the numbers and get me pics, and found another set of the big valve ones he had forgotten about.. LMAO.. I guess it's the universe telling me I need to have em..
Love it! So much knowledge and learned tricks, sir the time u spent in that dyno room and with a wrench in your hand well worth it! Thank u so much for the info great video!
Nice how you added part 2. Great stuff! You tackled the basics and opened my mind to what's going on. If I ever do another 3rd Gen Camaro, it'll be with the LS1 and that's why I'm downloading your cam videos and burning them to DVD. Knowledge is Power! Thanks for sharing your knowledge of 30+yrs
Your right knowledge is power. After downloading you would be much better off using sd card and or usb stick. DVD is already dead most PCs don’t even come with them now and they are easily damaged and no good.
I watched almost all your videos, so much great info!! I would love to see simular video for the Ford Fe motor, I'm currently building a 390fe and the 1st cam video was a huge eye opener.
Great videos.. heres my opinion on one part of cam selecting. If my heads intake flows say 250 at .500 lift, I like selecting a cam with a little more lift than .500. Here's why, if the cam is ground with say .520 lift intake valve lift it allows the cam to have more lift at every degree until it gets to max left of .520. In other words more area under the curve if the lobe was drawn on paper. It will allow the valve to be open a little more at each degree of crank rotation than if ground with .500 lift. The valve is at that max opening for a very short time.
Excellent information! I've been building engines since the 1970's and learn something new all the time. I've got a 5.3 I just finished building for a street rod and the cam I had ground is pretty close to what you suggest. Mine is slightly bigger but it's going in a 2700 pound vehicle not a full size truck lol! Mine is 226/230 duration, 598/600 lift with EPS lobes ground 110 +2. The engine has ported cathedral heads, stepped long tube headers, and an Edlebrock intake with a Quick Fuel 750 annular discharge carb. I haven't had a chance to dyno it yet but I'm hoping it is a nice little engine
I have a 2008 Grand Prix GXP with the 5.3, it can hold its own, they are fun as hell to drive, that is if you can keep and transmission in them and deal with the torque steer.
Your videos are always so informational! I love learning the math behind determining redline, calculating horsepower based on head flow numbers, etc! Can you make a video on how to select cylinder heads? I’m sure there are a lot of variables to calculate there too.
The heads back in the late 70's and 80's was purely engineered for exhaust emissions. Manufacturers were still using carburetors which can't adapt to changing engine and atmospheric conditions like cold and hot days or altitude. Fuel injection was in it's infancy and was at least 10 years away from being reliable and more commonplace. Fuel injection made it easier to tune an engine and was able to more precisely meter the fuel for better power and emissions.
@@zapa47 Economics were one of the reasons. Most fuel injected Chevrolet Corvettes had their fuel injection units removed and were replaced by a carburetor. In the late '70's Cadillac offered fuel injection on the full size Cadillacs but it proved unreliable and problematic so it was discontinued and most were converted to a carburetor.
You have done such an amazing job with your two videos here! I have a LS1 which I'm stroking to 383 and it's already supercharged. I have the stock stall converter in and it's a daily (luckily I don't sit in traffic going to work and want to keep the stock stall in). I know the SC is better suited to a LSA of around 118 but I do want some chop and down low-torque. Was thinking a 222/230 with .6 lift and 112 LSA for some chop. I'm not trying to reach a power goal, just want it to have low-end power and torque. The car is a WK Grange so around 2.2t with me in it. Thanks from Australia!
I know this may elicit some groans or may not be a particularly interesting topic for some, but it would be very interesting to learn about head and cam combinations with power AND emissions Compliance in mind. What is too much? What combinations of duration and LSA and flow characteristics need to be present or are thresholds for passing Smog tests? etc. Thank you again for sharing your gift of teaching and your knowledge. I cant stop watching your teachings and cant help feeling bigger better and smarter for them. Thank you.
Bravo, sir! I put myself through several Physics courses in order to understand the type of information you just set down in about an hour. I've built several engines over the years, however, none of them were anything more than an assembly of parts, without much thought or attention to the details. I am currently in the process of building my first engine, using a 5.7L LS1 - standard 383 stroker build. Looks like some port work is in my future, if I want this engine to perform well throughout the RPM range. I'm looking for as much low-end torque as I can achieve, so it looks like my cam choice will be something around the 220-240 degree mark w/ a LSA of 112-115 degrees, to maximize cylinder pressure and, therefore, thermal efficiency, as well. Still a bit uncertain as to the best diameter for the headers I will choose - 1 5/8" or 1 7/8", as I want velocity and scavenging affects to help optimize the performance.
