Cam selection

[John Larson]

Having had the good fortune (!?) of operating a German car shop for over 30
years, and being located next door to a CA smog station for the last 15
years, I made that statement based on experience.  I've also taken a
significant number of fuel injection and emissions related training courses,
and held a smog license for most of the '70s, well before most other states
even thought about smog testing.  I've removed performance cams from a large
number of VAG products in order to get them to pass.  Porsches, too, and
BMWs.  I've engaged in all sorts of shenanigans to make non complying cars
pass, and know a LOT of tricks.  If your car passed with that cam, so be it,
but in general, a "performance" cam equipped car is highly likely to suffer
from substantially increased HC levels.  CO, BTW, isn't affected to any
appreciable degree with the level of camsaft we're discussing.  John
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Green" <jeg1976 at yahoo.com>
To: "John Larson" <j.d.larson at verizon.net>; <tessmc at drizzle.com>;
<quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2004 12:05 PM
Subject: Re: Cam selection


> --- John Larson <j.d.larson at verizon.net> wrote:
> > Tess asked, "p.s. - I'm still looking to find
> > opinions from folks on the
> > Schrick 272
> > and 276 cams... do they pass WA smog?"
> >
> > The big problem is HCs.  Because "performance"
> > camshafts feature higher lift
> > and longer duration, we see a combined problem of
> > improper vacuum/air flow
> > levels and poor combustion of what fuel gets in
> > there at idle.  With a 272,
> > numbers may range from 400-2000 ppm at idle, far too
> > high to pass ANY
> > tailpipe standards anywhere they have emissions
> > testing.  A 276 will be
> > worse.  Furthermore, you're gonna lose low end
> > driveability with anything
> > other than the stock cam.  Remember, after mandated
> > emissions levels, auto
> > manufacturers are concerned with mileage (well some,
> > anyway) and performance
> > numbers and "feel.
>
> Alright, here's my BTDT with the Blau 272 cam and my
> car which is not exactly normal, but..
>
> The car passed dyno testes emmisions with no cat, and
> for the mostpart, an eyeballed butt dyno tune with
> room to spare on pretty much all readings.  So how
> John can say it will never pass emissions is beyond
> me.
>
> You will loose a little power down low, but I doubt
> you'll even notice.  The power up high is well worth
> it and I'm guessing you'll like that since you do race
> cars from time to time right Tess?
>
> =====
> Jim Green
> '89 90tq
> '89 80q
> http://www.mswanson.com/~jgreen/car_home.html
>
>
>
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