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vx cam

IPD said that the VX cam would give about a 10% power increase, usually you lose a bit at low rpm and gain more at higher rpm. With the adjustable gear you can get a bit of the low end back. With a 2300 cc motor and lots of boost you may feel more. Dan242tic
 
Whats your power goals and driving style? I ran the VX for a while, found it to be a pretty good cam with very little loss of bottom end and a much improved top end.

Now, that being said I've gone bigger :badboy:

Also, what transmission? Eric is running in the mid-low 13's with a VX on an automatic. Seems to me the extra bottom end (vs going to a K cam) is ideal on the auto (as is having to deal with the 6k rev limiter).

HTH

Doug
 
doug242ti said:
Whats your power goals and driving style? I ran the VX for a while, found it to be a pretty good cam with very little loss of bottom end and a much improved top end.

Now, that being said I've gone bigger :badboy:

Also, what transmission? Eric is running in the mid-low 13's with a VX on an automatic. Seems to me the extra bottom end (vs going to a K cam) is ideal on the auto (as is having to deal with the 6k rev limiter).

HTH

Doug
Click to expand...
how does the the v15 (and vx3, in case you were talking about the actual vx cam) compare for use with an auto?
 
not to nitpick but isn't the VX3 advanced 3 degrees as opposed to the regular VX cam. ok so i am nitpicking...so what

neal
 
I love my VX cam and gear kit :badboy:

Most significantly since I put the bigger turbo on it pulls like a sonofabitch from 4k rpm on at 6 degrees advanced. It really feels like an extra 4 psi of boost. However even before said addition, it seems like the car had found 'VTEC' even though it has already hit peak boost 1k+ rpm earlier. It behaves more like an NA car, pulling progressively harder as the RPMs climb, as opposed to a T cam'd motor, which pulls hard until about 4-4.5k and just disappears.

At first I was disappointed with the VX(3) cam, because I couldn't turn the tires over like I used to be able to (cook 'em). This wore off pretty quickly, as with a little timing advance I picked up the low end. It still 'hits' after a longer loadup (higher RPM), but then the poor hides catch hell. I also felt like I had lost power. Soon however I found that I could run MUCH bigger boost than before, a much reduced tendency to spark knock at higher boost levels. The cam also increased my boost creep (so I creep, baby) somewhat, but that increased the 'oh shit' factor when somebody else is driving the car on stock boost...it still feels like a soldier, as the creep from 6psi->10psi happens in the 4k-up range.

I really want to try the V15 cam, but I'm so satisfied with the way the VX(3) works, I'd probably spend the money on something else. Of course in comparison between the T cam and anything else, I believe a lumpy breadstick would perform better.

As far as emissions are concerned, you don't have any worries, it made no difference on my sniff test sheets.
 
i don't know much about the vx3 cam but if you want to have low end do not get a k cam, i just put mine in today and its like driving a honda at low end absolutly nothing. But at high end its incredable. just my 2 cents
james
 
I have run the VX in my turbo and not turbo 740's. It was a huge difference in my non turbo, but only a medium difference in my turbo. You loose a little bit of low end torque, which can suck sometimes like when coming out of corners. It has a good top end though. I put it in and tightened up the shims to tightest spec, and wow, that top end went up to 6K instead of the 4.5k dropoff that everybody talks about. This is even with the mitsu turbo so the top end sucks anyways. I wish I had a turbo specifc cam however. It makes me very doubtful of the use of the cam on a turbo car when IPD claims a 12hp and 1.2 0-60 increase for NON TURBO ONLY! Not to shoot down the VX cam, its great but I want something better.
 
guidom said:
It makes me very doubtful of the use of the cam on a turbo car when IPD claims a 12hp and 1.2 0-60 increase for NON TURBO ONLY! Not to shoot down the VX cam, its great but I want something better.
Click to expand...

I think you have made a good point there. However, I LOVE my cam, and am tempted to put the T cam in to see the real difference...on the dynojet. I would say with additional supporting mods the VX3 cam would make a big part of that 12hp or more...
 