@@Myvintageiron7512 Thank you for the reply. Its been a while since I've been on my computer - family crisis. Keep up the good work on educating us wannabees.
Can we get a part 3 on lobe separation, and/or an explanation on how to time the camshaft event as well as how it would look in a boosted application? I love the way you teach and i bet there are 1000s with that same question, the knowledge i have gained in the past hour will stay with me till i rest, so thank you
I'm a BIG fan of big heads and smaller cams. My ported and zero decked 460 with a 219/227 cam is a monster from the basement to 5500. But where it spends most of it's time 1800-4800 is GOLDEN. The big cam guys sound cool, but they need to always be spinning to feel the power.
@@Myvintageiron7512 Can you please do a video on the pros and cons of larger valve sizing? This seems to be another misunderstood topic where many think bigger is always better, but lots of time, especially with intakes- going larger can help you go slower with some combinations. Thx.
I did that with my 400 Old .. Only had 125 compressor. Would have been great at the salt flats. I did open it one night . Empty road way past125, had to take my foot out of it .started to lose control. but every thing you said is true.
Thanks Myvintageiron7512 very informative. I watched part 1 and part 2 about four times. Especially part 2 about scavenging. It finally understand the concept. But then again I am a firefighter and if I could read or write I would have been a cop. LOL
Really appreciate the videos on "engine theory" this type of education teaches someone to teach themselves no matter what engine they are working on. I do this in my line of work as a lead tech at a large dealership. It's all about application of concept. For me though (not my trainees) can you do a video on the effect of length and diameter of exhaust? Does length matter with specified diameter? Does diameter matter specified length? Also in my personal life I own and build roots blown engines. Expensive love lust hobby🤫
To explain Overlap it helps to explain that it starts with the exhaust closing from peak lift and ends with the intake opening to peak lift. And ( since the cam only moves 1/2 of the engine speed) 108 is really 216 and 114 is really 228. And the overlap (actual overlap in crank degrees) is really 1/2 the ‘perceived’ number. Ex intake duration @.050 =230 Exhaust duration @ .050 = 238 Cam lobe separation 110 ( 220 crank degrees) 238/2 = 119 230/2 = 115 (119 + 115) = 234 234 - 220 = 14 degrees of actual @ .050 overlap It’s confusing to people because cam duration is in crank degrees.
It appears that on most engines stock. That just switching over to a header exhaust vs cast iron exhaust causing a drop in low speed torque. But the header tends to help it breath a little better about at 2,500 rpms to about 4,000 rpms. This is most common on a stock motor. The same thing happens alot of times when guys switch from a 2 barrel carb over to a 4 barrel carb. If the 2 barrel was restrictive. Then you may feel a little power gain somewhere in the the power curve. But to take advantage of both a header and carb change. Is to use a hotter cam to help the carb and headers to perform like they were designed to do. The camshaft is the brain of the motor. When you add a 4 barrel over your old 2 barrel. Then you want the engine to take in more air and fuel to add power. But you also need to let out more exhaust gasses so the engine is balanced between intake and exhaust flows. The hotter camshaft with the added parts works together better. With carb change and header change without a cam change is very much like swinging a hammer with 3 of your 5 fingers missing on the hand your using to drive that nail in. That's what's happening when you expect a miracle without having what you need to get the job done. You cannot just compete in the UFC with only training your biceps. It's putting together the pieces you need to be successful.
This just wrapped up 2 years of research/trial and error in 2 30 minute videos. Just helped me so much.
Lol right probably closer to 3 or 4 for me 🤣🤣🤣
Me, a lifetime of research. I’m a bit behind the research 8 ball. 😄😄😄
This guy is absolutely remarkable! an excellent teacher. Explain extremely well. I’ve seen a lot of so call teachers , hey not even close to this guy. My opinion @ the top of the list, if not the top. My vintage iron keep it 100!! Thanks
Wow, thanks!
@@Myvintageiron7512 I feel the same way that Terry R. does !!!!!!
