Its normal to want your car engine to produce more power. No matter how much force your car is running on now, we all tend to crave a little extra power.
That causes people to learn more about the role of a camshaft in vehicles and wonder: how much hp does a cam add ?!
Lets go through this article to see how a cam works and find out the answer to the question above!
Overview Of The Camshaft
In this engine, the camshafts work directly on the rocker arms that open the valves for a short while. Once the camshafts pass by, the valves will automatically close thanks to the springs on them.
If just one cam is located in the engine block, its the overhead-valve engine (pushrod engine). When the cams work, they push a set of rods that operate the rocker arms.
These arms will place force on the valves to open them. Similar to the OHC engines, the springs will close the valves.
Compared to the cams above, these OHV engines are not as popular. You can see them in some trucks or large SUVs.
The term 16-valve 4-cylinder engine indicates the camshaft comes with 4 sets of 4 cams.
Each set works with two exhaust valves and two air intake valves. A dual-cam construction will have 16 cams, distributed evenly on two camshafts.
Now, how much hp does a cam add ? Lets find out below!
How Much HP Does A Cam Add?
The cams you currently have are designed to achieve the best longevity, optimal performance, and fuel economy.
Thus, the peak horsepower your camshaft can produce is insufficient to maintain the ideal amount of fuel on the cylinder.
Besides, trying to get additional power will probably exhaust you out. If you get new cams, theyll be held up by the fuel injectors. Add better fuel injectors, and youll find out new valves are also necessary.
The cycle doesnt just stop at that. You will have to upgrade your intake and exhaust manifold to facilitate the air moving in and out.
In the end, youll find yourself spending significant money just to gain back 50-100 hp.
How much hp does cam add? To answer this question, you need to know that there are many types of cams. Below is our information on some of the common ones.
How Much HP Does A Stage Cam 1 Add?
A stage cam 1 can boost your vehicle by 50 to 100 horsepower .
At the same time, it will also produce an increase in the torque output. Add a stage 1 engine to your car, and youll experience an improved RPM throttle response.
How Much HP Does A Stage Cam 2 Add?
How Much HP Does A Stage Cam 3 Add?
A stage cam 3 will give you a 40% increase in the power output . Before you enjoy this treat, the up-gradation of stages 2 and 1 needs to be completed.
How Much HP Does A Stage Cam 4 Add?
The peak power output will leap to 568 hp if you install the camshaft at this stage. However, this installation will cause a slight drop in the peak torque to 510 lb-ft.
Why Should You Cam Your Car?
Choosing between performance and efficiency is a minor battle every car enthusiast must face.
The first choice, which is camming the car, will provide a boost in the power output and better the RPM response.
Coming with this choice is the engines more aggressive sound.
This up-gradation will also slightly reduce the efficiency ratings at low RPMs. Thus, you might want to spend time thinking twice about this decision.
If you want to cam your vehicle, youll need to buy a new set of performance camshafts, which are readily available on the market.
Camshaft Upgrade
Heighten Sound
Once your cam gets old and bad, itll annoy you with constant noise when the engine operates. As its quality worsens, you can notice odd sounds like loud ticking and tapping coming from the valve train.
Change it with a better one, and youll be able to enjoy a smooth and peaceful ride with your vehicle.
Better RPM Range
The cams open the valves, and the springs close them. The speed at which the springs close the valves will restrict the maximum RPM.
Thus, a camshaft with a high lift will give the springs less time to close the valves as they have been opened further. As a result, the engine will have a higher RPM range.
Les inconvénients
The biggest minus point about replacing your cars cam with a new one is the high price. Well go into detail about this disadvantage further below.
Additionally, you have to consider a lot of factors when getting a better cam.
Rocker arms, adjustable cam gear, valve train, fuel management, etc., are all the things you need to learn about and determine the most suitable ones for your cam.
Prix
That is just the cost of repairing. If you want to replace a whole camshaft, the price will jump up to $3000, including labor costs.
Not to mention if your car is luxurious, the mechanic will charge you extra costs.
FAQ
Are Cammed Cars Reliable?
Many people think that camming will make your car less reliable; Cependant, ce n'est pas vrai. Accidents will happen mostly because of improper installation, valve train geometry, or poor tuning.
So, to assure you again, there will be no problem with reliability when you cam your car, just do it and see how much hp does camshaft add .
Does The Camshaft Make Noise?
The cam itself is just a spinning shaft and doesnt make any noise. However, it links to many other parts inside the engine, and if its tensioner wears out, then there will be noise.
As mentioned above, the normal sound you will hear will be the ticking noise from the top of the vehicle. The common reason for this is that the lobes of the cams have loosened.
When you hear strange sounds from your car, various engine parts can be the culprit.
It might be the steering wheels that make noise; or the exhaust leak that causes your vehicle to sound like a lawn mower . Therefore, take a thorough check-up to point out the exact reason for this problem and fix it.
What Is The Cheapest Way To Increase Hp?
Moreover, you can purchase a boost controller.
Au lieu de se demander combien d'arbres à cames HP ajoutent et de considérer si le gain d'énergie vaut votre argent, optez pour cette petite machine avec la possibilité de stimuler jusqu'à 15 à 20% de couple.
Conclusion
How much hp does a cam add ? Coming to the end of the article, we hope you found the answer to your curiosity. If yes, then this article is considered a success to us.
Après tout, bien qu'il n'ajoute pas une augmentation de puissance impressionnante à votre voiture, vous pouvez toujours en tirer le meilleur parti si vous maintenez et utilisez la voiture correctement et raisonnablement.
Merci pour la lecture.