What Cams

[HEYENG]

I have a 2006 Ultra Classic that i occasionally pull a trailer it currently has a stage1 air cleaner / download / Screaming Eagle touring slipons w fulsac true dual kit. bike runs great i would just like a little more power and torque for pulling and passing when 2 up.
I purchased a 95 kit to install in march after my warranty expires. I'm just not sure what cams people tell me everyone there is i was thinking of the Andrews 26 or 37 which is the best choice or what is your recomendations for me

Thanx
:(

[Mike]

The 26 would be the better choice for your application/goals. The 21 may also be an option. You'll need SERT or Power Commander and a good tune with the cam change and Fulsacs.

[HEYENG]

Hey Mike thanx for your repley
What would i get from the 37 cam vs the 26 and would i get chain vs gears

[Mike]

The 37's will give higher peak tq at about 400 rpm higher vs the 26's. Possibly a little less tq at 2500.

The gear drive may be a good option at this time. Adds cost and possible engine noise. Eleminates fear of possible future chain tensioner failure. If you are looking at replacing the chains and tensioners with the new cams, this money could be put toward the gear drive.

[HEYENG]

Thanx

[jJeff]

Mike as far as the 21 or 26 goes would you consider either one hard on the valve train? And also how would you classify them on the heat issue as I have read where your comments on the 255's were that they produce alot of heat. Thanks Mike

[Mike]

Not sure where you read the 255's produce a LOT of heat. They can produce MORE than some other cams with increased duration but I would not charactorize it as a lot. The short duration and low lifts of the 21/26's would put them in the same ballpark as the 255's. The 255's have higher lift and would increase cylinder fill as a result, giving even more tq. Heat is more of a tuning issue (and possibly an exhaust issue with some cases) and when properly tuned, not a problem. Since we're on the web, just want to be clear on this.

The lower lift of the 21/26 means the pressure angle on the ramps is less and so the valve train wear, in theory, would be less. In reality, cams with lifts approaching .600 have not shown more wear than stock. I.E., we see just as many failures of valve train components with stock cams and not a proportionately higher rate with .570/.590 cams installed. High velocity cams can be noisy due to the high acceleration rates of the valvetrain (lifters can't keep up, also why they make more power) but again, this has not manifest as increased failures in the real world.

[goyork]

Mike,

When you say high velocity cams can be noisy due to high acceleration rates of the valvetrain, I have a 2007 FLHX with head work and the Crane 1-6003 HTC-290-2 cam and I seem to have more valvetrain noise only between about 2400 to 2900 rpm. Would this cam be considered a high velocity cam or could this valve train noise be something else? Thanks, Greg

[Mike]

To get the valve to lift .570 as quickly as possible in the amount of time given (partly duration), the ramps want to be a steep as possible. The valve springs that must be used to control this quick action also have to be somewhat heavy. The net result can be a harmonic (spring surge) in the valve train where a number of forces conspire to to cause those same parts to be slightly out of sync with each other at specific rpm's. The good news is that this harmonic can be engineered to occure in a chosen rpm range by the valve spring design, to a point. Since we do not want this to happen at high rpms, but cannot completely eleminate it, the chosen rpm tends to be around 2700-3200 (right where your valve train noise occurs). This is a bit of a moving target as all the valve train pieces and geomotry play a part. The other good news is that this has not been known to cause mechanical failures, just noise. Of course, all this assumes proper clearancing of the rocker covers/pushrod covers, correct oil pressure, good lifters and springs set to the correct pressures.