Dwight Travis was real sit TY t itto uto uhas urs all night tnight unight t dads ausand runs a a suis
@@jeremybrown961 Could you redo your comment so I can read what you said?
exactly!!! in human language there is no word to describe how much I am glad to come across his videos ...
Dude. I wish you could see the smile on my face when it clicked when you were talking about the exhaust pressure waves and what creates the sound we hear! You don't get to see this on YT like a teacher in the class, so I thought I'd tell ya. 😂😂😂
Thanks!!
41:06 While you were out partying I was studying the combustion.... lol.
Thanks man, you made it possible for the average gear head to select a cam with something more then an educated guess. For that we salute you.
Hes teleporting betwen dimensions yet still giving me a good explanation. This guy is a madman.
You are the fortune cam guru that millions of people have needed for at least 30 years you would have saved me tons of money and time experimenting with engines and trying to create easy horsepower and torque, my hats off to Sir.
good
00:00 - Intro
00:27 - Overlap
04:21 - Overlap explanation using a whiteboard
09:29 - Lobe Separation Angle (LSA)
12:40 - Engine size matters when selecting a cam
15:52 - Cam selection is based on the head flow, not on the engine manufacturer
16:53 - Cam recommendation for LS 4.8
20:21 - Cam recommendation for LS 5.3
23:11 - Cam recommendation for LS 5.7/6.0
25:32 - Valve events
28:28 - Cylinder blowdown
32:20 - Scavenging effect, exhaust pulses and exhaust header design
40:00 - Outro
no link down below
It's like school, except I WANT to go! Thanks for another awesome video!
I wish he did a quick overview for a 6.2L. Us L99/LS3 guys need love too! 😂 Thank you for the info.
This guy explains this SO well. There would be more kids succeed at advanced math of teachers could communicate more effectively.
You managed to explain what I found out accidentally but had no idea why, excellent explanation!
This guy and Richard Holdener: Bald, white, middle aged men with glasses are automotive geniuses! ROFL! I finally learned how to pick cams after 13 years! I watch this every night!
1 take with a ton of editing to give us a streamlined education. Thank you for your time and knowledge.
It took me so long to explain that I finally understood....!
You explain very well. I never get tired of listening to smart people!
glad it helped thx
you just saved me a bunch of aggrevations,my early bronco is sitting on 35 inch tires,,411 gears 351w stroked to 392, edelbrocked heads i ported the exhaust ONLY to get my flow to 77 percent,im choosing a medium cam,215/220 duration,540/540 LIFT,112/114 lsa,thanx a bunch for your very clear teachings
Absolutely excellent presentation. Some of the stuff i've been told over the years were just dead-set wrong. Its really great when you properly understand the principles of these things. You did really well at breaking down a quite complex topic into something readily understandable and making sense. A sincere thank you for taking the time and posting
Glad you enjoyed it!
Listen to the dude.he is a master teacher. and take much notes.
I really hope you are teaching some of the young people all this awesome knowledge. Simply amazing
Your two videos regarding cam selection may be the most important videos on the internet for gear heads. My first car was ‘70 Charger with a 318. The guy I bought it from dropped a Crane Fireball cam in it and made no other changes. To say the cam didn’t work with a stock 2bbl carb and 2.73 gears would be an understatement. It sounded cool but accelerated like a constipated snail. I learned at the age of 17 the meaning of mismatched parts.
I know I'm late to this video, but thanks for making it and explaining the what and why,
I was absolutely the guy who would ask "this is what I got, what can I run?"
Now I can have a more educated conversation with my speed shop and achieve my goals the 1st time
glad to hear and remember there is nothing at all wrong with consulting experts on cam selection the more informed you are the better
This has gotta be the best explanation of WHY to choose a cam.
This is like having the hot rod uncle I never did, thanks so much for the videos! :D
Update, hands down you are the best person on UA-cam for deep dives into the details on cam timing and camshaft events. I have followed you for years. I understand the work that goes into producing a video. I appreciate your time. I am getting a world class education. 🙏
Thank you for demystifying the camshaft. I was starting to think it was tippy top secret information ,or nobody actually knew. It's really straight forward; why this is the only comprehensive explanation on the internet is the only mystery I have left.
Not expecting you to know it ALL. What you have explained is very helpful
Glad it was helpful!
These two videos are really educational and takes all the effort out of selecting a cam and matching this to the heads and engine set up. Highly recommended.
