Cam and Engine Sound

[Stallion]

How are the camshaft and the sound of your car related? I saw an add for an engine and it said:

Hydraulic-roller camshaft provides performance sound and power

 

[78SilvAnniv]

That is a marketing ploy, don't fall for it! Base your decision to purchase a cam after studying the specs and deciding exactly what you want out of your engine.

The cam determines how long the intake and exhaust valves open and close. Varying the times (with larger or smaller cam lobes) can give you that loping engine sound; BLAP-blap-blap-blap-BLAP-blap-blap-BLAP-blap-blap-blap and it can also boost your horsepower by optimizing the fuel use within the combustion chamber in conjunction with timing it for entry of fuel mix and exit of gases.

A cam ALONE will not do all these things. Well, it can, but your results will be unsatisfactory unless you plan and match all of your parts. I don't mean match the names, you need to determine how best to combine all of the working parts to create the most efficient (use of fuel, gain of power) engine by having everything working together towards the same goal.
Heidi
(I learned a lot last year when we tore my engine down!)

 

[allcoupedup]

I've found that the timing of the exhuast valve opening and the compression will change exhaust sound dramatically holding exhaust configuration constant. Performance camshafts tend to open the exhaust valve a little earlier while there is still some pressure in the cylinder. This pressure creates the loud blap blap blap sound you hear on race cars. The higher the compression, the more pronounced this sound will be.

Someone can take a 350 from a work truck and tweak the exhaust all day and it will never sound like a high performance car. The camshaft and compression will not allow it.


Brian

 

[74bigblock]

My compression is stock 8.5:1, but with open headers and a hefty cam, I get the BLAP, you better believe it!!!!

 

[wishuwerehere82]

I put a Crane street cam in my 74 Pontiac 350 LeMans with a Holley street dominator manifold and a 650 double pumper carb. It never ran good until I went to trade in the car and put the original carb and manifold back on. Sold the perf stuff to a friend and drove the car to the dealership to trade it in. Man, did it have some power then. Just the cam made a lot more power, but all the manifold and carb did was bog it down.
It didn't sound any different, but it hauled a$$.
I was wondering why I wanted to trade it all the way there.:cry

 

[Chrisr]

BLAP-blap-blap-blap-BLAP-blap-blap-BLAP-blap-blap-blap

I'd give anything to see you do that noise in person!!! :L

 

[DRTH VTR]

BLAP-blap-blap-blap-BLAP-blap-blap-BLAP-blap-blap-blap

I would suggest several tablets of Beano taken with the first bite of offensive foods.

Jim, your friendly pharmacist.

 

[78SilvAnniv]

I'd give anything to see you do that noise in person!!! :L

Well, okay. But you won't want to stand behind me!
Heidi

...did I just say that out loud!? :eek

 

[JohnZ]

My compression is stock 8.5:1, but with open headers and a hefty cam, I get the BLAP, you better believe it!!!!

Yeah, but that's only because you put TAPE on it!

 

[74bigblock]

Yeah, but that's only because you put TAPE on it!

Hehhee I put tape on the top of my pistons to increase the compression