High-Performance Cams & Valvetrains: Theory, Technology, and Selection
Understand the "magic" of how optimized camshafts extract the most performance from every engine component, eliminating valvetrain guesswork.

Camshafts are the coach and conductor of any four-stroke engine from early flatheads to modern Formula 1. Performance engines are amazingly sensitive to how and when the valves to the combustion chamber open and close. The valvetrain configuration and flow characteristics may change significantly between applications, but the fundamental principles are universal. This allows the language, setup, dynamics, energy, and pressure aspects of a valvetrain to be covered in a way that is just as useful for optimizing a sub-15-hp go-kart engine as it is on a 500-plus-hp street engine or a modern 1,500-plus-hp NHRA Pro Stock engine.

In High-Performance Cams and Valvetrains: Theory, Technology, and Selection, farm-kid-turned-physicist Billy Godbold combines his quarter-century of experience with valvetrains at Comp Cams, Lunati, Crane Cams, and Edelbrock with the techniques he uses with professional teams in NASCAR, the NHRA, road racing, dirt-track racing, offshore racing, and land speed racing. He guides you to think about any valvetrain system with his perspective. Often lighthearted and filled with analogies, this book endeavors to make complex concepts easy to understand without watering down important details.

Specific configurations and applications are covered, providing techniques and examples for optimizing camshafts and the valvetrain around intakes, headers, superchargers, turbochargers, fuels, carburetors, and modern EFI applications. If you are planning or building a performance engine, or if you just want to know the science behind how cams and valvetrains work, this book is an indispensable resource.

1141967751
High-Performance Cams & Valvetrains: Theory, Technology, and Selection
Understand the "magic" of how optimized camshafts extract the most performance from every engine component, eliminating valvetrain guesswork.

Camshafts are the coach and conductor of any four-stroke engine from early flatheads to modern Formula 1. Performance engines are amazingly sensitive to how and when the valves to the combustion chamber open and close. The valvetrain configuration and flow characteristics may change significantly between applications, but the fundamental principles are universal. This allows the language, setup, dynamics, energy, and pressure aspects of a valvetrain to be covered in a way that is just as useful for optimizing a sub-15-hp go-kart engine as it is on a 500-plus-hp street engine or a modern 1,500-plus-hp NHRA Pro Stock engine.

In High-Performance Cams and Valvetrains: Theory, Technology, and Selection, farm-kid-turned-physicist Billy Godbold combines his quarter-century of experience with valvetrains at Comp Cams, Lunati, Crane Cams, and Edelbrock with the techniques he uses with professional teams in NASCAR, the NHRA, road racing, dirt-track racing, offshore racing, and land speed racing. He guides you to think about any valvetrain system with his perspective. Often lighthearted and filled with analogies, this book endeavors to make complex concepts easy to understand without watering down important details.

Specific configurations and applications are covered, providing techniques and examples for optimizing camshafts and the valvetrain around intakes, headers, superchargers, turbochargers, fuels, carburetors, and modern EFI applications. If you are planning or building a performance engine, or if you just want to know the science behind how cams and valvetrains work, this book is an indispensable resource.

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High-Performance Cams & Valvetrains: Theory, Technology, and Selection

High-Performance Cams & Valvetrains: Theory, Technology, and Selection

by Billy Godbold
High-Performance Cams & Valvetrains: Theory, Technology, and Selection

High-Performance Cams & Valvetrains: Theory, Technology, and Selection

by Billy Godbold

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Overview

Understand the "magic" of how optimized camshafts extract the most performance from every engine component, eliminating valvetrain guesswork.

Camshafts are the coach and conductor of any four-stroke engine from early flatheads to modern Formula 1. Performance engines are amazingly sensitive to how and when the valves to the combustion chamber open and close. The valvetrain configuration and flow characteristics may change significantly between applications, but the fundamental principles are universal. This allows the language, setup, dynamics, energy, and pressure aspects of a valvetrain to be covered in a way that is just as useful for optimizing a sub-15-hp go-kart engine as it is on a 500-plus-hp street engine or a modern 1,500-plus-hp NHRA Pro Stock engine.