THX
Hey Mike, you stopped at het point where negative pulse pressure in the exhaust enters the exhaust port and cylinder in the valve overlap area. Where it actually helps draw in more mixture through the intake valve. The key to archive more than 100% volumetric efficiency in a properly tuned and cammed engine. Perhaps a subject to bear on in the next episode. Love your videos.
Hi There. I actually picked up on this as well and would love it if Mike could go into this side of it as well... I would like to develop my understanding also of the inlet side of the equation which i have found out is also very important. Tuning the inlet tract length and matching it in relation to cam duration. I feel that the velocity and pulse of the inlet wave is also helping with performance. Any light on this subject would be very welcome also
I watched the first video like 5 times before I bought my cam. Glad I did vs to reading all the gm truck forums and picking some huge cam for my 5.3
Nice work!
You can't hardly trust anything anybody says on the forums lol.
I had a 289 in a Maverick back in the 70's. 351 heads and a stock cam, 550 holly and headers. Ran great! Lots of power from the bottom up and 24 MPG.
One of the best engines ever made. Big heads and a RV cam.
Another great vid Thank you lobe separation old school chip stand sound hard to beat with some snort available, Real Sreet car
I know you put a lot of time into this video, and I appreciate it very much. Thank you. 👍
Glad it was helpful!
I’m learning everything I can to build my first sbf in an 85 crown Vic I’m making a sleeper , and I can’t be more thankful your channel exist, you’re an awesome teacher!
That's awesome
Thanks buddy, I about to get my 454 BB back from the machinist and I am about to start putting it all together.. Your knowledge is extremely helpful
Glad to help
Thank you for the great information.You are answering a lot of questions I have had for near 50 years about performance building and camshaft/head/ facts..I really haven't found much on the net about the topics you covered.
Thank you so much! My ‘79 corvette should make over 500 hp from my 396 going in next year! Thank you!
Your videos are so informative and explaining the math behind how your selection is proceeded is great. Thank you
You're very welcome!
This actually helps me understand another aspect of why variable cam timing is so awesome on a modern DOHC engine...you can tune this overlap if you have variable intake and exhaust cams.
Awesome video!
I liked part 2 even better! Even if it was mainly LS based, and I don't see myself getting one - unless I can find a 1982-87 El Camino....
And considering that I'm 56, and haven't been able to afford ANY Car for over 8 years, that's not happening soon enough. 😭
BUT I bored you with that story in the last Video of yours I saw. I actually left more of a short story than a comment!! 😖 Sorry.
Even though I've been doing this a long time too, I'm thoroughly enjoying not only a refresher course - but a lot of things that I'm learning for the first time! I've been out of the game for almost 15 years....
I get the feeling that you are the one who will be catching me up! 😉
Carmine ✈🚂🚙
Been watching this dude for a long time now. Love these videos. Always learning things.
Glad you enjoy it!
Now that's some science! Very well explanied.
I have over 20 plus years experience building high performance engines & fabrications, & I will tell you that he is one of the few who really knows what he's talking about. It's easy to pretend to know what you are talking about with those who don't. And I will call it out when I see it, & so when I see someone giving good information, I will do the same. Especially because I remember the struggles I went thru years ago with getting so much contridicting & bad information which wasted time & money. It stinks! Too many people make videos & have no clue, guessing stuff, &/or giving terrible information that someone else will think is good, & it actually pisses me off. It's not cool! And just to make a video & to be on camera or whatever.
Also I enjoy watching stuff like this, especially when I'm in the garage or shop, & definitely would rather watch this type of stuff instead of some keeping up with the Whore-dashians reality TV crap! Can't stand that nonsense! Even most of the "automotive" shows are a bunch of reality tv, made up fake ass drama crap verses building cars, trucks, & motorcycles.
And.... no matter how much experience we think we have, every real mechanic, technician, builder, fabricator, etc etc etc, is always, always learning, & not too arrogant to admit & realize this!
This guy here, will not steer you wrong! Pay attention, learn!
No doubt
Everyone likes to act like they know what they are talking about, very few do. This guy is an exception.
I've got to say it again. Absolute Gold. Thank You. much Much much appreciated.
Glad you enjoyed it
Another great video! Very well done and easy to understand, especially if your new to LS like my old ass!
glad it helped
I can't thank you enough for these two videos. You explained everything very efficiently and also completely at the same time. I feel so much better about my understanding of not just cams, but engine performance as a whole. You deal in facts and physics and they don't lie. Thank you again.
