Billy Godbold and Chris Potter Blow Our Minds Talking Camshafts!

In this episode of Intellectual Horsepower, Engine Builder Editor Greg Jones sits down with Billy Godbold and Chris Potter of Godbold Engineering Solutions and COMP Cams/Edelbrock Group, respectively, to talk all about camshafts and what engine builders and racers need to know.
Did you know the camshaft should be selected after you know the rest of your valvetrain setup, not before? Find out what else we get into in this episode brought to you by COMP Cams.
#camshaft #engines #enginebuild #enginebuilding #valves #springs #horsepower #performance #racing #street #enginebuildermag
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[@user-ye3ty9zd2l]

Billy and Chris, when you talk about the cam timing events (IVO, IVC, EVO, EVC), what lift at the valve are you talking about? The SAE specs were 0.006" valve lift if I remember correctly. Or, do you measure them as soon as you see movement on a dial indicator? Great presentation as always.

[@racerd9669]

I hate to correct Billy, but the Engine Masters was started by your old boss Scooter, and the pulls were from 2500 to 6500 for the street engines. I had 7 entries, place 2nd twice 3rd once and 10th w an engine that was all junk yards parts. The 3/4 race cam was first designed by the REAL father of high perf. cams Ed Winfield. It was a cam with a reground racing intake lobe and a stock ex lobe.

[@wayne4913]

A/h

[@user-ye3ty9zd2l]

I remember seeing and hearing the Panoz roadsters at Sebring about 20+ years ago. They got my attention when they went past on the long straight. Throaty roar compared to the whiny bumblebee engines on the other cars. LOL!

[@billlittle4285]

Peak velocity is roughly .200 lift believe it or not, then slow it down to go over the nose , speed it up slow it a few times on the nose to let the spring stop surging the close it fast to .200 then set it down for a Gentle close and get ready for the next open, it's all math and frequency!

[@user-zd9ex2bn7q]

What's going on with the flat tappet stuf Mr godbolt? Why can't we build a deasent eng anymore. Maybe it's a money thing?

[@savagefabrication795]

With the peak air speeds occurring at lower rpms paired with longer combustion durations in diesel engines, would they have any input on how the cam shaft for a engine that say operates mainly under 3,000 rpms may differ from a wet flow engine with a rpm target of say 6500. Could be interesting to see what they think.

[@wayne4913]

He's not using dial indicator he maybe using yardstick Bill 😂

[@user-zd9ex2bn7q]

Didn't use to be a problem using flat tappet cams.what happened? I believe its is just inferior manufacturing technology

[@leesanders8824]

I'm not sure it's the technology but maybe the process or lack of. Several KZbin channels have ruined engines because of it regardless what the problem is. We can't all spend 2 grand on a valvetrain . Something's got to give.

[@user-zd9ex2bn7q]

@@leesanders8824 you're right technology has been around long long time. Quality control has regressed since the OEM quit buying them

[@leesanders8824]

@@user-zd9ex2bn7q I agree 💯 percent. You can't tell me that they can't harden a camshaft to make it through break in in today's world. It's sad really. I'd love to run a roller setup but man it's expensive.

[@gteefxr3094]

It's all about "rubbin' on your package".

[@user-zd9ex2bn7q]

Only worked for hundred years with flat tappet cams what's going on with that Mr godbolt?

[@daledavies2334]

Not Godbolt. Godbold. Godbold. For some answers on cam technology today, get a copy of Billy Godbold's new book, High-Performance Cams & Valvetrains. In the short form flat tappet cams started early failures when emissions controls were introduced. The additives that make up ZDDP in the older oils protected the camshaft and lifters, BUT they messed up catalytic converters and the government mandated 160,000 miles for warranty. So the OEMs introduced roller lifters and lobbied the oil manufacturers to remove the ZDDP. Now we have a lot of parts manufactured in China. Some demand QC/QA standards of the Chinese manufacturers and do QC/QA testing on production samples. Some sellers are getting Chinese manufactured and look only at price points. Those are the ones that tend to fail. It is like why your Chinese socks have holes in the heels in 3 months and your balls are hanging out of your shorts. Crappy QC/QA.

[@715watcher]

His roller lifters weren't any good either!

[@samstewart4807]

hey Billy, what % of your customers are as naive as you suggest hey are here? 50%? 80%?

[@johnparker1787]

Comp cams stink nothing but problems

[@EngineBuilder]

Who do you prefer to use?

[@SirCoolJerk1030]

Over educated!!