Just curious....
There are a LOT of cam makers that have been in business for a lot longer than Comp Cams. There are about a zillion different choices from all those cam makers for cams for a Chevy. But the vast majority of guys posting have some version of an off-the-shelf Comp Cams camshaft. Is it the "monkey see monkey do" thing where you see the decal on the side of a race car and immediately think that's the best cam in the world? Or is it the "sheeple" thing where one guy says it works good and everyone follows the leader. Is it because they are so inexpensive? ARE they less expensive than other cams? Some cam grinders will custom make the specs on a cam (Isky). Why doesn't anyone have their cams custom ground? Those off-the-shelf cams are NOT ideal for ALL cars. I would think if you gave the PRECISE information for your car to a cam grinder (as in weight, transmission, rear gears, transmission gears, horsepower, compression, use of the car, etc), you would get a cam that would be EXACTLY the right design for your car.

Dep

 

Better marketing. That's all.

 

Back when we built the 350 for the Ventura Comp Cams described the power range and vehicle requirements better than Crane or any others, so we went with a HE 268. If I were to build it again I'd either go with Comp Cams or the cheaper Summit brand, to me a cam is a cam.

 

I would never use comp anything,I have had nothing but problems with products from them,Now use crane and have been very pleased .

 

Dep,
You know that engine performance is not my strong suit but I would like to make a comment that may have some relevance to your subject. If one goes to the GM Performance Parts web site and peruses the many cam choices available for the many variants of V8 engines, you will find quite a number (particularly for 327/older 350) are products that are sourced from Crane. That is stated clearly as are the specifications and intended performance applications.

GM has made many mistakes over the years but generally they have pretty strict quality control standards for suppliers. There are a number of top-notch manufacturers in the field of cams but to me, the GM line-up is a vote of confidence for Crane's offerings.

 

i use dyno tested combos as a guide.
once cams are changed, output is variable.
(a new dyno test is needed)
It is LESS COSTLY to go with a tested combo.

 

gerry: That's unfortunate. That means that guys are buying cams based on marketing rather than what's best for their car

big: I tend to agree with you. I tend to be more old school anyway and
Isky, Crane, Schneider, Crower are names I know and trust. I have seen quite a few complaints posted on the forum about Comp Cams. Much more than for any other maker.

paul: I don't think you can go wrong with Crane.

Matt: What do you mean by "dyno tested combos"? Like an Edelbrock package of manifold, carb, cam, and lifters? That's fine for an engine that's mounted on a dyno, but eventualy you DO want to put that engine into a car. And then the dyno results pretty much go out the window. Too many guys use the dyno as a TOTAL guide to setting up their car. That's why you see so many posts of "I just put my new 400 HP smallblock in and it runs like my old L48". That's why I say a cam set up as a total CAR package with ALL variables involved is much better than buying one off the shelf or based ONLY on dyno testing.

Dep

 

And the magazine dyno tests always seem to use Comp Cams and Edelbrock intakes. Why? Advertising $$$$.

After having two Comp Cams go bad on me, I'll stick with Crane. I may eventually replace my Edelbrock intake with a Weiand unless I go to fuel injection.

 

Not really. Comp knows the street market very well. Their off the shelf grinds use a 110 degree LSA. Makes for a rumpity idle and great throttle response and a very noticeable boost in mid-range torque which is what the average Joe is looking for. Very, very few of us select a perfect grind. The odds are stacked against you. Perhaps a CC off the shelf grind isn't perfect but it gives the consumer what they want.

Me? I'm a Crane guy. But I've used CC and Chet Herbert cams too.

 

I have 3 engines with comp cams in them. Two are because that's what the guy who builds my engines uses. I didn't specify a brand. He's got a very good reputation, builds a lot of high performance engines, and stands behind what he builds. He wouldn't use them if they were junk. The 3rd one came in the car when I bought it.

 

to answer your question ....i determined i wanted lots of low end torque for my 700r4 and 3.08, i looked at what was being tested in magazines,bought/looked at books of engine builds.....did research on different engine builds that had been succesful, looked at different cams, found the one i liked best .....took all of my "research" to my engine builder and said i like how this one looks and i think it will match up with the trans swap that i am doing , and what i am trying to accomplish and said what do you think? he reviewed my research said he saw no problems with it....and thats how i got the XE268H.....marketing maybe, availability maybe, what other people used NO, what had been tested and dyno'd DEFINITELY...if i didn't see independent dyno results i didn't consider it....

 

Magazine tests do leave out alternative combo's.
My last new cam was in 1999(i found CF in 2000). So mag tests were it.
Now, a few CF members have better combos, like gkull's. I'd sooner take his advice. The mags almost never run 11:1+, like they don't know how. And CHP still hasn't learned how to use a $20 02 sensor.