Ty you for your help your one of the BEST TEACHER of the world wide web
I have .510 lift and it's absolutely amazing for my 350sbc
This is perfect I got everything I needed. Broken down even better for me since I got lost as hell on the last video
You my friend are an awesome teacher. I wish you were my mentor.
Another GREAT video …, love this stuff … , great information 💪
Really valuable information... love it! Thanks for your knowledge! Cheers, Doug
Love listening to this stuff man! Makes me so much more confident breaking down what kind of things I pick for my car to get the best out of it.
Great info. Glad I found your channel. I hate when I’m can shopping and some idiot on the sales line feels me I need a stage 3 cam. 😂
Great video, I am currently looking at cams for my 427 BB corvette, very helpful.
Glad I could help
DEPENDS ON What heads you are running and what you want to do.
Man, this video is so informative. I love it
Glad it was helpful!
Just ran into your channel and I like the way you break down everything you do.
Don't change anything. Thanks for the info you share. Looking to start a high performance street engine build on a $12 grand budget. So I will be watching your videos. Good Job
Wow, that was great. Thanks for taking the time to do this.
I'm glad you mentioned the old cast iron heads being garbage compared to what's available now - those old V8's were designed shortly after World War 2. I mean if the basic design came out in the '50s, it was probably being worked on in the late '40s. We've come a long way since then with engine breathing and longevity.
I have a few sets of cast heads that I'd put on a flow bench against Vortecs or anything Summit sells.. the extra weight of em is the only complaint I have.. but the cool factor more than makes up for it..
@@brianmichaels5142 That's cool. I'm installing a set of Dart iron heads on a guy's '68 Chevelle SS 396 right now, and you're definitely right about the weight of them. Heavy. But it is cool.
I actually had a guy message me this morning with a set of iron darts for sale.. then he went to check the numbers and get me pics, and found another set of the big valve ones he had forgotten about.. LMAO.. I guess it's the universe telling me I need to have em..
You were on a roll man! You could've went all night! Steph Curry of Cams!
Best cam video on UA-cam!
Glad you think so!
YOU'RE AWESOME THE WORLD NEEDS MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU GOD BLESS 👍
THX!!
Love it! So much knowledge and learned tricks, sir the time u spent in that dyno room and with a wrench in your hand well worth it! Thank u so much for the info great video!
Glad to help
Nice how you added part 2. Great stuff! You tackled the basics and opened my mind to what's going on. If I ever do another 3rd Gen Camaro, it'll be with the LS1 and that's why I'm downloading your cam videos and burning them to DVD. Knowledge is Power! Thanks for sharing your knowledge of 30+yrs
Your right knowledge is power. After downloading you would be much better off using sd card and or usb stick. DVD is already dead most PCs don’t even come with them now and they are easily damaged and no good.
Glad it was helpful!
Dvds will last a lot longer than the captured electrons in a usb stick.
WOW!!! You are an amazing teacher!!!!
THANK YOU!!!!
Excellent information thank you for taking the time to share.
I watched almost all your videos, so much great info!! I would love to see simular video for the Ford Fe motor, I'm currently building a 390fe and the 1st cam video was a huge eye opener.
www.mustangandfords.com/how-to/engine/1410-how-to-build-a-390fe-stroker-500-pound-feet/
Read THIS!!
Thanks for the very detailed and informative presentation. I am an amateur DIY mechanic at best but this information is going to help me immensely.
Glad it was helpful!
Valve spring pressure/selection? These 2 videos are AWESOME.
Great videos.. heres my opinion on one part of cam selecting. If my heads intake flows say 250 at .500 lift, I like selecting a cam with a little more lift than .500. Here's why, if the cam is ground with say .520 lift intake valve lift it allows the cam to have more lift at every degree until it gets to max left of .520. In other words more area under the curve if the lobe was drawn on paper. It will allow the valve to be open a little more at each degree of crank rotation than if ground with .500 lift. The valve is at that max opening for a very short time.
