"Blower-Friendly" Cam
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2013
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From: New York
"Blower-Friendly" Cam
I would love to hear what exactly is a "blower-friendly" cam according to the members of Corvette Forum.
I was told it is a wide split for duration and an LSA of 114-117. No word on lift.
Imagine this is on a C6 ZO6:
I'm actually debating spending $400 for a new cam and another $500 in labor to do the ca, swap. I already have a Katech Torquer 110 (615/648 lift, 220/244 duration and 110 LSA). I love the cam in it's naturally aspirated form, but have been told by some tuners that this cam in combination with a centrifugal blower will drive much worse (under 2,000 RPM) in town and traffic and that I should go with a blower friendly cam since it's my daily driver and I get lots of traffic.
Let's hear what you have to say about this!
I was told it is a wide split for duration and an LSA of 114-117. No word on lift.
Imagine this is on a C6 ZO6:
I'm actually debating spending $400 for a new cam and another $500 in labor to do the ca, swap. I already have a Katech Torquer 110 (615/648 lift, 220/244 duration and 110 LSA). I love the cam in it's naturally aspirated form, but have been told by some tuners that this cam in combination with a centrifugal blower will drive much worse (under 2,000 RPM) in town and traffic and that I should go with a blower friendly cam since it's my daily driver and I get lots of traffic.
Let's hear what you have to say about this!
Drifting
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,505
Likes: 7
From: Jacksonville FL
I'm not a cam tech as much as a lot of other guys on here but basically the duration is key with a blower. A tight LSA will overlap the valves too much and blow out some boost but honestly a cam will always make more power on a blower if the duration is longer. Lift isn't as big of a deal but helps somewhat. Keep the valves open as long as you can and let the blower force the air in. You don't need the LSA to help scavenge air and you don't need as much lift to help suck air in as you would on a NA engine.
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 24,035
Likes: 2,342
From: Gilbert AZ
It is more about overlap. You just don't want too much or you just blow the air right out of the exhaust ports. A little is good to clear the cylinder, a lot just kills boost/power.
For a blower setup I would keep it 5-6 degrees of overlap or less. The blower should actually make the current cam drive better at low throttle low RPM. Honestly unless you really want to spend the money, or don't like how the current cam drives, I would just run it. I've seen a few torquer cam cars make 750+ with just adding an ECS kit. It isn't that big of a cam. Now if you were running something like a 240/254 110LSA with 25+ overlap, I would swap it, but that cam is small enough it will work fine IMO.
That being said, if you have $1000 to blow, you could get a better cam.
For a blower setup I would keep it 5-6 degrees of overlap or less. The blower should actually make the current cam drive better at low throttle low RPM. Honestly unless you really want to spend the money, or don't like how the current cam drives, I would just run it. I've seen a few torquer cam cars make 750+ with just adding an ECS kit. It isn't that big of a cam. Now if you were running something like a 240/254 110LSA with 25+ overlap, I would swap it, but that cam is small enough it will work fine IMO.
That being said, if you have $1000 to blow, you could get a better cam.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,717
Likes: 28
From: O'Fallon IL
The cam in my ls3 is 230/240 114+3 and it has 7* of overlap. It was custome spec'd when my engine was n/a. I asked about changing it and the advice was to keep it. The advice came from Arun, who is one of the most knowledgeable blower cam designers and his work speak for itself. Btw, your cam is 12* of overlap and your engine is bigger, so I don't think it would be so bad after all.
Last edited by Pitufina; Nov 4, 2014 at 10:58 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,569
Likes: 170
"blower friendly" does not necessarily mean a certain LSA. It is about the valve events and the rest of the engine combo. Most blower cams for stock long block motors do tend to have a 115-116 LSA with around 10 degrees of split. The good ones are also on lobes that aren't too violent.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2013
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From: New York
Thanks for all your I put guys. I ended up consulting with Comp Cams and they helped me spec out a cam with these specs:
.639/.651 lift, 215/238 duration, 114 LSA (because I want at least some lope/choppy-sounding idle). I hope it still sounds good with this new cam and more importantly drives smoothly below 1,700 RPM such as heavy traffic and putting around in the city. I'm thinking the duration split is sufficiently wide enough to make the most of the boost, yet low enough to drive smooth down low.
.639/.651 lift, 215/238 duration, 114 LSA (because I want at least some lope/choppy-sounding idle). I hope it still sounds good with this new cam and more importantly drives smoothly below 1,700 RPM such as heavy traffic and putting around in the city. I'm thinking the duration split is sufficiently wide enough to make the most of the boost, yet low enough to drive smooth down low.