 

won't argue with that....you have to keep in mind that as the owner/purchaser you are the one faced with the appropriate due diligence....if you don't pick the right one you lose....so yes the published articles do have a significant impact since they give you factual information at least with a known degree of credibility....you need to determine how much credibility to afford them but at least you know its not the first cam they have ever used or teseted....does marketing come into play ...i'm sure it does ...does it means its necesarily a bad product ? probably not....so go in with eyes wide open

heres from the comp cams web site on the XE268H...check out the number of magazine articles....did that have an impact on me ...yes after i read them...


http://www.compcams.com/Technical/CamHelp/Default.asp
click on hydraulic tappet and the SBC engine family


12-242-2: HYDRAULIC: Great for street machines, largest cam for stock converter Duration at .050: 224
Intake Valve Lift: 0.477
Exhaust Valve Lift: 0.48
Lobe Seperation: 110°
[FULL SPECS]
Cam & Lifter Kit...
Cam, Lifter, & Timing Set Kit...
Complete Cam Kit...
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I always used Crane cams but Lingenfelter recommended I used Comp Cam grind # xxxxxx so I went with it. I might be a sheep but when he spoke I listened.

 

I went with XE268 because that's what my engine builder suggested...I then went online, read alot of threads on cams here and elsewhere and decided that that cam would do for me what I wanted.
I've been happy with it.

trw

 

Great question Dep. I am using a Clay Smith solid in my 502. My engine builder had never seen one and did comment that it was a very high quality piece. It was recommended to me by Mountainmotor. I guess Clay Smith was an old Hot-Rodder. When I was looking for a cam, I called about 6 companies tech lines twice each. Comp cams recommendations were all over the place. This, needless to say scared me away from them. George, at Clay Smith was more than happy to talk at length with me. Having said this, I have rarely heard of anyone else running a Cly Smith grind. Bill.

 

I wondered about this myself, even as I ordered my Comp cam....I guess these were my reasons: Most of the hot rod boys I hang with recommended them (got any bananas for me? ). The engine builders I talked with said the same. Magazines & books during my research recommended them. (baaa,baaa ) Not that other cams were not recommended, but I did like their grinds better for what I felt my desires to be. Their descriptions and listings seemed clear and easy to understand (marketing). It was easy to order up the whole valve train at one shot, and by doing so it was a little less expensive than piecing it together as it appeared I needed to do with others (expense). I definately do not know enough to try to design my own grind, so I went with an off-the-shelf grind by those whom I feel to be professionals in their trade. But I still wonder what another girl--er, I mean cam would be like and if I made the right decision. ( It's not installed yet.)
We'll see, I guess.
John

 

Okay...I'm not pissing on anyone who bought a Comp Cam. If you're happy with it, that's cool. I'm just saying MAYBE....MAYBE...you need to use OTHER factors to consider before purchase.

To those who had the engine builder recommend the cam....
I guess a lot depends on how much you trust the engine builder. I think I'd rather go to the cam maker and listen to what they suggest first.
I find it almost IMPOSSIBLE to believe that so many off-the-shelf grinds are all "IDEAL". 69ttop502 mentioned that Comp Cams recommendations were all over the place. That would send up warning signs pretty quickly for me too. If the cam maker asks me DETAILED info
about the particulars of my engine build, how I will drive, and what other specs for the gear I will use is, etc., etc., as I listed above, then my confidence level would rise considerably.

Two other things to consider:
Magazines tests...I put VERY LITTLE faith in them. Especially when the same cam they are testing and eventually endorsing has a full page color ad in the magazine. Follow the money trail on that. Is a magazine gonna say "this cam performed like a broomhandle" and then be able to sell that expensive ad? I don't think so

Engine builders endordsing parts...the catch here is are you also BUYING those parts from the same engine builder? This holds for cams and everything else. You can bet the engine builder is gonna endorse the part that he can get the best DEAL on. The part that he can make the most PROFIT on. Those guys aren't building engines just so we can go fast. They have bills to pay and mouths to feed. What a builder may endorse and install may feel okay, but it may not be the BEST choice.

Also, I'm not saying that we CAN'T pick a good cam for our use. I'm sure there are guys on the forum that know a lot about which one to pick and how to pick it. I'm just suggesting people look at ALL the choices and TALK to these cam makers. You may be able to get a much better cam than what's advertised in a catalog.

Here's something to think about...do you guys think the pros racing at NASCAR or NHRA events use "catalog cams" in their cars? Granted, most of us aren't at that level of competition. But if we DO have the option of getting a custom grind specially made for our cars, why not USE that option?


Dep

 

Don't be fooled by decals on cars ! I have been racing 20yrs. and the decal is the one that pays the most contingency money , regardless what cam is actually in the motor.

 

ok points one and two have some vaildity....you need to do due diligence...no question....as to picking the cam ourselves, this is fine if you have mechanical engineering degree....if not its probalbly like picking stocks where you have just as good of chance of picking the right one by making a random selection...as far as asking friends/others well i think thats less reliable....as for asking the cam makers,how is that different then your point number 2? as for custom grinds most of us have budgets so we can't afford to experiment to see whats best, so we take a route which most likely will get us close..