Enjoyed the straight forward approach with the correct information that everyone could understand. Outstanding job! JACKSONS BODY SHOP...AUBURN KY
Excellent information! I've been building engines since the 1970's and learn something new all the time. I've got a 5.3 I just finished building for a street rod and the cam I had ground is pretty close to what you suggest. Mine is slightly bigger but it's going in a 2700 pound vehicle not a full size truck lol! Mine is 226/230 duration, 598/600 lift with EPS lobes ground 110 +2. The engine has ported cathedral heads, stepped long tube headers, and an Edlebrock intake with a Quick Fuel 750 annular discharge carb. I haven't had a chance to dyno it yet but I'm hoping it is a nice little engine
That cam id very well suited to a light vehicle
It will be good with lots of top end and good tourqe
I have a 2008 Grand Prix GXP with the 5.3, it can hold its own, they are fun as hell to drive, that is if you can keep and transmission in them and deal with the torque steer.
Your videos are always so informational! I love learning the math behind determining redline, calculating horsepower based on head flow numbers, etc! Can you make a video on how to select cylinder heads? I’m sure there are a lot of variables to calculate there too.
The heads back in the late 70's and 80's was purely engineered for exhaust emissions. Manufacturers were still using carburetors which can't adapt to changing engine and atmospheric conditions like cold and hot days or altitude. Fuel injection was in it's infancy and was at least 10 years away from being reliable and more commonplace. Fuel injection made it easier to tune an engine and was able to more precisely meter the fuel for better power and emissions.
They had Fuel injection at least in the 50s. I always thought it was economics that kept them out of mainstream cars until the 80s.
@@zapa47 Economics were one of the reasons. Most fuel injected Chevrolet Corvettes had their fuel injection units removed and were replaced by a carburetor. In the late '70's Cadillac offered fuel injection on the full size Cadillacs but it proved unreliable and problematic so it was discontinued and most were converted to a carburetor.
Excellent information. Love these videos . I have really understand how an engine works an how to get d most power an efficiency from an engine.
Glad to help
You have done such an amazing job with your two videos here! I have a LS1 which I'm stroking to 383 and it's already supercharged. I have the stock stall converter in and it's a daily (luckily I don't sit in traffic going to work and want to keep the stock stall in). I know the SC is better suited to a LSA of around 118 but I do want some chop and down low-torque. Was thinking a 222/230 with .6 lift and 112 LSA for some chop. I'm not trying to reach a power goal, just want it to have low-end power and torque. The car is a WK Grange so around 2.2t with me in it. Thanks from Australia!
Love these videos man. I’ve learned more about cams from these 2 vids than hours and hours of other research 👍🏼
Really great videos, made me rethink engines altogether, thanks!
Great to hear!
Now if there was only a formula to determine how much vacuum a cam would make. 😂 Great video!
I know this may elicit some groans or may not be a particularly interesting topic for some, but it would be very interesting to learn about head and cam combinations with power AND emissions Compliance in mind. What is too much? What combinations of duration and LSA and flow characteristics need to be present or are thresholds for passing Smog tests? etc. Thank you again for sharing your gift of teaching and your knowledge. I cant stop watching your teachings and cant help feeling bigger better and smarter for them. Thank you.
the lobe sep is a big factor you need to go wide to keep the thing burning clean at idle
😮😮
Bravo, sir! I put myself through several Physics courses in order to understand the type of information you just set down in about an hour. I've built several engines over the years, however, none of them were anything more than an assembly of parts, without much thought or attention to the details. I am currently in the process of building my first engine, using a 5.7L LS1 - standard 383 stroker build. Looks like some port work is in my future, if I want this engine to perform well throughout the RPM range. I'm looking for as much low-end torque as I can achieve, so it looks like my cam choice will be something around the 220-240 degree mark w/ a LSA of 112-115 degrees, to maximize cylinder pressure and, therefore, thermal efficiency, as well. Still a bit uncertain as to the best diameter for the headers I will choose - 1 5/8" or 1 7/8", as I want velocity and scavenging affects to help optimize the performance.
when choosing headers for TQ long tube smaller Dia are always best
@@Myvintageiron7512 Thank you for the reply. Its been a while since I've been on my computer - family crisis. Keep up the good work on educating us wannabees.
Sorry about the Auto Focus on my camera it went nuts on this video
Will there be a part 3? These videos are invaluable for us beginners I’ve already watched it 3 times 🤣 thank you for your help and experience 👍
Do you know where I can find reliable flow numbers for LS heads? For example the 799/243
Can we get a part 3 on lobe separation, and/or an explanation on how to time the camshaft event as well as how it would look in a boosted application? I love the way you teach and i bet there are 1000s with that same question, the knowledge i have gained in the past hour will stay with me till i rest, so thank you
Your welcome
Thanks for the support
My fave channel. Great info.
