Found performance cams for the VH

[T45]

Maybe Metter can tell us what's up with this company as they are located in NZ. This is the first I've heard of cams available so I'll let ya'll experts discuss this further as I sit back and watch.

About 491.00 U.S. plus shipping. Not bad to have 4 cams reprofiled.

http://www.camshafts.co.nz/Nissan.aspx

[gs14racer]

Interesting, maybe ill order a set and try them, out.

[elwesso]

Very intersting, Mettler ought to look into this and see what hte deal is.. It looks like they regrind stock one. Itd be worth asking them what they recommend...

[T45]

Yes, it looks like they enlarge the cam through hydrogen welding and then regrind. Shouldn't be a problem as the only stresses on a cam are on the faces and a little bit of torsional load from turning the cam. It's not like a crankshaft where there are tons of force trying to twist it every revolution.

"Specialist Processes and Innovation Franklin Cam Services is able to provide an exceptionally high quality of weld when repairing a camshaft. Three years ago the company acquired some unique welding equipment that uses hydrogen converted from water. The flame burns at a very high temperature, which melts both the base metal and the metal being applied to the camshaft so that they combine to form an extremely strong bond. It is believed that Franklin Cam Services is the only company in the world using this process. This specialist equipment not only produces an excellent end result, but it also halves the time required to complete the job and operates at a fraction of the cost of a conventional welding system. This process, combined with the computer measuring software that provides up to date information on the cams to be worked on and provides an overlay to show the desired profile, allows Franklin Cam Services to provide a superior quality of workmanship. "

[elwesso]

Did you contact them about any possible HP increases by the cams?

[T45]

Nah, I figured some VH enthusiasts on here would have already figured out what kind of profiles would give what kind of HP. I also don't know enough about this engine to make any kind of intelligent questions so feel free to inquire yourself, you know a lot more about the VH than I do.

[elwesso]

I sent the guy an email.

We'll see if they get back to me.

Heres a copy of what I sent. I didnt want to hound with too many questions off the bat...

Quote »I am interested in your Nissan VH45DE camshafts. I stumbled across your website from a Nissan forum that I run (www.nicoclub.com), we have one of the biggest VH series forums on the net. With that aside, im very interested in your cam upgrade. Do you have any HP increase numbers...? Im looking to put them in my Q45 and most of the other people I would recommend them would want some driveability but a little more power... Do the pistons need to be flycut any at a certain lift? Basically Im looking to upgrade this motor and Ive heard that all you need to run 8500 RPM or so is some cam work. If you could let me know with any information you have thatd be great. Thanks, I really appreciate it.. [/quote]

[defrag010]

I hate to butt in with an opinion like this, but for a performance cam those are pretty weenie. Any of those cams would be great for someone who wants to keep drivability and still get power. The stage 5 cams have an 83 degree lobe ramp... most performance cams of today have as little as 28 degree ramps. Although, that looks to be why the VH can get away with so little spring pressure.

IMO, if you have the valve spring to do it, and you wanted a Real cam, you could make those lobes square and gain alot of power.

[elwesso]

I think a lot of people (myself included) would fall in that category. I dont want to lose much "Q-ness", but I want more power (and, more RPM)

[T45]

I am in the same boat as Wes, drivability in traffic is a must but I will have a 5 speed so I could get away with a little more aggressiveness.

They are unlimited when it comes to profiles and could make whatever profile you desire, just throw them some numbers. It seems to me though that if they aren't making really aggressive ramps that there may be a reason behind it.

[defrag010]

It's probably for good vacuum, and good idle/drivability. That's how the VH gets away with such weaksauce valve springs.

If I was going to make a performance cam for the VH, I would probably have mine ground between 230 and 240 duration at 50 thou, between 280 and 290 advertised duration, with a little less than .500 gross valve lift. That would really make use of the high compression, and give the vh a little chop at idle, but would require some valve springs to handle that.

[elwesso]

This is all good, i will definitely ask them about it... Theyve done many cams (said they did a 1000HP VH45 turbo) so i tend to believe what they say... I will ask them about what you said defrag.

if you have anything else I should ask, let me know!

[Guishnu]

Any idea about cams for turbo applications?My SR22DET is currently runnin g 256 deg intake and exhaust cams which works well. Im guessing that it should also work well with a turbo charged VH?

[elwesso]

The feeling im getting is some of the lower stage ones would be good for both NA and turbo, just need different valve springs for boost.....

EDIT: The guy recommended stage 2 or stage 3 for road use.... what do you think stage 3 would do for us?

Im also not seeing a big difference between stage 3 and stage 5... What do you guys think?

STG 3 Duration @ .050182º Advertised duration274-276º Cam lift228” Valve lift387”

[gs14racer]

So i assume he replied back to you.

What did he say about power gain, rpm band etc.

Since i dont care about driveability id be interested in the biggest ones they make lol.

[elwesso]

He hasnt gotten back to me about power gains just yet, i would assume hes going to wait until monday to get back to me.

We'll see what he says once he replies to me. I dont wanna hound with a bunch of questions......... next email I do I will probably try and get a phone conversation with him, since it would probably be easier and a lot more information exchanged vs emails. He doesnt seem like the "computer" type.

[Mettler]

Hey guys this is nothing new. Adrian from Franklin Cams is who I've been dealing with all this time... you'll notice the cam profile specs as seen on that webpage are the same as the ones I posted up in my "cam options for VH" thread ages ago.

