Understanding the COMP Cams® camshaft families is a great first step in determining which camshaft is right for you
Today, there are a huge number of aftermarket performance camshafts available. Your challenge: find the right one for your engine application. As you start to research the right cam for your engine, you’ll need to take into account the application and vehicle. Other important details include the engine, transmission, rear gearing, fuel induction system, weight of the vehicle, type of vehicle and all the rest. As any knowledgeable technician can tell you, selecting a camshaft solely based on the fact that it fits your type of engine is a sure recipe for disaster.
Within the COMP Cams® camshaft family,, there are several different types of camshafts available for most popular domestic engines ranging from the Xtreme Energy Cams™ to Nitrous HP™ Cams. So, which one is right for your application? While a simple call to the COMP Cams® CAM HELP® tech line (1-800-999-0853) and short discussion with one of the highly informed tech line personnel will always get you the right answers, having a little personal knowledge on the topic is always a good idea. Any time you are making this kind of important decision about your engine, it’s smart to understand the reasoning behind the selection.
All in the family
While it is important to understand the attributes of the various camshaft families, it is equally important to note that camshaft selection is a individual as the personalities of a customer and his engine. What is perfect for one buyer, regardless of the engine platform, may be totally incorrect for another. In essence, the camshaft family is a good place to begin, but you could end up with a camshaft that is very different from what you originally planned.
Fanning through the COMP Cams® catalog can be a fun endeavor, and while many of the camshafts are categorized by a camshaft family name, more often that not the key determiner is the end usage. Drag racing, pulling/towing, oval track, marine, Nostalgia Plus™, factory muscle or even something like the Tri-Power Xtreme™ are all categories you will discover. It can be confusing for the novice cam buyer – but that is to be expected of a highly technical product such as a camshaft. That’s why a quick call to the COMP Cams® CAM HELP® tech line can help clear the air.
In addition to the CAM HELP® tech line call, you can also shop for your camshaft with our CamQuest™ 6 software, which is available as a free download from the COMP Cams® website. This powerful tool will not only recommend the best camshaft for your engine and application based on the information you provide but will also give you alternative selections to consider. Best of all, the CamQuest™ 6 software program will run a virtual dyno test of your engine with the new camshaft you select so you can see the power and torque you will achieve once installed. Want to know just how much torque you generate at 2500 rpm? It’s all there.
Regardless of how you ultimately select a camshaft, the key is doing your homework. Research your camshaft online and try CamQuest™ 6 – and then call our CAM HELP® line for verification and suggestions.
COMP Cams® CAM HELP® Tech Line: 1-800-999-0853
Download CamQuest™ 6 Free Camshaft Families
Thumpr™ Cams
Benefits:
- Great sound (Early exhaust opening and more overlap)
- Great power (New lobe designs give great area and air flow)
- Great mid-range response (Early intake closing traps more air)
Important Considerations:
- Minimal engine vacuum – requires mods for any vacuum accessories such as power brakes
- Designed for use only with valve train upgrades including COMP Cams® Beehive™ Valve Springs and roller rockers
- Works best with looser converters, more rear end gear and other performance engine modifications
Xtreme Energy Cams™
Benefits:
- Quicker opening lobe profiles deliver increased responsiveness & more area under the lift curve
- More vacuum allows you to take step up in duration for greater performance
- Best seller; excellent all around performance in street carbureted applications
Important Considerations:
- Work best with COMP Cams® roller rockers and matched valve springs
- Really require other performance parts (intake manifold, headers,) to make it shine
XFI™ Cams
Benefits:
- Newest and quickest lobe profiles in the Xtreme family and provide a terrific increase in performance
- Tuned for use in EFI applications where extra air flow signal through the carburetor is not required (they feature wider lobe separation without a loss of responsiveness)
- Work GREAT with aftermarket cylinder heads and feature lots of high lift
Important Considerations:
- Xtreme Energy™ Cams are more responsive in carbureted applications
- Designed for use with COMP Cams® Beehive™ Springs and roller rockers
- Really need other performance parts to shine
Tri-Power Xtreme™ Cams
Benefits:
- Three different camshafts offered for each engine platform
- Camshaft designs are targeted to improve horsepower, torque or fuel efficiency
- By decreasing pumping losses, efficiency and performance are enhanced, regardless of camshaft selected
Important Considerations:
- Made for factory fuel injected engines
- Best mileage gains require use of power programmer
Computer Controlled Cams
Benefits:
- Direct replacement camshaft for stock EFI OEM engines
- Wide variety of camshaft sizes available for significant power gains
- Available for electronic fuel injected, throttle body injected and tuned port injected engines