Thank you for breaking this down and explaining cam tech in a way I can understand
You bet!
Another great, informative, insightful lesson. Thanks man. I was one of the ones out partying, (so you didn’t have to.)
Thanks for an excellent video!
I'm a BIG fan of big heads and smaller cams. My ported and zero decked 460 with a 219/227 cam is a monster from the basement to 5500. But where it spends most of it's time 1800-4800 is GOLDEN. The big cam guys sound cool, but they need to always be spinning to feel the power.
Exactly and it really shortens the life of the engine as well
@@Myvintageiron7512 Can you please do a video on the pros and cons of larger valve sizing? This seems to be another misunderstood topic where many think bigger is always better, but lots of time, especially with intakes- going larger can help you go slower with some combinations. Thx.
Smartest man on youtube👍🏽
Fantastic information- thank you for sharing.
I am a subscriber now!
cool Thanks
Love this video. NOW GO SIGN THE RPM ACT NOW!!!!
I did that with my 400 Old .. Only had 125 compressor. Would have been great at the salt flats. I did open it one night . Empty road way past125, had to take my foot out of it .started to lose control. but every thing you said is true.
I've got an 1989 Fox Body notch that loves 110 degrees lobe separation. Its the N-41 Anderson cam.
I'll bet that thing doesn't weigh much either, though
@@billymanilli Your right. Its just over 2,800 lbs w/o driver.
Thanks Myvintageiron7512 very informative. I watched part 1 and part 2 about four times. Especially part 2 about scavenging. It finally understand the concept. But then again I am a firefighter and if I could read or write I would have been a cop. LOL
I’ve watched both your videos and I believe I can choke my own cam and even be able to know the hp the engine will produce, thank you so much!
Glad to help
Really appreciate the videos on "engine theory" this type of education teaches someone to teach themselves no matter what engine they are working on. I do this in my line of work as a lead tech at a large dealership. It's all about application of concept. For me though (not my trainees) can you do a video on the effect of length and diameter of exhaust? Does length matter with specified diameter? Does diameter matter specified length? Also in my personal life I own and build roots blown engines. Expensive love lust hobby🤫
Excellent follow up to the first part. My story is similar to yours only I was doing the partying part never got to the engines. You missed nothing!
Damn good videos crashed some dreams and opened my eyes good job love hood info
Excellent in depth explanation ,iv saved all these video)))
Glad you liked it!
To explain Overlap it helps to explain that it starts with the exhaust closing from peak lift and ends with the intake opening to peak lift. And ( since the cam only moves 1/2 of the engine speed) 108 is really 216 and 114 is really 228. And the overlap (actual overlap in crank degrees) is really 1/2 the ‘perceived’ number.
Ex intake duration @.050 =230
Exhaust duration @ .050 = 238
Cam lobe separation 110 ( 220 crank degrees)
238/2 = 119
230/2 = 115
(119 + 115) = 234
234 - 220 = 14 degrees of actual @ .050 overlap
It’s confusing to people because cam duration is in crank degrees.
Amazing videos!! So well explained. Thank you.
You're very welcome!
It appears that on most engines stock. That just switching over to a header exhaust vs cast iron exhaust causing a drop in low speed torque. But the header tends to help it breath a little better about at 2,500 rpms to about 4,000 rpms. This is most common on a stock motor. The same thing happens alot of times when guys switch from a 2 barrel carb over to a 4 barrel carb. If the 2 barrel was restrictive. Then you may feel a little power gain somewhere in the the power curve. But to take advantage of both a header and carb change. Is to use a hotter cam to help the carb and headers to perform like they were designed to do. The camshaft is the brain of the motor. When you add a 4 barrel over your old 2 barrel. Then you want the engine to take in more air and fuel to add power. But you also need to let out more exhaust gasses so the engine is balanced between intake and exhaust flows. The hotter camshaft with the added parts works together better. With carb change and header change without a cam change is very much like swinging a hammer with 3 of your 5 fingers missing on the hand your using to drive that nail in. That's what's happening when you expect a miracle without having what you need to get the job done. You cannot just compete in the UFC with only training your biceps. It's putting together the pieces you need to be successful.