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Questions on cammed rebuild

moocow

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Hi again,

So I've recently done some work on my engine and just have some questions.

I added a stage 2 comp cam, stiffer valve springs and a double row timing chain. I had my heads ported and the valves reseated.
I realise that changing the cam is gonna move the power higher up in the rev range, but my problem is that I have next to no power below 3000rpm and then all the power hits after that.
It almost feels like turbo lag or hitting powerband lol
Would this be a timing issue or do I need to get a tune? Or anything else?

I swear I had more questions...oh well XD
 

Reaper

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Well yes, that's what happens with bigger cams. Further to that, any time you do some major engine work like that you will need to have your ecu tuned to suit. What intake manifold are you running?? Compression?? What are the exact specs of the cam?
 

moocow

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Has the standard intake manifold. Planning on a bigger throttle body and I have a CAI and a plenum spacer.
The cam came with a chip. I assumed that would either replace the need for a tune or just make it driveable until I got one.
Haven't tested compression as I don't have the tool.

Specs of the cam from the MACE site:
216°/216° at .050"
Intake Lift .317" (.507" lift at 1.6:1 rocker ratio)
Exhaust Lift .317" (.507" lift at 1.6:1 rocker ratio)
111 LSA

Here's a link to my garage for a list of all my mods
Just Commodores Garage
 

delcowizzid

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did you dial in the cam if its retarded a couple of degrees they loose all bottomend my mates car had nothing down low at all and then at 3000 it was like hitting the nos button no power to full power.advanced the cam 2 degrees now power from idle
 

moocow

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Sounds familiar lol so to do that I'm gonna have to take the whole front of the engine off again and adjust the timing sprocket?
 

moocow

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Ok, so I had a go last night, put everything back together and then decided I'd done it wrong. Horrible noises from the engine was kind of a giveaway XD
Did it again today (properly this time) so now the timing is advanced by 2 degrees. Can't say I notice much of a difference. The only thing is it idles a bit better.

So! After all that, any other suggestions?
 

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Just to get it clear - you have fitted an aftermarket cam and haven't re-tuned the ecu to suit??

As others have mentioned, the first step is setting the timing correctly. I wouldn't advance it - just make sure the cam is dialled in exactly where it should be. Messing with the cam timing unless you are a very experienced engine builder just confuses things.

Once your timing is correct then off to the tuner you will go. That cam seems quite peaky to me compared to stock so expect some bottom end loss and I'd even consider a small stallie on the auto.
 

_R_J_K_

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Just to get it clear - you have fitted an aftermarket cam and haven't re-tuned the ecu to suit??

I think he said it came with a memcal. Is it MACE's memcal or a Crow/Comp cams memcal OP? Either way the dyno will always beat it.
 
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