I'm going to disagree with Bryan for the following reasons:
I get a smooth ride with the 286 cam in my engine because it is correctly
timed, used with a CV exhaust system (as per Vizard), and has spent time on
the dyno getting set up correctly.
Everytime I run the car on the dyno (sometimes twice a year sometimes once in
two years) the dyno guy is always impressed with the torque for the engine,
especially so when I remind him it is a 286 (though the dyno figures speak
for themselves anyway).
I use a 45 DCOE on a street car with 40mm main venturi because the CV
manifold enables this and I didn't spend a ton of money on the engine to run
a small carb. Have using main venturi ranging from 34, 36 (2 for sale), 38
and eventually 40mm I know that the 40DCOE would be less successful. In any
event if you are running large main venturi in a 40DCOE you have the worst of
worlds so don't get hung up on the carb size as much as the venturi size.
Perhaps I should say I don't include 'racing on the public highway' to be
real racing (officer).
I don't consider the 286 is a race cam - only 296 and upwards. However, what
counts for me is having a close ratio gearset (in a 5 speed) that makes it
easier for me to keep the engine 'on the cam' rather than having a choice of
running low rpm or high rpm because the gear set is wide. Given that my car
gets past cars with obviously much greater torque convinces me that I spent
the money on the right things and in fact the only car that got away from me
was the Elise which probably doesn't have much more mid range torque than the
A-series under the bonnet of my car. Remember too that in any given
acceleration or torque counting (up-hill?) situation it is not the torque
alone but the torque to weigh ratio that matters. In other words if you are
FAT and heavy with a ton of junk in the boot in an overweight car, will still
lose out to the skinny guy/gal (hi Amy?) with the empty boot car that might
just have no bumbers.
Daniel1312 - YMMNV
In a message dated 24/08/00 19:24:50 GMT Daylight Time,
Bryan.Vandiver@Eng.Sun.COM writes:
<< Performance cam (266 or 276, anything more, and you are looking a a rough
idle, and no 'bottom end' meaning you will always have to keep your RPM's up
for
power (not good on hills, and mountain roads, also makes the engine more
prone
to overheating)
- A DCOE is cool, but unless you can find a good deal on a used one, can be
expensive. You can do just fine with a DCOE 40 for the street. '45 DCOE
isn't
necessary unless you plan to 'race'.
I run a Kent 266 cam in my 1275, with a Dellorto DHLA 40 (simular to a
DCOE),
Manifolw headers, and I mildly ported the head to improve 'breathing'. I am
very
satified with the power. I noticed that other cars with hotter cams, had a
hard
time keeping up with me on mountain roads, since I had more bottom end
torque,
and a wider power band, than the 'race cam' engines have. So keep in mind ,
what's 'hot' on the track, may not necessarily be good for sprited street
driving.
- Bryan
>>
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