"Big Cam Sound"

by

Kennedy's Dynotune

Lately we have been getting requests from people who not only want more power from their cam but also are after a "mean" sound. Maybe they want to intimidate the competition or just enjoy "ear candy". Whatever your motivation, we can provide you a cam that will make power and sound awesome. Please let us know if this is of particular importance to you when we spec out your cam and will make the needed changes in the specs.

Just a little info about how a motor sounds and the effect of the cam is in order to clarify what can be accomplished and what cannot. The obvious factor is the exhaust system/muffler. A lot of how a motor sounds is going to depend on this. Beyond the exhaust, the size (displacement) and compression ratio are major factors. A larger engine has a deeper, louder sound and combined with high compression give that authoritative "bark" which is beloved by motor heads. What makes a cam sound "mean" beyond these factors is largely a function of how early the exhaust valve open before bottom dead center (BBDC). The earlier the exhaust valve opens, the more pressure is remaining in the cylinder. This leads to the exhaust note having more of the sharp "bark" that is very pleasing to the ear. Another characteristic people associate with performance is a "lopey" idle. This is largely a function of cam overlap. Cams with a large overlap have increased exhaust reversion into the intake at idle and low rpm. This makes the idle unstable as the AF ratio in the individual cylinders changes from cylinder to cylinder and between each crank revolution. If a cam has very large overlap, the idle may become so unstable that stalling results. "cam surge" may also occur at low rpm. The idle speed may need to be moved up to solve this problem, the air fuel ratio may need to be richened up, or timing adjustments may be needed. As with most custom cams, tuning is often needed for optimal results.

We can make the changes needed in designing you a custom cam to maximize that "big cam" sound while minimizing the effect on power and drivability. Let us know what you want, but keep in mind that there may be an effect on power. As we frequently have to remind ourselves, there is no such thing as a free lunch.

Link to Nitrous Cams Tech Tips page.

Link to Turbo Cams page.

Link to Big Cam Sound page.

If you wish to order a cam, please refer to our Custom Cam Information form.