PCW Camshafts???

[backfire]

I'm doing a top-end upgrade on my '95 using ported cylinder heads, Cometic head gaskets, new Yamaha cam chains, new cam chain tensioner, PCW valve springs, PCW "03"cams, titanium valve spring retainers and stainless steel valves, etc. I've done a lot of online research lately about all of this and my question is~ How is PCW regarding customer service, component quality, delivery times, etc.?

Any info would be appreciated. Thanks gents!

john

 

[4gasem]

I'm doing a top-end upgrade on my '95 using ported cylinder heads, Cometic head gaskets, new Yamaha cam chains, new cam chain tensioner, PCW valve springs, PCW "03"cams, titanium valve spring retainers and stainless steel valves, etc. I've done a lot of online research lately about all of this and my question is~ How is PCW regarding customer service, component quality, delivery times, etc.?

Any info would be appreciated. Thanks gents!

john

I have heard that PCW is VERY slow on complete engines. Not sure about parts. I have heard it takes months to get their motors...:surprise:

 

[backfire]

I'm not interested in getting an engine from them, so no worries there- only the parts, so we can do the work here in our shop; as we have flow-benches, an in-house machine shop, dyno, etc.

I haven't called them yet, I was just trying to get a feel for them from others who have used them in the past themselves.

 

[davidon]

I just sent my bike to them a few weeks ago so I'll see how long it takes to do the engine work. John has always answered the phone when I call

 

[KJShover]

I'm doing a top-end upgrade on my '95 using ported cylinder heads, Cometic head gaskets, new Yamaha cam chains, new cam chain tensioner, PCW valve springs, PCW "03"cams, titanium valve spring retainers and stainless steel valves, etc. I've done a lot of online research lately about all of this and my question is~ How is PCW regarding customer service, component quality, delivery times, etc.?

Any info would be appreciated. Thanks gents!

john

not to take anything away from PCW, but what are the specs on the Cam? compared to a Webcam, or megacycle.

 

[forestdaledave]

I have bought a few parts from them. Expectations exceeded. Dave #3505

 

[shawn kloker]

not to take anything away from PCW, but what are the specs on the Cam? compared to a Webcam, or megacycle.

PCW cams are Megacycle cams.I have always had good luck ordering parts and with getting phone help after the sale.They bored my block back when I rebuild my bottom end.John helped talk me through some of the assembly too.

 

[QuarterHorse]

How big a gain will one see with camshaft swaps if that's all that's being done? Well and of course tuning the carb to it again. FWIW I was looking at down the road possibly swapping over to the .375 lift cams but didn't feel like dropping 800 bucks on cams/springs to see 5 rwhp.

 

[one2dmax]

Not sure what my cost is on the cams (or other parts) but I can get them for you too. Probably the same or less cost then PCW and I can even send in some cores to have them build while you hold onto yours until they come in.

Sean

 

[shawn kloker]

About 10 hp ,porting and cams.

 

[QuarterHorse]

Thanks Sean. If/when the time comes to get into the bike that far, you'll be the guy I call.

Kloker - is that just gasket matching/bowl blending to a stock head or what?

 

[backfire]

not to take anything away from PCW, but what are the specs on the Cam? compared to a Webcam, or megacycle.

Good point and to be honest, I forgot about them... In fact, I used to have a set of their cams in my old '85 back when I was in College and that thing ran!!

I think I'll go with Magacycle, since PCW parts are Magacycle parts and build it up from there. I do have an extra set of stock cams in excellent condition that I can send in for the cores too.

Sean~
Have you ever rolled the stock cams on Cam Pro to find out what the stock specs are? I've just sent out my stock cams to be rolled, as I'd like to know what the factory cams are ground on. I can post the info if you're interested.

BTW- I'll put together a grocery list of parts I need for this thing so you can give me prices if you're interested. I'm going to buy them anyway, so I might as well support a forum vendor.

Sounds like PCW and others have good customer service too! Thanks for the feedback.

Thanks,

john

 

[one2dmax]

Let me know. PCW complete engine builds can take a year or more sometimes. Had a few close friends with direct experience with that. A few others have had much better luck too.

Megacycle has the stock specs posted in their catalog.

Sean

 

[QuarterHorse]

Per megacyclecams.com

Stock valve lift. It's single pattern.

.324 lift 240 degrees duration at .040

 

[backfire]

Thanks, but those sparse specs are not fully disclosing valve events, LSA, lobe advance, lobe ramps, etc, and that information is very important to me when I'm trying to figure DCR.

I'll just post up the factory figures I get when I get these cams rolled.

 

[backfire]

Also... It seems as if the PCW "03" cams are just a tick bigger than the Magacycle "274-00" grind I'm interested in. I wonder if PCW has M.C. grind their cams for them?

I'd like to sqeeze as much realistic lift into this thing as I can, just short of having to modify retainers, seals, guides, etc. and keep the duration at a sane level so I don't have to give up much low-end torque. I can notch pistons if need be..

I wonder if M.C. would grind me a custom set of cams outside of their off-the-shelf catalog?

 

[QuarterHorse]

106 degrees lobe seperation, they don't list any ramp rates on the site. I figured you were just wanting to obtain PTVC issues, lift and duration get that done. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[backfire]

No worries.

I can understand why most of these cam manufacturers are running such a tight intake LSA, which promotes low-to-mid range torque; but I don't understand why they would use that single pattern grind for both the intake *and* the exhaust?

If the exhaust cam lobes were a bit larger in duration, had a 110* LSA and increased lift, that cam would not give up anything on the bottom end and would make big power up top too!

Once I figure out what these heads flow stone-stock and then again what they flow after we're done, the cam can be tailored to the heads, relative compression, etc. If a set of ported street heads have a good I/E flow percentage relationship, than a split-pattern cam would be less needed, IMO.

Here's the grind I was thinking of:
Intake Cams: 260* @.040"/.380" 106 LSA, 1* adv.
Exhaust Cams: 265*@.040"/.385" 110 LSA, 2* adv.

*Plus, a grind like this would produce a very sexy idle "gallup" too!

 

[QuarterHorse]

Yeah there are a few different schools of thought on the split pattern vs. single pattern, I tend to agree with what you said though. Coming from a car drag racing world I fight the fight all day long when picking out a cam. I'll be doing it again for my Dart here before too long.

I'm all for the lopey idle, I think that's half the fun in "camming" a car/bike. The tight lobe seperation is generally for n/a apps as well. We don't normally use THAT tight, more like a 108 in the SBF's that I've built. For nitrous apps we like to run 112-114 lobe seperations, still more lift/duration on the exhaust sides though. In turbo apps we use more lift/duration on the intake sides to create more velocity when the exhaust valves open to spool the turbo quicker.

Keep us updated on the progress though! I know I'm curious for sure!

 

[shawn kloker]

I am running the Web cam
.383 lift
276 degree duration
252 degree duration @0.050"