[Voyn238]

... And now I'm trying to figure out how to tune it all. I know that ideally, I would do all my tuning on a dyno, but let's face it, I'm not rich! Especially after springing for the cams and gears! Anyways, just looking for a few pointers out there from anyone who has adjustable cam gears... The general rule for NA engines has been to advance the intake cam and retard the exhaust cam, right? I had always assumed that rotating a cam clockwise compared to the alignment notch was advancing it, and that rotating it counterclockwise retarded it. But, now that I'm looking at the rotation of the gears as well as the markings on them, it's looking like just the opposite. I'm lost!! Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

As for the performance afterwards, I have to say that I'm somewhat let down. As it stands right now, I've lost a ton of torque, and not picked up enough HP to make me happy with that. The extra HP isn't really apparent before 4500 rpm or so, and I'm usually at that rpm range for such a short duration that it's hardly worth it.

 

[3000cc MK2]

What are the specs of the cams did you install and where did you got it or have you regrind a new/used piece... LMK

Jay

 

[SilverMk2]

My guess is that you didn't gain any top end hp at all and lost a boat load of torque on the lowend. At least that has been my impression with the Gude cams installed. I've never dynoed with the stock cams, but using the 1/4 mile time and speed calcs they are showing about 10-15 rwhp more than what was on my last dyno with the cams. I have no idea how accurate these equations are but it does confirm my seat of the pant feel. I think the cams problem on a 5/6M is a function of the both the factory EFI system and the 5M cylinder head itself. I've never seen any flow #s on the 5M head, but I've seen 7M head #s and they aren't very impressive. Plus on the 7M head the 5M valve lift on the Gude cams are past the stall speed on the ports. Its hard to correlate this between the 2 since they are vastly different, but I've got to imagine the 7M head outflow a 5M head. BTW how does the car idle on the HKS cams. My Gude cams had a hard time maintaining a 1500rpm idle.

As far as cams setting go I've always ran mine straight up. What setting is best something you really need a dyno to find out. The gains or losses you are looking at are probably in the 1-2 hp range, so the seat of the pants won't work here.

 

[Voyn238]

I think I really did gain HP on the top end. Of course, I don't have any dyno figures to back that up, but it really does feel different. And I was so looking forward to this! Blargh. As for the stock EFI, that will soon be going away completely, and will be getting replaced with a TEC-II unit. That should help somewhat... As for the 5M head, mine isn't stock anyways. It's ported, but I have no figures for it.

It idles fine, by the way. Very happy to idle at 800 or so. My idle has not been very stable since I installed the 295cc injectors over a year ago, but it did not degrade any after the new cams.

 

[BillyM]

With a port/polish, exhaust and intake mods, and cams, I would guess that you need to up your shift-point. Do you have upgraded valvesprings? If not, might look into them and start running that beast up to 6800 or so. My stock 5m is smooth and powerful all the way up to 5800, my usual shift point. Is your system balanced well enough to run high-rpm? Mine seems to be, just that I dont have the flow to support it...

(wants so badly to build a tripple-sidedrafted 8000rpm autox beast of an mk2)

--BillyM
Viva La Autox!