Camshaft
The camshaft of an engine is one of the most important drivetrain components you will decide on. It determines your engine's "personality" and "attitude", from idle quality to performance and power as well as the application and use. Camshafts determine how far the valves are open and for how long with the lobes that are ground/cut on them. As the camshaft rotates (powered by the crankshaft via gear or chain), it pushes lifters and pushrods against the rocker arms, which pushes down on the valves and opens them. When the cam lobes rotate away from the lifters, the valves close from the pressure of the valve spring against the valvetrain. The timing and amount of lift designated by the camshaft affects the usable rpm range and the powerband of an engine. There are different styles of camshafts including mechanical/solid flat tappet, hydraulic flat tappet, and both solid and hydraulic roller tappet setups.These camshaft types are designed to use different lifters for street or racing applications.
When choosing a camshaft in an engine, the first decision to make is what the engine will be used for. As the camshaft is the "heart" of the engine, with many components ideally matching its rpm band and performance, it's important to select the cam for what the vehicle's primary use will be, whether on the street or track-only. Next, choose the appropriate power band and rpm range that will be used most by the engine. From the remaining options, select the camshaft lifter type design and specifics(if needed). Don't forget to purchase compatible valvetrain components and torque converter stall speed (automatic transmission) in order to complete installation.
JEGS offers a large engine camshaft selection from top brands including COMP Cams, Crower, Howards Cams, Lunati, JEGS, and many more. Each camshaft is ground from high quality material to provide long service life and the performance you need.
