Which cam profile is best for you?
Think about the kind of riding you want
to do.
Do you want high-end performance or
low-end torque? (You can’t have both.)
Do you want smooth running and good fuel
economy, or an all-out street racer? What is your trade-off between
maximum power and a machine you can ride every day, under all
conditions.
When you know what you want from your
engine, call FLO Headworks and we'll recommend the cams that will work
best with your riding style. At the same time, we'll probably recommend
our valve spring kit to get the most from your new cams.
Camshaft selection
How do you select an alternative to your
Harley-Davidson’s stock camshafts?
We asked "The Master", a world
famous cam designer, and his answer was, “Whatever works!” or for
short, WEW, his patented one-liner. This sounds like a throwaway remark,
but underneath there is a lot of wisdom.
There
are many factors to consider when choosing cams, and all of them were
presented at The Master’s three-day “crammed cam school,” which I
attended. There was enough material to cover three weeks!
But
the main thing I learned is that "The Master" really knows his
cams.
Every
cam manufacturer uses computers to match a cam’s profile with the
variables of Harley engine design: head flow characteristics, intake and
exhaust porting, ignition systems, gearing, displacement, and so on.
And
every manufacturer knows the jargon: valve lift, valve timing,
duration degrees, overlap, lobe centers, cam base circle
|
diameter, cam lift, rocker arm ratio,
calve train weight, valve springs pressure, lifter type, roller
diameter, hydraulic lifter leakdown rate, hydraulic intensity, major
intensity, minor intensity, ramp acceleration, opening ramp type and
velocity, closing ramp type and velocity, jerk, and smoothing.
The question is, how will you, the
customer, know how to translate all this double-talk and computer output
into the right cam for your needs?
The answer is, you won’t. Instead,
concentrate on the kind of riding you want to do. Do you want high-end
performance or low-end torque? (You can’t have both.) Do you want
smooth running and good fuel economy, or an all-out street racer? What
is your trade-off between maximum power and a machine you can ride every
day, under all conditions.
When you know what you want from your
engine, go to your trusted tuner and tell him. Then instruct him to
choose the cam manufacturer that knows Harley engines best, and select
the model of cams they make that meet your needs.
From 25 years of hands-on experience
tuning and porting Harleys, the Crrane cams I sell are specially
designed for use with EPA formulated pump gasoline in California, and
other states where air pollution requirements are stringent.
Our cams are designed to make real-world
horsepower across a broad power band. And they’re compatible with all
Screamin’ Eagle high performance parts available for the Twin Cam 88
and 95 cubic inch engines.
If you’re a Twin Cam owner, be sure to
check out our new cam kit, especially for this model. It makes a big
improvement in that model’s performance.
For more information call the FLO
Headworks Customer Service Hotline at 805-481-6300 or
e-mail Perry and get a
quick reply. |