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2G Camshaft and Valve Spring Choices

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spyderdrifter

10+ Year Contributor
5,267
711
Jul 11, 2009
Somewhere in, Colorado
I'm currently building up my 6 bolt w/ 2G head combo. My old oem cams were shot due to bearing failure on the old engine that made its way into the head. I'm now looking for new upgraded cams and just needed so ideas for springs. I had my cyl head completely cleaned and the machine shop did spring height measurements and such, but still just have oem springs, valves, new valve guides and seats. I'm not looking for high HP or anything, just something that has better performance than stock, maybe 300+, nothing crazy. I have a FP68HTA, Eagle rods, Weisco pistons, and new everything for seals, gaskets, and all the usual crap. If I got a set of 272/272 cams, would the oem valvetrain be fine until I decide to upgrade the head beyond cams and gears (as long as I have it tuned of course)? I don't want to buy a set of cams just to replace them with another set later on, which is why I'm asking.
 
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I have the same set up with kelford 272’s. Was running stock springs for about a year without any issues. Recently changed to Manley single springs but haven’t put too many miles on it since. Trapped 120 in the 1/4 on e85 so it’s probably make around 400awhp with stock springs. You’ll be fine with stock springs and 272’s.
 
That sounds good. I want HKS cams, but since they're discontinued, and prefer new parts, I have been looking at Kelfords. Thanks for the input.

Edit: Did you need to do any degreeing for the upgraded cams? Ok to use oem cam gears, or adjustables are a must?
 
I would stay away from the aggressive cams like GSC s2 and Kelford 272. My s2 lost a lot of bottom end. They really wake up around 4k but anything under that was pretty soft. My BC 272s had much better low end and are more appropriate for your goals.
 
That sounds good. I want HKS cams, but since they're discontinued, and prefer new parts, I have been looking at Kelfords. Thanks for the input.

Edit: Did you need to do any degreeing for the upgraded cams? Ok to use oem cam gears, or adjustables are a must?

I didn’t have to but obviously you’d want to to get the max out of them. I ran it on stock cams but have adjustables now. Plan to degree them sometime this year
 
I'm currently building up my 6 bolt w/ 2G head combo. My old oem cams were shot due to bearing failure on the old engine that made its way into the head. I'm now looking for new upgraded cams and just needed so ideas for springs. I had my cyl head completely cleaned and the machine shop did spring height measurements and such, but still just have oem springs, valves, new valve guides and seats. I'm not looking for high HP or anything, just something that has better performance than stock, maybe 300+, nothing crazy. I have a FP68HTA, Eagle rods, Weisco pistons, and new everything for seals, gaskets, and all the usual crap. If I got a set of 272/272 cams, would the oem valvetrain be fine until I decide to upgrade the head beyond cams and gears (as long as I have it tuned of course)? I don't want to buy a set of cams just to replace them with another set later on, which is why I'm asking.
My recommendation would be no more aggressive than HKS 264, BC 272, Kelford 258, GSC S1, something like that. Manufacturer's advertised duration is just how they call their products, not the real spec. So you shouldn't just compare by only those numbers.

Tony @TK's9d2TSi sorry totally no offense. but should upgrade the springs for the Kelford 272. The Kelford 272 are actually too much for the old stock springs. It doesn't mean you can't run them with the stock spring, yes you probably can run and maybe the valves wouldn't contact the pistons if not shifting at very high RPM. but that's not the only thing we should care. What would happen first is you wouldn't get the expected power gain from the cams at higher RPM. Because at higher RPM the stock springs wouldn't be able to hold/follow the cam spec, which means the valve opening/closing event wouldn't happen in the expected right timing. And then in "the worst-case scenario", you would bend valves.
 
@DSMPT all good Hiroshi!! IIRC the cam card does recommend to use different springs. But I was told you can run them on stock springs so I trusted him. I have taken it to 8k a few times though :shhh:.

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I just did a rebuild on my head with ferrea 6000 valves, viton valve stem seals, and BC 268/272 cams. Its drives very good, I haven't degreed my cams any so idle is very stockish but I gained noticeable top end power. I do have a fully built 2.3l block as well. Oh I kept stock springs and retainers.
 
I would stay away from the aggressive cams like GSC s2 and Kelford 272. My s2 lost a lot of bottom end. They really wake up around 4k but anything under that was pretty soft. My BC 272s had much better low end and are more appropriate for your goals.

So, if BC 272s and Kelford 272s have the same advertised durations, what would the real difference be? Not saying you're wrong on anything, just maybe explain it a bit more. I know how cams and duration work, but just wondering what's so different between those with the same duration specs. I did make an order for the Kelfords a couple hrs ago, but can change the order if I need since they won't process it until Monday anyway. They had a nice BC cam set with springs and retainers for not much more. Are BC cams actually good quality? I've randomly heard otherwise a few times over the last few years.
 
So, if BC 272s and Kelford 272s have the same advertised durations, what would the real difference be? Not saying you're wrong on anything, just maybe explain it a bit more.
I would not be the best person to answer that question. Check out this link https://dsportmag.com/the-tech/showcase/camshafts-mitsubishi-4g63-evo/final-results/ and you'll see that duration is actually a better description of the cam than the arbitrary "272" etc.

And yes, BC is known for cheaper cams and lower quality control but that doesn't mean you can't get a great cam out of the box or cams that can perform well if setup correctly.
 
So if I'm understanding this correctly, even though these are "advertised" as 272s, they really have 226* of duration?

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I'm about to read through the DSport article.
 
So, if BC 272s and Kelford 272s have the same advertised durations, what would the real difference be? Not saying you're wrong on anything, just maybe explain it a bit more. I know how cams and duration work, but just wondering what's so different between those with the same duration specs. I did make an order for the Kelfords a couple hrs ago, but can change the order if I need since they won't process it until Monday anyway. They had a nice BC cam set with springs and retainers for not much more. Are BC cams actually good quality? I've randomly heard otherwise a few times over the last few years.
Brian Crower does not mean bad at all. They work well, friendly price and easy to use. It's just generally the BC's cam specs are milder than other manufacturers if comparing to other manufacturers's similar advertised duration cams, especially to the Kelford cams. For instance, the BC 268/272 are milder than the Kelford 268/272 range cams and the effect would probably be close to the Kelford 258/260/264 rather than the Kelford 268/272.

Oh I kept stock springs and retainers.
It shouldn't be a problem. The BC 268/272 are designed to work with the stock springs.
 
I was running the Kelfords 272's on stock valvetrain. Not sure if a coincidence or direct cause but my car jumped timing and bent valves. Timing components were newish and oem. Car ran fine then it sat for a few days. Car jumped timing on first crank.

Upgraded to Kiggly Racing springs/retainers with the same cams and no issues
 
So if I'm understanding this correctly, even though these are "advertised" as 272s, they really have 226* of duration?

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I'm about to read through the DSport article.
That 226 is the duration at 1mm lift, between the point where valves open 1mm after start opening and where valves open 1mm before fully closed. The first and the last 1mm is difficult to check properly. So you take that duration as the duration that valves "stably" move. That Kelford 272 is 226 but the HKS 272 is 218, even those have the same 272 advertised duration. The ramp/lobe design would be different between each manufacturer or/and models. That's why people say don't judge by seeing only advertised duration. There are three "272" Kelford's off the shelf camshaft sets with different duration at 1mm, different overlap and different lift. All of them have a different character but all of them are advertised as 272.
 
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