A tale of 2 cams
Wanted to bring this back to ask about cranking compression. Most agreed that cam #1 would be higher.
Here's where I'm confused....so as said, I ran cam #2 last summer in a 11.25 to 1 aluminum headed stroker that made an honest 576 HP. Cranking compression was only 167lbs.
I refuse to get into all that timeslip crap, but it ran 126.4 mph. I'm NOT normally a track guy......thing is, on the street it didn't FEEL all that fast. Kinda boring.
2 years ago, I ran a 10.5 to 1 stroker with a Voodoo, similar lift and duration as the 2 above BUT a 110 LSA installed at a 104 ICL, per Lunati. That engine had 185 lbs cranking compression. AND it scared the crap outta ya, it was so much fun. But it was 40 less HP than my current combo with cam number 2.
All this mumbo jumbo is just saying I guess I really don't like the cam number 2, in spite of the power it makes. Seems like the cranking compression should be higher. Now that it's all apart for a "freshen up", I find myself not wanting to stick that cam back in.
Man I'm confused and I TYPED this!
I just have a lil 367 with about 180 psi, and I agree it can be scarry. I don't get a lotta repeat ride-alongs,lol. In fact, I haven't had a passenger for several years,lol, just the way I like it. If I'm gonna die in this car, I'd rather not take anyone else with me. Kidding; I don't drive like that anymore.
I will never go back to iron heads and sub-160psi,ever. I'm still burning 87E10, so next time out, I'm gonna push the envelope a lil higher. Mine went 93 in the Eighth at 3467#. It has amazing throttle response with a 750DP and a manual trans.
I think about the why of this every now and again, and it seems to me that what 180+ psi is doing, is when the piston goes down on the intake stroke, and because the chamber is so small, and because the header has made a low-pressure in that little chamber, Because of all that, atmosphere is very eager very early, to get in there thru the 750DP. And I think it gets a pretty good head of steam going, and when the piston turns around at the bottom, and the valve is heading for the seat, that atmosphere doesn't exactly know it's supposed to slow down, so it keeps coming until the valve finally closes. That's what I think.
And I think with a lower compression chamber, this all takes too long to get going and never quite reaches it's glory. So it seems soft and lazy.
IDK if there is any reality in these thoughts, but my car shouldna gone 93 in the Eighth. I even went back to the tower to argue, and to visit the guy in the other lane, and both agreed that my time was correct.
So what makes 185psi so great?
IDK but I was ecstatic about the 93 and went home a happy man.