Important Considerations:
- Compatible with both stock and modified computer systems
Magnum Cams
Benefits:
- Great high rpm power
- Easy on valve train parts
- Can be used with mild ratio rocker arms and traditional performance valve springs
Important Considerations:
- Really needs a converter and gear change
- These like compression (9.5:1 & up)
- Larger Magnums are a little lazy at low rpm
High Energy Cams™
Benefits:
- Work well with mainly stock components (rockers, manifolds, heads, compression, converters, gears…)
- Good blend of efficiency and performance
- Perfect choice for performance rebuilds
Important Considerations:
- Not the optimum choice for racing applications
- Great choice for engines where performance upgrades are not planned
Dual Energy Cams™
Benefits:
- Similar to High Energy Cams™, but may work better at high rpm when coupled with headers because of added exhaust duration
- Work great with most stock components
- Very flat torque curve for great street ability
Important Considerations:
- Do not work well with restrictive exhaust systems
- Larger exhaust does not give a sharp early torque peak
- Our other cams make more power if other components are changed
Pure Energy™ Cams
Benefits:
- 50-State legal emissions legal for carbureted engines
- Mild performance gains over the factory camshafts
Important Considerations:
- Work with factory stock components
- Great daily driver style camshafts
Nitrous HP™ Cams
Benefits:
- Wider lobe separation and added exhaust duration from base XE series help shift the power to higher rpm where it can be used in nitrous applications
- Early exhaust opening helps scavenge the extra spent gasses out from nitrous or forced induction
- Better time slips for nitrous passes at the strip
Important Considerations:
- Slight sacrifice of some torque and responsiveness to the base XE family for improved performance with nitrous oxide
- Works best with COMP Cams® roller rockers and matched valve springs
- The big question is which time slip matters more to you (normally aspirated or N2O-assisted)?
*(Depending on duration)
Xtreme Turbo Cams
Benefits:
- Helps build pressure between engine and turbo for faster spool up
- Delivers wide powerband without compromising peak power
- Designed to focus on systems with similar boost to back pressure ratios as seen on most modern turbo systems
Important Considerations:
- Limited to 6500 rpm peak
- Requires lower back pressure system
Blower & Turbo Cams
Benefits:
- Specifically designed for maximum power on supercharged street and street/strip and turbocharged applications
- Available in mild to aggressive cam specifications
Important Considerations:
- Blower camshafts designed for with GMC 6-71 or larger superchargers
- Custom grinds available for more efficient turbo applications
- Turbo grinds avoids excessive exhaust valve opening duration, which is not required
Nostalgia Plus™ Cams
Benefits:
- Specifically designed to capture the essence of the original ‘60s muscle car style
- Delivers improved muscle car sound and horsepower
- Newer technology lobe design delivers increase throttle response & torque
Important Considerations:
- Combines famous factory cam performance with more modern technology
- Excellent sound improvement through camshaft specifications (with similar vacuum characteristics to its muscle car era counterparts)
Factory Muscle™ Cams
Benefits:
- Reproduction of factory original muscle car camshaft
- Produce more torque and horsepower than original factory camshaft
- Maintain efficiency and drivability of the engine
Important Considerations:
- New computer controlled aided design avoids previous factory design compromises
- Tailored to work with high compression engine of the 1960’s and ‘70’s
- Best choice for “era-correct” engine rebuilds
Xtreme 4x4™ Cams
Benefits:
- Improved throttle response and increased low and mid-range rpm horsepower
- Designed for use with common restrictive factory exhaust system including OEM exhaust manifolds
- Feature latest camshaft technology in lobe design
Important Considerations:
- Both towing and off-roading camshaft profiles available
- Features aggressive lobe profiles with short duration specs
- Excellent for Jeeps and off-road vehicle use
Xtreme Marine™ Cams
Benefits:
- Extremely wide powerband helps get boat on plane while making max HP
- Power enhancement helps maintain top end speed
Important Considerations:
- Intended for applications where low idle speeds are required
- Work well against exhaust systems with restrictive back pressure
- Available for Chevy, Ford and Oldsmobile
High Energy Marine™ Cams
Benefits:
- Good for OEM replacement with mild performance gain
- Increased torque and power improvement
- Easy drop-in installation
Important Considerations:
- Great for stock rebuilds
- Camshafts deliver improved performance over stock
- Works with factory configuration engine components
Racing Cams
Benefits:
- Features a wide assortment of racing camshafts for all application requirements of drag, oval track and puller & mud competitors
Important Considerations:
- Require accurate assessment of rear end gearing and other vehicle-based equipment to deliver top performance
- Not made for street use or vehicles requiring accessory drive equipment, such as power brakes, air conditioning, etc.
Consult with your engine builder and COMP Cams® to determine proper application as these are extremely specialized components.
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