I would like to hear from anybody with either the Calmini cam or the Delta regrind cam. Opinions on performance, results, etc. Which one is the preferred one? I am leaning toward the cheaper $65.00 after core return (independent4x.com). I would probably prefer torque to higher RPM HP. What is the opinion of the board?

Thanks.

M

Without similarly equiped vehicles (except for the cam) and a dyno run, it's hard to tell. But, on this most excellent web page
http://users4.ev1.net/%7Esanaghan/main/Vehicle/Index.htm

I went down to Mods--Power Based

and found this:

Bill Harris (Green Amigo on the 4x4Wire board) tried both cams and his analysis was: With the CalMini cam, he could now maintain speed on hills in his 93 Amigo. With the DeltaCam, he could actually accelerate a little up hills.

But remember TANSTAFFLE: Just like the MAF resistor gives you more power, it does so by lying about how much air is going into the engine and dumps more fuel. This causes less efficient running, and wears the engine out prematurely.

I'm sure both are fine, but make the engine work a little harder than the stock. I have the Calmini cam, but would probably go Delta Cam based on GreenAmigo's testimony if I were to repurchase.

uh...there's no comparison between a performance cam and a voodoo electronic gizmo. The cam is not lying about how much air is going into the engine, it's actually allowing more air in. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

I have the Delta cam and believe it is a great investment.... and you just can't beat the price. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

I'm not directly comparing them, just pointing out that engines are designed around a lot of things working together, and changing the cam lobe / timing is messing with that, and might, for example, lead to the engine wearing out slightly faster. Just a rule of thumb. How's this one: Bigger tires are great, but wear out CV's faster.

I have conducted no long term survey and like my cam.

That being said, there was one free lunch I know of in telecom....multiplexing. It let phone companies literally (excactly) double the capacity on their lines with no detrament in service. OK, you had to buy the magic box on each end, but other than that it was free capacity upgrade at one-ten thousandth the price of laying new line. Hello, T1!

In no way, mechanically, should a performance cam have any effect on the life span of the motor...

The only thing at that point, is the same as a normal engine, how its used/abused, and maintained...

Chase

I'll ask the stupid question then.

My understanding: The only difference betweeen a regular cam and a performance cam is the lobe shape, which sets the timing.

Initial cost result: No difference. Just as cheap to mass produce one or the other.

Long term result: More power and performance, no loss in any system or reliability at all.

Then why do Toyota and Honda,
1. Both advertise their HP, performance, and reliability
2. Both build millions of camshafts
3. But have a huge array of aftermarket performance cams

If it's a completely free lunch with nothing but gains, why don't Toyota and Honda just put better cams in when they build their cars? I can't believe that some 3-man shop can best Toyota and Honda's huge engineering departments by such a huge margins that Toyta and Honda haven't been able to catch up in 10 years?

I still go back to the free lunch. Everything in the engines is designed to worth together for power, efficiency, and long life. When you make an outside change to that to gain in one area, you can expect a change somewhere else.

I'm not being a smart alec and again, I have a Calmini cam. But the Free Lunch arguement isn't passing my sniff test.

I love my Jacob's Ignition. I get more power and slightly better mileage. But I change my cap, rotor, plugs, and wires more. If I don't, the cap/rotor will short out and strand me before the recomended 30k miles comes up. This I've learned the hard way (2 strandings). And when I pull the plugs out, I can see they are getting worn away faster. There went my free lunch.

Camshaft lobe shape determines the DURATION that the valves are open/closed and how much they open (I believe this is what you meant by timing.

As for reliability and performance . . . the manufacturers have to take emmissions and gas mileage into account. Aftermarket doesn't.

Not an entirely free ride.

As for wear and tear, I have had more valve spring breakage with permormance cams but I don't know if this is due to the camshaft or the rest of the aftermarket parts (or the way the driver used them).

I don;t really consider the Delta or the CALMINI cams 'performance' camshafts. They both change the power/torque characteristics but do Performance and Isuzu really belong in the same sentence?

Steve G

OK, lemme try it this way..

My Nova(now sold), has had the same 359 in it since 96, Be re-ringed 3 times, and it got mew bearings every winter.

Off the top of my head, I dont know stock GM cam numbers..
BUT, the cam I was tunning in this motor, was, .555 lift(with 1.5 rockers, I used 1.6), 325* advertised duration, (the numbers worked out to 306 @.050 lift or something with the 1.6 rockers),
Anyway, thos enumbers are basically a brqacket cam, intended use, drag/bracket racing..
Didit affect reliablity, well, sorta, it wouldnt start in anythign under 60*, and it coulnt idle at anything less then 1800 rpms without shaking itself to death, and then stalling...

BUT, did I know it was gonna do thta, yes, there is so much duration there, you have to expect that...

In this instance, I was refering to Somehitn glike RV camshafts, off road cams, adn regrinds..

There isnt much difference in these from stock, regrinds for obvious reasons... Those other cams are designed for lwo end torque, adn throttle response, where my bracket cam was deigned to get the most air into/and out of the motor possible...

So, in a regringd,/RV/Off Road cam, you shouldnt expect any reliability issues, when you start getting much larger than those though, your options vary....

As for manufactures, they have to make everyone happy, and usually, the camsalready installed in motors, are pretty right on..hence why the can re-grind a cam for different performance.. and the whole emmissions thing...

I can discuss cam timing and it effects all day, going through different types of profiles...

But, lets stick with the topic at hand, regrinds.. they are not large enough to produce anythign more than a little more oomph... I hopethis is clear... now.. sorry, I know I leav it a little vague...

Chase

BTW, Delta offers two different cam profiles, a fact that I never really see mentioned here.

straight from Jerry of Delta:
"For the 2.6 we have two grinds. The 260 is a smooth idle profile with improved midrange, was designed to work with stock parts. The 272 is more of a sport profile, will work with stock stuff, but will jump with improved carb and compression."

I think the 2.3 uses the same cams so maybe thats why he mentioned the carb.

For a more in depth look at how cams do what they do, check out this page.