It is with him that I will be grinding the cams I'm designing at the moment, and after a few lengthy discussions on the phone, it has been with his recommendation that I have gone ahead and designed blanks. You guys should just wait and watch this space. Using gas welding to add material to your factory cams doesn't guarantee they won't warp, we've both already agreed machining blanks from billet is going to work out cheaper and more reliable in the long run, else I wouldn't be going to all this effort.

I have to disassemble chamber 1, remove the valves & springs etc... then am taking the head in to get CMM measured with a touchprobe to 0.004mm degree of accuracy, and will be able to finish modeling the chamber and valve positions accurate etc. After that, I can run piston to valve clearance simulations all day long and come up with any cam spec you can dream of, and it'll work with the factory internals.

Adrian won't give you any more information than what he's already told me. If everyone's going to jump the gun and buy elsewhere, I won't offer anything up for a group buy. I'm investing considerable R&D to ensure what I offer up is going to be perfectly suited to the application, I hope this is somewhat reassuring to you guys that the wait will be worth it. A lot of those profiles have been made to work with race engines that run forged pistons and other internal differences. I want to make something that absolutely maximises the potential of the stock bottom end, with the closest possible valve clearances, and mocking it up in 3d enables it to be done to such precision. Many of the profiles that they have available do not necessarily maximise potential in this regard. Please keep this in mind before you dismiss my billet cams in favour of regrinds.

Modified by Mettler at 10:14 PM 8/10/2007
Modified by Mettler at 10:18 PM 8/10/2007

[gs14racer]

Anxiously waiting......

[Florida240sx]

ETM??? 6months? Or planning for sooner. Engine build is starting this fall/spring depending on support for it. So will be waiting on the cams.

[T45]

Thanks Mettler, I was hoping you would come in soon and clear things up. If you're still going full steam ahead and the price is similar I'm sure most guys won't mind waiting for new cams over re-grinds. It also helps because there will be no downtime waiting on cams to be shipped and modified.

Are you designing them to be run with your single/dual valve spring upgrades or for use with the factory valvetrain?

[elwesso]

Thanks Mettler, I was hoping you would come in soon and clear things up. If you're still going full steam ahead and the price is similar I'm sure most guys won't mind waiting for new cams over re-grinds. It also helps because there will be no downtime waiting on cams to be shipped and modified.

Are you designing them to be run with your single/dual valve spring upgrades or for use with the factory valvetrain?

I totally agree.. After I emailed him a second time I realized that he was with you. By all means, continue on with what you were doing, but I had no idea this was THE cam guy.

[gs14racer]

Im ready to send my deposit lol

[Mettler]

ETM??? 6months? Or planning for sooner.

Sooner. I don't want to provide an ETM because if I can't meet it, you will be disappointed. Basically, getting my rotating assembly balanced shortly, then it's full steam ahead on the cams after the head has been CMM measured.

Are you designing them to be run with your single/dual valve spring upgrades or for use with the factory valvetrain?

The cams will be designed to work with the valvesprings included in the upgrade kit. The total cost will include the uprated valvesprings, obviously because you can't run more lift on the stock valvesprings.

I'm sorry it's taking so long, but these things should not be rushed.

[Florida240sx]

Rather wait a few more weeks to have a solid system than one that has a weak link. Put me in for an order.

[defrag010]

Will you sell just your cam blanks? What kind of crude base circle are you putting on the lobes of these blanks?

[Olderthanme]

Sooner. I don't want to provide an ETM because if I can't meet it, you will be disappointed. Basically, getting my rotating assembly balanced shortly, then it's full steam ahead on the cams after the head has been CMM measured.

The cams will be designed to work with the valvesprings included in the upgrade kit. The total cost will include the uprated valvesprings, obviously because you can't run more lift on the stock valvesprings.

I'm sorry it's taking so long, but these things should not be rushed.

Would you be able to get one or two sets of completely un-ground cam blanks for me?I' be VERY interested in some blanks to play with.Thanks!
Modified by Olderthanme at 6:53 PM 8/12/2007

[Mettler]

It's pretty unlikely that I'll send you blanks.

Why do you want blanks when you can simply give me your specs, I can slap em into the computer, test them on my test rig, and have them made to your custom spec?

I would very much like the practice!

Who knows... maybe we can come to some arrangement. I just ordered the materials for my first set, making blanks won't be too far off _b I still want to prototype my own set before I go any further. I get the feeling the intake profile is going to be easy peasy to design, and it's the exhaust cam that'll prove to be the tricky one to design right. Thankfully I have some expert advice to help out with it.

[Olderthanme]

Let's just say that I have a cam grinder that I want to do the work for me.

Let us know how your cams come out! I'm very interested in seeing your progress!Thanks!

[Clifton]

For a street car I think Franklins cams would be my choice.

Mettler, what kind of lift do you plan to run? More than his? Also duration? He has some at 295*. Quite a bit for a street car. I also don't know how much you can increase the ramp rate with HLA's. Might be a reason he is using what he has. Admittedly, I know very little about HLA's so I could be wrong there.

[elwesso]

Definitely, I trust whatever mettler comes up with will be the best cam solution you can run on an otherwise stock VH45DE. I would not hesitate to question his judgment over someone else's.