[goyork]

Mike,

Thanks for the reply, you are very helpful. Cycle-Rama set up the heads for .600 lift, I did need to clearence the rocker boxes before I installed them and the lifters and pushrods are Fueling. So I think the noise is something I will live with. Thanks, Greg

[John E Currin]

HELLO MIKE HOPE ALL IS GOOD.
IAM GOING TO REBUILD MY 92 FLHS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM .
THE MOTOR HAS 80K ONIT NOW AND STILL RUNS GOOD BUT HEAD GASKET AND BASE GASKETS ARE LEAKING SO I FIGURE ITS TIME TO IMPROVE THINGS.
I HAVE SOME BRAND NEW SCREAMING EAGLE 10 TO1 PISTONS I BOUGHT ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO.GOT A DEAL ON THEM SO I GOT THEM FOR JUST THIS SITTUATION.RIGHT NOW THE MOTOR HAS A EV27 CAM IN IT.I AM THINKING OF USING A HEAD QUATERS CAM ON THIS REBUILD THAT HAS ABOUT A 600 LIFT.WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS CAM IDEA? I AM GOING OF COURSE TO HAVE THE HEADS FLOWED.I AM ALSO GING TO PUT COMPRESSTION RELEASES ON THE MOTER TO SPARE THE STARTER.I UNDERSTAND BAISLEY HAS COME UP WITH A REALLY GOOD SET UP FOR RELEASES.THEY STAY IN TILL MOTOR STARTS.DO YOU THESE RELESES ARE A GOOD IDEA?THE KIND OF RIDDING THAT I DO IS MOSTLEY 2 UP WITH ALOT OF GEAR ON TRIPS.I DONT USUALLY HOT ROD THE BIKE.MY WIFE AND I REALLY LIKE THE BIKE ALOT FOR IS COMFORT AND HANDLING.FLHS IS A GREAT RIDE.THATS ABOUT IT I GUESS.
HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU ON THIS.IAM NEW TO THIS COMPUTOR QUESTION STUFF.MY FRIEND RICK BALDWIN TOLD ME YOU HAD THIS SITE. THAKS AGAIN JOHN E

[Mike]

Give Mr Baldwin my best regards!

HQ makes two .600 cams but the milder version will work well with your 10.0 compression/ported heads. May work better with slightly more, 10.3 and your head porter may be able to get this by decking the heads. His 25 cam may be a better choice but I would recommend getting HQ's advise.

Yes, Dan has recalibrated the releases in the past and may still offer this service. It's tricky though, if held open too long, the motor does not build enough cylinder pressure to actually start.

[RTMike]

Mike I have a 95 FLH standard that is a Dog for power.I am looking for power at 2200-4000 Rpm and this is what I am planning on 95 kit, true duels with screamin eagle mufflers,42 mikuni,ported 06 heads,9.5 max compression,gear drive cams.Now what cam do I use for power in this area.Thanks Mike.

[Mike]

What year is the bike? Most cams when used with ported heads and open exhaust will dip torque from 2000-2500. If you modify your range to 2500-4500 the cams similar to Andrews 37, S&S 510, Knightprowler TW5 are good choices. If you allow 10.2 compression cams similar to Knighprowler TW6, S&S 585 or Andrews 32 or 54 are good and will make more power across the board and take better advantage of the ported heads. To get the power down into the 2200 rpm area, then the SE 255 is a VERY good choice and will work well with the 9.5 compression, when tuned well. This cam will pull from 2000 to 4000, with a good exhaust, but will not make the PEAK numbers of the others. The choice will come down to your decision on power at 2200 vs 2500, this is a very tricky area and is an either/or choice.

If you elect to go for power from 2500-4500, then the True Duals may not be the best choice unless you go with Rineharts (stepped), but these are not compatible with the SE mufflers. If you go with the 255 cam/ 2000 rpm combo, the TD's and SE's will work OK. In any case, power from 4000 on will be soft.

Many examples of TD's and muffler combo's are on this site in the dyno library. Studying these will also show the compromise of the 2-2.5K rpm area with a variety exhaust and cam combos. The dyno library is a VERY valuable resource and was created to help answer questions such as yours. It is the largest such library on the web and is the same information we use when answering questins.

[RTMike]

Thanks Mike,the bike is a 05 not 95 .What kind of numbers and torque curve are you getting from the Andrews 54 cam?Maybe I'll go up on the compresion a bid for better results.thanks Mike.

[Mike]

We do not have dyno numbers for the 54 as it is a fairly new cam. Should be similar to the SE 251 or Woods TW6, but slightly lower due to the lower lift. Check the "251 Kits" in the dyno library.