Cam comparison

In comparing camshafts, you’ll need to find out the rate of lift of the cam lobe to start. This starts with where the advertised duration is measured. Is at .002? .007? .010? Then again at various lift points like 020, 030, etc and finally at .050. This should draw a curve. Then there is actual lobe lift at these points. Then max lift. Overlap, LSA.

Once you can find these specs and draw a curve out on both cams, then you can see which one has the most area under the curve. The fatter the area, the more quickly the valve lifts to a greater spot with more head flow capabilities. This equals power.

In the case of the HFT XE285HL, a more powerful cam will have the same (or super close) advertised duration but an increase of the .050 duration. The rest of the cam specs, overlap and LSA and lift remain the same.

If you like the XE285HL but want a mild power increase, follow the above points to compare cams. The quicker you can lift the valve and hang it open for a greater period of time or degrees, the more power you will make and if the rest of the specs remain the same, perform in the same rpm band and have the same majors as the HFT did.

Being you have a manual transmission and hyd/boost brakes, don’t be afraid of a cam on a LSA of 106 or 104. It’s just a mild pressurized GN of the gas pedal to up the rpm of the engine to engage the clutch not really any different than a stock cam on a wide centerline. It’s just the idle itself being choppy won’t allow a near idle engagement of the clutch very nicely.