How to find the right Automotive Performance Engine Camshafts & Parts AI guide

Written by an AI model from its trained knowledge.

What the AI looks for in Automotive Performance Engine Camshafts & Parts

Duration matched to the combination
Choose duration at 0.050 inch lift for your rpm range, compression, converter stall, gearing and vehicle weight, as the cam maker's tech line would Too much cam for the combination kills low-speed torque, vacuum and drivability.
Lobe separation angle
Wider separation gives smoother idle and better vacuum and suits power adders; tighter gives choppier idle and narrower peak power Separation sets overlap, which shapes idle quality and boost behavior.
Valvetrain clearances
Check coil bind, retainer-to-seal clearance, piston-to-valve clearance and pushrod length for the new lift Lift beyond the hardware's limits breaks parts.
Tappet type must match the block
Use a flat-tappet cam with flat-tappet lifters and a roller cam with roller lifters; a roller cam in a non-roller block needs a retrofit kit The cam and lifters must be designed for each other.
Flat-tappet break-in
Use new lifters, high-zinc break-in oil and lighter break-in springs, following the cam maker's break-in procedure Most wiped flat-tappet lobes happen in the first minutes of running.
Install timing
Degree the cam to the maker's intake centerline card Timing-set and machining stack-up can move the cam off its intended timing.

Brands that matter

  • COMP Cams: The largest range of street and race grinds, with matching springs and lifters.
  • Brian Tooley Racing: Popular for LS and Gen V cams with complete valvetrain kits.
  • Crane: Long-running cam grinder for domestic engines.
  • Lunati: Street and race cams for domestic V8s.
  • Howards Cams: Hydraulic and solid roller grinds.
  • Isky: Classic race cam grinder.
  • Cam Motion: Custom grinds.
  • Elgin: Stock-replacement and mild cams.

What to avoid

  • A big-duration cam in a low-compression engine with a stock converter
  • Reusing flat-tappet lifters on a new cam
  • Skipping spring upgrades the cam card calls for
  • Installing without degreeing the cam

Questions

Why did my new flat-tappet cam wipe a lobe?

Usually because of low-zinc oil, too much spring pressure at break-in, old lifters or idling during break-in instead of holding higher rpm.

Decided by claude-opus-5-5 (opus-5-5_g1), knowledge as of 2026-06, generated October 29, 2026. Written by an AI model from its trained knowledge, without web search. How picks are made.

All of Automotive Performance Engine Parts