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Latest post 01-03-2009 9:42 AM by Xea. 5 replies.
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  • 01-01-2009 8:30 PM

    Cams that turn on through low and mid range

     I changed out an H grind cam on my 64 for an AB grind with .470 lift hoping it would turn on better. Well,,,it's a dud and that's a bummer I go thosed on that one. The H grind I took out my have been the original seeings I'm the second owner. I'm looking at and considering the B grind with the .507 lift. Will this one turn on in low and mid range, or is it's performance the same as the AB?

    If it's not the right cam which cam would you recommend to get the low and mid turn on? Spring spacing an or minor head work not an issue. Also what would I gain if I ported and polished the stock heads?

    Bear

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  • 01-02-2009 1:21 AM In reply to

    Re: Cams that turn on through low and mid range

     Back when I had my 63FL, I added a "B" & it hauled azz good...

     But really didn't put many miles on it at stock 74", as I quickly stroked it to 88 inches....That was a BIG difference !!!!!

    Too bad SIFTON isn't still around.. Some of those cams were Sweet !!!!

     

    As far as Porting & polishing yer heads, that should really be done professionally on a flow bench.  IMO.

    Bigger there ain't always Better.. ..

     

  • 01-02-2009 7:02 AM In reply to

    Re: Cams that turn on through low and mid range

     SIFTON is still around contact V-TWIN MFG, in New York

  • 01-02-2009 10:07 AM In reply to

    Re: Cams that turn on through low and mid range

    Torque cams have less valve overlap in general than high rpm HP cams.

    For V twins, torque rules.

    The more torque your v twin can generate, the bigger your smile is....

    Nowhereman.....who else?

  • 01-02-2009 3:46 PM In reply to

    Re: Cams that turn on through low and mid range

    henedjer:

     SIFTON is still around contact V-TWIN MFG, in New York

    Actually SIFTON's name & etc was bought out by v twin...Yes v-twin proudly labels it on the taiwan crap

    If you have had any dealings with v-twin, you would know the Read-Deal SIFTON is no more... 

     

     

  • 01-03-2009 9:42 AM In reply to

    Re: Cams that turn on through low and mid range

    Here is some information on how to choose a a Cam. The # that dictates where power is made is the intake closing number. This is direct from the Mikuni North America website.



    Cam Basics:

    Correct cam selection is the single most difficult choice facing the performance enthusiast. And, unfortunately, we get it wrong about as often as we get it right. An incorrect cam choice can result in decreased real-world performance if the selected cam's operating range is not matched to riding style.

    The operating range of any Harley engine is determined by a number of factors and the cam design is one of the most influential. If the cam design is not matched to the other components and is not matched to the desired engine power band (rpm range), then the engine's performance will be disappointing. No amount of carburetor tuning can compensate for having the wrong cam.

    To get the "right" cam design, you need to do two things: First, decide upon the rpm range you want to improve. Secondly, use the list provided below and cam catalogues to select a cam design that begins to work at the lower rpm of the power range you have chosen. You'll probably be surprised to learn how few of the available cam designs fit your expectations. However, the list is accurate and if you follow its implied advice, you will get an engine that performs as you wish it to.

    Cam timing: what matters

    The most important cam timing event is the intake valve closing angle. The intake closing point determines the minimum rpm at which the engine begins to do its best work. The later the intake valves close, the higher the rpm must be before the engine gets "on the cam."

    Long duration, late closing cam designs are necessary to drag the last bit of power out of an engine. Unfortunately, these same cams can perform poorly under more normal riding conditions. In the quest for maximum power output, many-too-many Harley owners choose a late closing, high-rpm cam for their engine. The problem with such choices is that the engine seldom spends time in the rpm range favored by such cams.

    The majority of virtually any Harley motor's life is spent in the mid-portion of its rpm limits, between 2000 and 4000 rpm. At open-road cruising speeds, that range is more like 2500 to 3500 rpm. With current Big Twin gearing, top gear at 2500 rpm returns a road speed of 55 mph and 3500 delivers 84 mph. Riders sometimes "putt" around at 2000 or less. Even when accelerating to cruising speed, few of us use more than 4000 - 4500 rpm as a shift point. Very seldom, in day-to-day use, do our engines get near 5000 rpm, let alone 6000.

    Even the mildest of Harley-Davidson's aftermarket cams (Evo or Twin Cam) do their best work above 3000 rpm. At 2000, the majority of these cams seldom perform significantly better than stock cam(s).

    The rpm at which a Big Twin gets "happy" can be predicted by the closing point (angle) of the intake valves. The angle is expressed as the number of degrees After Bottom Dead Center (ABDC) that the valves reach .053" from being fully seated.

    The following list predicts the rpm at which the engine gets "on the cam" based on the closing angle of the intake valves. These relationships are approximate but should hold true to within 200 rpm or so. They also assume that all other tuning factors, exhaust, ignition, etc., are operating correctly.


    30 degrees = 2400 rpm

    35 degrees = 3000 rpm

    40 degrees = 3600 rpm

    45 degrees = 4000 rpm

    50+ degrees = 4500 rpm



    If you have one of the late closing cam designs installed, say one that closes the intake valves later than 40 degrees, then you cannot expect excellent performance at 2000 rpm. No carburetor adjustment, ignition adjustment or exhaust system can change this.

     

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