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VX cam for grunt on NA motor

cortezit

New member
Joined
Jul 17, 2007
Location
Poulsbo, Washington
I know that this a mostly "Turbo" motor area but I would like to know if anyone out there has data on the torque curve of the VX camshaft at 0-2-4-6 degrees of advance. I am looking at keeping my "89 wagon NA and do a lot of mountain driving. I cruise at 28002-3200 RPM when there are no troopers in the area so I need GRUNT from 1500 to 4000 rpm.

Cortezit
 
Just based on my finely tuned butt-o-meter, the VX cam is not as good as the A cam for mid-range power. The A cam feels like it peaks in that sweet spot. I advance 4 degrees for what feels like a power peak around the 3000rpm range.

VX feels like it sacrifices a strong power peak for lackluster performance over a wider range.

My two cents.
 
I run a vx in a NA B23 and have driven the length of sky-line drive, the blue ridge parkway, and throughout Appalachians "spiritedly" and been happy with the experience, I do agree that it could do better mid-range. What I have to say is great about the VX is the improved low-end characteristics- with 3 degrees of advance I can hit the max on my speedo of 85 in third @~5000rpm-
 
I'm running a VX and adjustable cam gear. I don't have any comparison to an A, but I can say that it makes the car much more fun to drive. I have it at 5 degree's advanced right now and it idles a bit rough at the start but settles down a bit after warming up. I'm planning on adjusting it soon. I didn't adjust my shims when I installed everything so make sure you at that to the todo list when you install everything. Going back to do it after the fact is going to be annoying.
 
I have a Vx cam I might could part with

Thank you for the offer but I have a VX cam and several adjustable camshaft pulleys sitting on the shelf in my shop. I have just sent an M cam over to Delta Camshafts in Tacoma Washington to have it turned into an A camshaft. I am just looking for some of you board members for your experience and suggestions. if you have delved into NA engine performance and such.:):)

I also have several ECMs and EZK boxes which I am interested in experimenting with. The goal in my case is to develop some meaningful "LOW and Mid Range Torque" L\
 
If you want to "Delve" into NA performance, at least an M46 swap is base-line, I'd do that before or with the cam. A B21 intake swap is a good move, as is a header
 
Hey whats up,

i also have the VX camshaft installed in my NA 1987 740 i dont have the adjustable timing gear i have it timed straight up and it has alot of low end grunt but thats it.

its good to have the adjsutable timing gear and advance it 4-5 degrees to gain some midrange power.

however it has made the car a little better to drive its not the slug it once was with the M cam.
 
"L" Camshaft

:nod:I am going to settle on an "L" grind for this application. I have looked at all of the available cam profiles that were ever done by Volvo for both import as well as the world market and it appears that the "L" cam grind circa 1981-1982 US and Canada is what I need to do what I am looking for. Thank you everyone for all of the input and "opinions". It is a pleasure to have you "knowledge pool" at hand in my computer.

Cortezit
 
:nod:I am going to settle on an "L" grind for this application. I have looked at all of the available cam profiles that were ever done by Volvo for both import as well as the world market and it appears that the "L" cam grind circa 1981-1982 US and Canada is what I need to do what I am looking for. Thank you everyone for all of the input and "opinions". It is a pleasure to have you "knowledge pool" at hand in my computer.

Cortezit
You do NOT want the L grind camshaft!!! It's similar to the M camshaft, it's predecessor, if you will, to some extent.

If I was looking for a better than stock camshaft for an automatic, non-turbo car in daily driving below 4000rpm, it'd be in this order: T, A, B, VX3, VX(advanced!)... Set the valve clearances pretty tight on the T cam so it isn't a complete slouch up top. In my automatic '87 244 daily Beige Bomber the T cam took .3 seconds off my 1/4 mile time compared to an equally setup M cam(tight valves, advanced ignition timing, retarded cam timing, etc.). 17.5 vs 17.8, from what I remember. The A or B will be quicker, but the VX straight up feels like a pig compared to the T cam in the setting that I had it. The VX advanced a few degrees feels much better, but I'm not sure it'd get the car down the 1/4 mile faster with the autotragic. I haven't tested yet.

Edit, I found the proof on my FB gallery for the car:
402903_10100404851501338_1536429172_n.jpg

"Only go fast part was an adjustable cam gear, otherwise, power came from adjusting the valves to .012/.014", advancing the ignition timing 4 degrees(or was it 6?), retarding the cam 4 degrees, running premium gas and repurposing the preheat hose/opening for some fresh cold air in the front spoiler.

I installed the factory turbo "T" cam and verified that the clearances were still the same, went back to the drag strip with the cam still retarded 4 degrees and went FASTER(17.5 at 77mph, next photo)!"
539459_10100440668967848_1018537970_n.jpg

"Car picked up three tenths and 1.5mph even though it didn't feel much faster aside from the a little extra torque off the line."

946887_10100663904032988_845487303_n.jpg

"Wow, I miss the T cam...! I could ride a wave of torque and never take it over 3k but still out accelerate normal traffic by a good margin. Now, it needs much more throttle and another 1000rpm to feel like it's moving like that. The pull up top with the cam advanced 4 degrees is hardly any fun either. I'll set it at 2 and probably leave it there. Not quite what I expected, but hey, look at those lobe areas! Maybe it IS to be expected. Dynamic compression=good. I'll be surprised if it's more than 3 tenths faster at the drags. "

I haven't made it back to the drags with the VX cam installed, but I don't expect much. Around town the T cam was much better than the VX, in my opinion. Especially below 3000rpm.
 
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One more thread where the mystery cam is supposed make magic and ....
OP torque is primarily engine volume and compression ratio corrected for intake valve closing..

If you insist on plaguing yourself with a disgusting auto-tragique slush box, there's not a lot to do..
Increase compression ratio.............mill the head 040 to 060"
K cam
Proper ignition advance

Just sticking in one emissions cam for another emissions can is really just gilding the lily....aka flogging the log, jerkin' the gherkin..

Compression---11.0 to 11.3 or 11.4 is doable--I do it with very similar shaped heads made of cast iron, so you can too.
A cam with some shape and lobe separation in the 110 to 114 range so there's some air flow at idle.
 
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