In High-Performance Cams and Valvetrains: Theory, Technology, and Selection, farm-kid-turned-physicist Billy Godbold combines his quarter-century of experience with valvetrains at Comp Cams, Lunati, Crane Cams, and Edelbrock with the techniques he uses with professional teams in NASCAR, the NHRA, road racing, dirt-track racing, offshore racing, and land speed racing. He guides you to think about any valvetrain system with his perspective. Often lighthearted and filled with analogies, this book endeavors to make complex concepts easy to understand without watering down important details.

Specific configurations and applications are covered, providing techniques and examples for optimizing camshafts and the valvetrain around intakes, headers, superchargers, turbochargers, fuels, carburetors, and modern EFI applications. If you are planning or building a performance engine, or if you just want to know the science behind how cams and valvetrains work, this book is an indispensable resource.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781613257548
Publisher: CarTech
Publication date: 05/04/2023
Pages: 192
Product dimensions: 8.50(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Growing up on a rural Mississippi farm, Billy Godbold had two passions: science and internal combustion engines. He had the opportunity to combine those passions into one career after receiving his Master of Science degree in physics from Florida State University. Billy has worked with legends (Glidden, Lingenfelter, Jenkins, Pink, and Elliot) and eventually began consulting with today’s most highly engineering-focused NASCAR teams and original equipment manufacturers. Billy’s unique background allows him to communicate complex concepts in a way that anyone can understand. During his time with the valvetrain group at Comp Cams and Edelbrock, Billy developed the Xtreme Energy, Thumpr, and XFI camshaft lines. Billy’s designs and leadership have helped customers win thousands of professional-level races and hundreds of championships.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Language of Camshafts

What is a Camshaft?

Basic Terms

Cam Degrees versus Crank Degrees

Intensity

Specification Cards, Comp Adcole Reports, and Published Lobe Data

More on the Specifications Card

Adcole Inspection Report

Chapter 2: Valvetrain Blueprinting

Setting Rocker Height

Setting Lash or Preload

Calculating Optimal Spring Setup Height

Degreeing a Camshaft

Piston-to-Valve Clearance

Advanced Blueprinting

Specific Stiffness

Chapter 3: A Dynamic Understanding of Profiles: Velocity, Acceleration, and Jerk

Velocity

Acceleration

Jerk

Closing Loads Past the Buckling Point

Chapter 4: Energy and Four-Stroke Engine Fundamentals

Follow the Energy

What is Horsepower?

BSFC and Efficiency

The Otto Cycle

Volumetric Efficiency

Chapter 5: Under Pressure

Measured and Theoretical Otto Pressure versus Crank Angle

PV Diagrams

Chapter 6: Understanding Valve Events

EVO

Overlap

IVC

Chapter 7: Wave Tuning

Starting at EVO

Optimizing Intake Port Length

Unequal-Length Intake Runners

Chapter 8: Moving Valve Events

Standard Optimization Techniques

Improved Optimization Techniques

Chapter 9: Camshaft and Cylinder Head Selection

Exhaust to Intake Flow Percentages and Flow Curve Shapes

Cylinder Head Configuration

The Combustion Chamber

CFM per Cubic Inch

Chapter 10: Other Engine Considerations

Bore-to-Stroke Ratios

Rod-to-Stroke Ratios

EFI versus Carbureted

Octane and Other Fuel Considerations

Variable Advance, Centerline, Duration, and/or Lift Systems

Variable Displacement Systems

Power Adders

Valve-Spring Selection with Boost

Thermal Management

Chapter 11: Valvetrain Selection

Camshaft Type

Deciding Target Lift

Selecting Lift and Profiles around the Valve Spring

Rocker Ratio, Journal Size, and Lifter Wheel

RPM and Durability Targets

Comparing Profile Aggressiveness

Optimizing the Camshaft for the Application

Why Do Cam Guys Ask so Much about My Vehicle?

Chapter 12: Camshaft Selection Examples

Small-Block Chevy Crate Upgrades: 350 versus 383

Street versus Racing

GM 5.3L LM7 Cams: C10 pickup to Circle-Track and Drift

6.4L Hemi: Blower and Cam Packages

Glossary

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