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Overboosted745

Sofa King
Joined
Nov 12, 2002
Location
Guinness and Fighting
Disclaimer: I searched, found lots of vagueness and numbers, but not a definite answer.

Scenario: I'm looking at buying 2 of 3 cams a T'Brixster across the pond is selling. The cams are: V, VX3, A (all slotted).

I currently have a VX cam, and though it's an improvement over the T in my 1989 745ti, it's not "enough" and its very peaky when it does come on.

Car specs (relevant to cam):
89 745, AW71, 94 B230FT, LH 2.2, heat shielded K&N, stock turbo and manifold, NPR intercooler, 3" turbo back exhaust w/cat and single dynomax race muffler.

I've read differing reports on the VX vs. A, the A being better of the 2, but I haven't seen anything on the V vs. VX or V vs. VX3, or V vs. A. I had a slotted A cam in my previous motor that ingested about 2 gallons of coolant into the oil before I realized I had a tossed head gasket. I was a bit dejected, I just threw the entire engine away and said "screw the Volvo thing" and thus tossed the slotted A-cam with it. I loved the engine with that cam and know how the engine responds to it with the mods I have.

The questions I have are:
1. is the V better than the A?
2. is the VX3 better than the A?

As it stands, I love the A, am ok on the VX, and know nothing about the VX3 (VX retarded 3 degrees?) and know nothing about the V. Any ideas?
 
If you don't buy all of those cams I'm interested in the one you don't buy. Any of those would be an upgrade for my wifes car.

Back to your question I have an A grind in my car. It's a definate improvment over the factory T grind. The car lost a bit of low end power but it's hardly noticable in daily driving. The boost in upper end power the A will provide is noticable. It's not as much as say a V15 but considering the A's are usually 1/3 to 1/4 the price its a good upgrade for the money. Also keep in mind the A is a factory grind. While it is an improvement over the T it's still desigined for good driveability across the entire RPM range. I can't speak for the VX3 or the V. I've never had any experence with either.

Later,
Stephen
 
V-cam's are VERY rare in north america, that's why not many people talk about them. But I know a few people do use them and they're absolutely in love with them. I'm sure it's a better cam than the VX, at least that's the impression I've been getting lately. The A-cam is a great one too.

John
 
So no comments from the peanut gallery re: the V cam from people that have used them in the past?

The reason I ask is because I'm looking for people that have tried both so they can see the difference in their vehicle.

Everyone that tosses either or of the cams in their vehicle will extoll the virtues of each of the cams respectively if that's all they know. I'd probably swear by the VX cam if it was the only one I've ever used b/c its such a jump over the T (ok, not really, but according to the seat of the pants-o-meter the car's quicker), but I've also used an A cam and know that the A cam rocks the VX's world. I think I'm going with the A, I might just buy the V as well seeing as how I have 2 cars + 1 buddy that has a car I could put an extra in... hehehe.

Maybe I should post this in the "for sale" or "off topic" section(s), and pretend I have a V cam, so the peanut gallery can come and comment as to how much it sucks, and why people shouldn't buy it?
 
Cams --
I run a V-cam in the B230FT engine with the best of results. Compared to the serial T-cam, there is a good bit more torque and the engine which used to pinge when putting down the boot quickly (only for a few seconds till the ignition backs off) does not pinge anymore. It does not cut off in the higher revs, and there is a good bite till the limiter comes on.
Alltogether it was about the same increase in power than coming from the low preasure Turbo to the serial one. (131 hp -- 165 hp )

I never tried the VX3 in the turbo, but a friend of mine has a normally aspired B 230FB. i drove it against my normaly aspired B230 F with a V-cam in it, and there is a slight advantage in the middle range of the VX-3, where else the V-cam has a good bite when it comes to the other side of 5000 refs. The V-cam runs a bit knotty on idle, where else the VX3 is dead straight. The b230 E which had the V-cam had 134 Hp.
V-cams are not all that rare in europe, as they were used in the CI- engines B200E and B230E.

Greetings from ireland, hans
 
I have a V-cam (thanks Hans:wave:!!) but have not installed it yet. I'm almost done stage zero'ing my 945T (just got injectors back, will post feedback on injector cleaning service in another thread) then I can do some 1/4 mile runs with the stock cam and V cam to compare. I'll borrow a g-tech just for fun as well.
 
As if this whole alphabet soup wasn't enough, a D cam with a slot machined into it has just been thrown into the mix.

I've scoured (for the last day and a half) the internet for camshaft info, and have yet to get any info on the D except for a duration that looks suspiciously like a K cam, and that it came in B19e and B21e engines in the early 80's.

Anyone else have any info on the D?

Thanks Hans, and everyone else that posted their thoughts, I really appreciate it!! Looks like, if this D cam thing isn't as "hot" as a V or A, that I'll be buying both the A and the V.

Thanks again

-Ryan
 
The Aspirator said:
You will LOVE the K, advance it a few and you'll get your kick.

John
Click to expand...
The k has enough overlap and duration that i'd have the feeling that it would suck in a low comp motor and/or without a proper igntion curve, otherwise, rock on K cam!
The V isn't quite as overlap heavy but should have about as much lift and almost as much duration as the K. Though, after shipping..one wonders if the IPD is that much worse...unless you snag a V in a boat yard for a few bones :-D
Wow, I'm a dumbass, The Aspirator already beat me to all this...
 
Last edited:
945ti said:
The k has enough overlap and duration that i'd have the feeling that it would suck in a low comp motor and/or without a proper igntion curve, otherwise, rock on K cam!
The V isn't quite as overlap heavy but should have about as much lift and almost as much duration as the K. Though, after shipping..one wonders if the IPD is that much worse...unless you snag a V in a boat yard for a few bones :-D
Wow, I'm a dumbass, The Aspirator already beat me to all this...
Click to expand...
I have MSnS and one of dales adjustable cam gears so I think I could work something out. Did K cams come slotted in any country?
 
ovlov760 said:
I have MSnS and one of dales adjustable cam gears so I think I could work something out. Did K cams come slotted in any country?
Click to expand...
no, not slotted to my knowledge, as B230 based stuff never used them in cars, and I thiink marine stuff was onto using As and Vs by then. I'd just run a 240 dist and enjoy $5-10 caps and rotors myself..
MS&S would fix the ign side.
 
945ti said:
no, not slotted to my knowledge, as B230 based stuff never used them in cars, and I thiink marine stuff was onto using As and Vs by then. I'd just run a 240 dist and enjoy $5-10 caps and rotors myself..
MS&S would fix the ign side.
Click to expand...
I had a shop machine a slot in my A cam so I could just get them to slot a K cam for me.
 
You would have to use a mirror. The letter stamping is on the back of the cam right next to the firewall.

Later,
Stephen
 
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