Hmm, kind of wondering if I would get much of a power gain from changing my A cam to a VX, although I would actually hope for more mid to bottom end, the bulk of my power does not seem to kick in till I'm passing 4000rpm on my way to somewhere near 6000rpm.

Anyone know how acurate the specs are that are listed for the VX cam around the net? No one sells them in Australia, but we do have cam grinders here that will make a cam to any spec you want.
 
I think the specs are on the IPD website on the page where the cam is for sale.


The VX cam is definately an improvement over stock. I have the cam gear which is almost a must. It is a bigger improvement on the NA than on the turbo, but I agree with Tbrick940 that with a few mods the potential of the cam comes out. If you do intake, exhaust, and boost it makes the cam much happier. Even with it 6 degrees adv. the power doesnt come on until 3500rpm. Retarded 3 deg it is great after 4k.

My opinion is that one should look for a better cam. I dont think it is worth 300 dollars for cam and gear. I just happened to have one because I bought one a long time ago when I had money to waste.

Also, I think IPD and MVP are out of them. A couple of weeks ago people here were saying they were waiting for 3 or so months for their cam from IPD. I say go custom. Especially if you are in Australia and nobody sells the VX.

I would find a turbo specific cam. SOmebody said the VX is almost the same as the V15. Is this true?
 
Bishop:[quote:d647a85e97]kind of wondering if I would get much of a power gain from changing my A cam to a VX[/quote:d647a85e97]

an aside: When comparing cams, the question might be worded best as "where (in the RPM range) will I see a power gain?"

The Vx is not superior to an A for midrange. It has a flatter torque curve, with a very slightly better off idle reposnse, and a power curve that doesn't drop as fast. The A has a more pronouced upper midrange peak.

If you want more low end and midrange than an A, your only two options are a T or an X. At least two board memres have separately tried T cams in non-turbo applications and have been impressed with the low end reponse... and if it matters, you get better gas mileage and lower emissions.
 
I've never sure about custom grinds, they can be very hit and miss depending on the cam grinders experience with the car your getting the cam for, and i don't like my chances of finding someone in Australia that knows anything about Volvo turbos.

Looking at the VX cam specs today at one site, it looks to me like it should give slightly better top end than the A (more lift), while also improving bottom end responce (less overlap), makes you wonder if there is a down side???
Although looking at the A cam specs has got me wondering why they used it in the Turbo, so much overlap, very strange.
Maybe I need to find some reading material on cam design...
 
bishop look up dick prince's website and get in touch with him. he may be able to refer you to someone but they may not be in your area.

neal
 
"The Vx is not superior to an A for midrange. It has a flatter torque curve, with a very slightly better off idle reposnse, and a power curve that doesn't drop as fast. The A has a more pronouced upper midrange peak."

Well there is my down side, posted while I was posting. :-)

My car does have good midrange, pulls strongly after you hit it, but getting to it can be a pain in every day driving, in particular I don't think they should have used the A in the Turbo Autos.

Maybe I should try just advancing my A cam?
 
Edit: Bishop & I traded posts again, I'll edit for clarity: I did not realize his was a Turbo, I had him confused with another poster I knew was naturally aspirated. For a turbo, those knowledgable including MVP have gotten very good results with a VX in turbo applications. It as more or less a co-incidence that the VX advanced has valve opening points similar to what you'd custom order for a mild street turbo cam.
I'd still say your best options are T or X, with an advanced VX being just as good for a turbo. See below- with a turbo you have another option to make cylinder pressure! :wink:

Original post:

a down side to a wider lobe center exists, yes- a lack of peak torque.

The points opposite of overlap- it would be intake valve closing and exhaust opening- end up wrong, and IVC has by far the most effect on cylinder pressure and volumetric efficiency.

Best to go with the least duration, but keep your overlap up. The lift difference (of .413 to .436, iirc) is unlikely to make any measurable effect. Someone might point out that that is like changing to 1.6 rockers in a rocker am engine, which is true except that rockers add just a touch of duration. We can't tell if the lobe of the V is fuller than an A, so it might, might not, help out. The lobe of the x is actually smaller, with just peak lift being greater.
 
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