"blower friendly" does not necessarily mean a certain LSA. It is about the valve events and the rest of the engine combo. Most blower cams for stock long block motors do tend to have a 115-116 LSA with around 10 degrees of split. The good ones are also on lobes that aren't too violent.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,999
Likes: 1,685
From: Southeast TX
I'd urge you to slow down a little and maybe get Pat G to spec you a cam. A cam swap is expensive if you have it done and a time consuming PITA if you do it yourself. Not saying there's anything patently wrong with that cam. Personally, I'd want something a little bigger on the intake side to help feed 7L's. The DCR is also a lot higher than I would run.
Having Pat spec you a cam might be the best $25 you'll spend on your vette.
Having Pat spec you a cam might be the best $25 you'll spend on your vette.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,034
Likes: 111
I'm no cam expert or mechanic but I don't see what the low rpm problem would be. At part throttle and low rpm on my D1SC 402ci setup the blow off valve bleeds out all the psi anyway so the motor is essentially running NA without boost until you give it full throttle. So I don't see how your motor would run any differently at part throttle or low rpm with a blower versus how it does on the motor so if you're considering doing the cam swap just for drive ability reasons I think you'll be disappointed.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,569
Likes: 170
Thanks for all your I put guys. I ended up consulting with Comp Cams and they helped me spec out a cam with these specs:
.639/.651 lift, 215/238 duration, 114 LSA (because I want at least some lope/choppy-sounding idle). I hope it still sounds good with this new cam and more importantly drives smoothly below 1,700 RPM such as heavy traffic and putting around in the city. I'm thinking the duration split is sufficiently wide enough to make the most of the boost, yet low enough to drive smooth down low.
.639/.651 lift, 215/238 duration, 114 LSA (because I want at least some lope/choppy-sounding idle). I hope it still sounds good with this new cam and more importantly drives smoothly below 1,700 RPM such as heavy traffic and putting around in the city. I'm thinking the duration split is sufficiently wide enough to make the most of the boost, yet low enough to drive smooth down low.
I would not recommend that grind.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2013
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From: New York
I already paid the $411 non-refundable for the custom cam. The cam is currently being ground and should arrive within a week. The blower will be ordered on Monday and should arrive within a week of that and another 4 days to install the ECS kit, Alky Control meth system, speed density dyno tune and add PLX touch screen boost and wide band AFR gauges.
It's obviously still not too late to keep the KaTech Torquer 110 cam in this planned blower set up. The current KaTech Torquer 110 cam specs are: .615/.648 lift, 220/244 duration and 110 LSA. That 110 LSA can't be good for a blower set up, no?
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 24,035
Likes: 2,342
From: Gilbert AZ
Get your money back from comp, and order a cam from Pat G/BTR, etc. Comp is the WORST place to have spec a cam. Seriously. At least have Pat G spec it. $411 is expensive too. I paid $330 for my custom ground comp spec'd by Pat.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,999
Likes: 1,685
From: Southeast TX
Your current cam is 10 degrees of overlap vs the Comp cam having -1.5 degrees. There's more to a good blower cam other than low overlap. Some of the bigger ones have positive overlap with great results. The cam from Comp is going to be a total dog if you're crazy enough to use it. Run what you have and use that new cam for an expensive trot line weight if you can't get your money back from Comp.
Something along the lines of a 226/240 115 (3 degrees of overlap) would do well and sound good at a low idle speed. Should have better manners than you current cam too.
Something along the lines of a 226/240 115 (3 degrees of overlap) would do well and sound good at a low idle speed. Should have better manners than you current cam too.
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 24,035
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From: Gilbert AZ
My issue with comp is they usually just spec out the most rowdy nasty lobes for race car applications. They have no concept of LS motors or keeping a valve train happy. They like to use jack hammer lobes that need new springs every 4k miles and beat the hell out of everything.
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Pro
Joined: Aug 2013
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From: New York
How do I get in touch with Pat G? Unfortunately, custom ground cams are non refundable and Inalready paid for it 2 or 3 days ago. I would still like to contact this Pat G though.
Team Owner
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From: Gilbert AZ
Safety Car
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I would do the Torquer 116 with a supercharger, but somebody did a Procharger with a Torquer 110 once and it worked surprisingly well. It was on CF but I can't find the thread.
