School Me On Cams

XJoshua

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Pueblo, CO; USA
I was reading the older younger "cams" thread on camshafts. Well since Im in progress of stroking to 4.6L. The cams thread mentioned using this duration "260/272".

What Im woundering about it all the specs needed to buy the right one. Theres "Lift", and "Basic Operating RPM Range". Does this mean the lower numer is what I need to idle at, and the max number is my new redline? Also "Lobe Seperation" has to match the stock camshaft right?

Thanks,
Joshua
 
In simple, no...

Cams are a rather complex subject - how much schooling you want?

Let's see...

Duration - the amount of time a valve is "open" (off the seat.) "Advertised duration" is usually taken from .002-.006" of valve lift, depending upon the manufacturer. Crane standardised this to "Duration @ .050" to put everyone on the same playing field - which has been informally accepted by nearly everyone. Naturally, duration @ .050" will be rather shorter - but it's a more accurate comparison (assuming they stick to standard lobe ramps.)

Lift - can be taken two ways - "lobe lift," which is the absolute lift at the camshaft nose, and "valve lift," which is the lobe lift multiplied by the rocker ratio (for us, usually 1.6:1.) I typically prefer to take "lobe lift" for records - if the rocker ratio is changed, it's only one step to figure valve lift. You'll use valve lift in conjunction with head flow charts to try to get a theoretical "fill and empty" model.

Pattern - there's a couple variations here...
Single Pattern - symmetric camshaft lobes of the same pattern. centrelines are equidistant from the reference "ZERO" point on the cam.
Dual Pattern - may be symmetric or asymmetric, but the intake and exhuast lobes will be different. The exhuast lobe is usually "larger" (open more/longer) to compensate for relatively poor exhaust port flow. This is what our engines respond to well.
Asymmetric - Usually a "single pattern" cam, but with one lobe (either intake or exhaust) advanced or retarted WRT the other. I don't recall what these were best for offhand, but they do have their advantages.

The cam you mention (260/272) is a dual pattern cam which favours the exhuast valve.

Tappet style - either "flat" or "roller" - using roller tappets allows a builder to use a more aggressive lobe ramp (opens the valve rather faster!) which increases the "Area under the curve" - and therefore cylinder filling/emptying potential. To date, no-one makes a roller tapped camshaft for the AMC I6 (which really should be corrected...) Note that the use of "roller tappets" requires using "tie bars" to keep them from rotation (flat tappets are designed to rotate, in contrast,) which ties the tappets together in pairs.

That's some of the basics - it's stuff I haven't thought about consciously in a few years. Honestly, probably the best way to pick a cam for your particular combination is to simulate the engine - which is why I've collected camshaft data for the AMC I6 series and built data files for Desktop Dyno 2000 - the archive is available in both .zip and .rar format, if you need it.

5-90
 
Also many BIG name cam makers have catalogs ($5.00 or so) and some web sites have more info then most people will ever need. In some cases you can call then and they will make an informed recommendation. With in the limits of there product.
 
Thanks, this should help me out alot. Will they be able to only make the recommendation on stock engines, or can they make a recommendation if I give them the specs on the stroker?
 
The best cam for your 4.6 stroker depends on where you want it to make maximum torque, and what type of driving you'll be doing.
If you want a good all-round cam for street driving with some offroad use, the Crane 260/272 cam is the way to go. I have it in my stroker and I love it. The engine will pull cleanly from idle rpm without protest and pull hard all the way to the rev limiter. It's particularly strong in the midrange from 2000-4500rpm.
 
Either way, they should be able to give you good information - that's what you're paying them for (when you actually buy the bumpstick, that is.)

Whatever information you get, please be sure to share it! This will do two things...

1) It lays the groundwork for other people to pick their cams.
2) It saves comm traffic all around - because all the basic information is presented.

If you run Desktop Dyno 2000, I've got data files for all the cams I could find (groups.yahoo.com/group/JeepPower, Files section) available for your condsideration. I'm working on formatting a chart in HTML and Excel so it can also be consulted without the programme and offline - just haven't gotten that far yet...

5-90
 
have u picked a cam yet?

im looking at replacing mine cause i read a rag that said it changed the 4.0L enough, so u would think that it was a diff engine.
 
No, but I am buying the Crane Came 260/272. I need to buy pistons and rings first so I can ship everything at once to the machine shop instead of sending one peice at a time. Figure if I send everything at once I might try for a discount.
 
i was looking at buying the one that runs 1200 - 4200 rpm, but going to wait until after winter now, driving jeep through winter.
 
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