Guide to performance camshafts [Beginners Guide]

Should you fit a high performance camshaft to your car engine? What about fast road cams and competition cams? What are the benefits you get from fast road camshafts for your engine performance.

We won't bore you with science and physics, this is just a simple intro to the world of performance cams for your engine.

We look at the benefits of fitting a fast road cam, how to choose the right cam profile, what to do if you can't find a performance cam for your car and things to keep in mind when installing a fast road cam in your car.

For more information on fast road camshafts please see the article on our website.

Footage Credits
iStock,com/N_Saroach
iStock,com/Pathompong Thongsan

[rafleggyfast]

Many thanks for the vid! Was considering giving my car a Techtronic cam (it's a 2.0 golf mk4), but knowing that replacing the ancillary components is vital, I realized i might be better off tweaking other parts for a start and take it slowly.

[Wisco]

I want to put a Kleemann super sport cam in my m273 e550 Mercedes. What other parts should I upgrade at the same time?

[oreally]

Nice explanation.. But I had to put a cone to my ear to hear it.. The volume is too low man..

[Saadsydx]

Which performance camshaft should b used in honda city ivtec 1.5

[MrTech]

So Ive just bought a pair of reprofiled camshaft’s for my Vauxhall XE engine and they are sold on a fast road basis and fit to the engine on it’s standard timing markings because the clearance are said to be safe. Out of interest before fitting, i measured the lobes on my original cams and they were 44mm, but the upgraded cams had shorter lobes at 40mm. Now I would of thought the upgraded cams would have higher lobes, or atleast the same size for valve lift. Can anyone explain why this is? Do the upgraded cams give me more valve opening durations over the standard ones? Turned engine over by hand several times and it feels perfectly ok as in no valves colliding with the pistons. I’m just a bit curious. Piper cams they are and claim to give a power increase of 12bhp. I’ve already got a direct cold air duct and a large bore 4-2-1 exhaust manifold with a 2” straight through pipe. I’m excited to see how well the power gains with be

[paulwall]

This dudes head should’ve been the reflective mirror on the Hubble space telescope