A_Volvo_Driver
Is there much difference between a K cam and an H cam? Will the K that I have to put in be good enough (even if it isn't as good as an H)? Again, not after a race car, but just wanting something that I can use everyday with a smile, like this one :)
Spac
I am in the minority, but I prefer the K over the H.
For my mind, the H's grumpy idle (not "tough" just grumpy), lack of low end torque and unpleasantness at light throttle/low revs, is not forgiven by its extra high-rev performance.
There are regrinds that offer more performance and nicer idle than the H.
K >> A
Dauntless
My 244 doesn't lack low end torque, nor is it unpleasant at light throttle or low revs. On the dirt road home I do 1500rpm in 2nd gear up hill with no problems.
Spac
At what throttle opening? I've never found a problem at medium/large throttle openings, but have been unimpressed with the H cam at light throttle openings.
I know I'm a bit Robinson Crusoe on this (like I said earlier), but it's held true for all three H-cammed cars I've lived with, and a couple of others I've driven.
Dauntless
Fairly small throttle openings, I can do 1500rpm in 2nd downhill going the other way with no dramas too. Mine has ignition timing advanced beyond OE specs, that probably helps.
Spac
My main question is why you drive like such a pussy? :D
High load will probably be the answer. My GT was horrible when I was driving it into work - flat ground, low speed, low revs, light throttle, felt like it was about to chug itself to death.
Rob
This discussion was created from comments split from: 531 Head Question.
240Joe
My silver 240 has a H cam and is great to drive. It has none of the issues you speak of @Spac but maybe the lightened flywheel makes a difference.
Dauntless
If anything, i think a lighter flywheel would make it worse. Also the H cam's idle is pretty awesome, I've had so many people ask me what engine I've swapped in :))
240Joe
Ya reckon? Shouldn't it rev up better?
I have no issue with idle when it warm, the car shakes a little but it's all good :)
A_Volvo_Driver
My car shakes now when cold because I removed the preheat hoses :)
Dauntless
A lighter flywheel will allow the engine to speed up and slow down faster. This is not what you want when you're trying to drive smoothly with an aggressive cam at low revs.
Ben
I had a guy at a servo ask which V8 I had - lol
Ex850R
Supercharged is the answer.
Tigabu
I get the "i didn't know Volvo did a V8" all the time...
volvodriverman
I guess the prv nearly was before the fuel crisis, imagine the fuel bill then!
volvodriverman
Oh & my gt with the original engine had both h & k cams at different times & it made little real world difference to performance. A little more up top with h, a little more down low with k. Changing to a better exhaust with extractors etc woke it up more & the h shone all the way to 8k where the k ran out of puff at 7k. Not really an issue in every day life. Also it idled smoothly on both cams & was not grumpy at any point, but I had a very well sorted kjet setup;-)
Tigabu
volvodriverman;9375 wroteI guess the prv nearly was before the fuel crisis, imagine the fuel bill then!
:O
PaulG
Funny this thread came up today as I spent all day fiddling on my car and one of the things we did was switch out the stock M cam for a K cam and adjustable cam gear. Yet to tune properly but first impressions:
Idle is a little bit more bumpy, but nothing to put anyone off. I doubt my girlfriend will notice in other words...
Sound wise it is heaps cooler, more of a gurgle and just sounds like it has more guts.
Performance wise pretty happy so far! Was hoping for a bit more really low down like 1500-2000 but from around 2800 to 4000 rpm which is where you hover around a lot when accelerating and overtaking it has definitely improved. It seems to get to that point then just pull much harder than it used to. Did a couple tests on the freeway and from 80-120 which was one of the big improvements I was hoping for it was much faster.
Highly recommend a K. I currently have it advanced 2 degrees, may advance it more to shift the power curve lower in the rpm range
carnut1100
K is awesome.
H has a little more up top, little less down low.
I wouldn't pull the H out of the GT for a K, but I'd happily swap a K into almost anything else...