Anyone running one of these yet, if so what do you think because I do believe that this may be my next mod.

 

There is a thread on the competition forum about these. I think it would be worthwhile especially with a broader lift to get more air in the engine faster and longer throughout the intake cycle. With a big single and twins, these would be key.

 

I have one in my garage, If its one thing I'm learning with this hobby.( I call it a hobby because that what I keep telling my wife when she finds the bills!!! ), its patience. Nothing happens overnight and I think I'm getting used to it.Still waiting on twins, still waiting on Dtt flexplate. The cam should be going in first will post when I finally get it installed. doug

 

Doug if you would like I could try it out with my twins and let you know how it performs . When are you planning on putting it in. Mike

 

As soon as my mechanic calls me, he is in the middle of some stuff.

 

Doug, I did not include a letter in the old beat up cam shipping box we used to send it to you, but I wanted to be certain I told you about the retaining bolt TQ values and you can pass that along to MassDiesel. Have them TQ the retainer to 20 FT lbs using the red locktite I included. Then have them slowly rotate the bolt another half turn or 180 degrees.

Finally, in the rear of the camshaft on the last bearing journal, double check the two oil hole drillings to make certian there is no dirt or yukkies in these holes. During grinding, some abrasive can tend to get stuck in these holes and sometimes the cams can be dipped into the parkerizing tank with microscopic yukkies still in these holes. The parkerizing just covers them over to be released at a latter date and could potentially eat some block and cam material away.

I coat the entire cam with assembly lube. I think we threw some in the box as well.

Life is good!

Don~

 

Heyas Don,

I've been contemplating a cam for my truck, but am unsure as of yet. I always hear claims of increased mpg, faster spoolup, lower egts..

Can ya give me the down-low on your cam?

 

Hey Don...

your PM box is full. Can you clear it a little so I can shoot a couple questions to you? Thanks!

JP

 

We "claim" nothing. Only to take your cash and send you a cam different than what you had before. LOL!

Just pokin' some fun!

The low down: Less EGT! Considerably less pumping loss in the higher RPM band, but no loss of bottom end. This translates to less "work" the engine has to do to get the exhaust out of the engine after the piston is climbing back up its bore on the exhaust stroke!! Less pumping loss = higher efficiency = better economy. I dont know how much. Mileage is a subjective thing.

The cam change in the 3rd gen is a bunch of work. Not difficult, just time consuming.

Don~

 

So, on average what whp was gained with your cam?

 

I too have a question. I thought I remembered reading on this forum that there would be three Don M cams, each a little more radical than the last. Is this correct?

If it is, which one are we talking about in this thread?

I think a cam is in my future too.

 

Highten the cams are helix1, 2, and 3 the Helix one is the base model, giving a little more than the stock cam. Helix 2 is more yet and the Helix 3 is the big dog.

 

Don, are all your cams optimized for stock RPM's. Do you offer any full race cams?

 

Yeah, there are 3 and soon be be 4 different grinds.

Helix 1 is a mild upgrade and stock springs can safely be used. This profile could fit on a stock cam or could be reground on the stock cam without any danger of getting into a soft area of a stock cam. Although, we dont regrind. The cams are all new castings that have never had a profile ground on them.

Helix 2 is major step upward from a performance regrind. Timing point changes, lift, duration and lobe centers are all so different, you cant physically fit this profile on a stock reground stick. Well, I suppose you could make it fit, but it would be a mess and certainly a step in the wrong direction. Requiring rehardening, straightening and the base circle would be so from where it needs to be you would have a real pile of junk on your hands. The H2 is the best choice for just about everyone. It will develope the best Diesel only numbers in most cases. The best low end TQ and the best short times at the track. We have run this profile on a stock set of valve springs for extended periods, but I really dont like this practice. You will have less than .050" of clearance in the entire spring before coil bind. Most measure around .040". That is nowhere near enough IMO. Further, the lift rate the Helix 2 delivers builds additional heat in the springs VS stock profiles. We have a set of springs that replace the stock springs, use the stock retainers and locks/keepers. These springs provide additional seat and open pressure to keep the valve train happy and under control. They have been fully tested on the chassis dyno, the race track and the spring dyno during development. They were simulated to hold the valve train under control up to 11,000 RPM and using 40 PSI of boost. The highest valuse this particular spring dyno could use for input. This weekend a 24 V truck used them for a 4300 RPM dyno run. No valve float or troubles. Stock springs can show float as low as 3000 RPM with additional boost over stock levels.

The Helix 3 is better for a Nitrous engine or would work well in a twin turbo Diesel only truck that had fast spooling turbos. The B-1/B-2 combo for example. Recently a truck using a Helix 3 with Nitrous used nearly half as much Nitrous and made almost 100 HP more than a regrind cam from another vendor did. Power was up from 738HP to 832 HP. This tells the story of the efficiency of a camshaft that was designed from the ground up to make power gains with Nitrous and large airflow turbos. This cam is NOT the best choice for most single turbo Diesel only trucks that are operating under 3000 RPM most of the time. Exceptions would be a truck that sled pulled and kept the RPM range higher most of the time.

The Helix cams are available for the 12V, 24V and the Common Rail engines. All of them are different. Not interchangeable. We own the camshaft master profiles and they are our design. Not copies of other grinds, not the same technology of other vendors. During the process we were slow and methodical. The cam blanks have been here in rough casting for over 2 years now. We took the time and have what we feel is the best camshaft you get.

Finally, peak power gains do not typically come from a camshaft. Peak power numbers like most dissemenate from a dyno graph wont improve for everyone. This holds very true for mildly upgraded engines. The gains are in airflow efficiency, EGT control and engine responsiveness. The airflow gains are quite apparent in the example above with the nitrous engine. 100 HP higher from a commonly used camshaft from another vendor using half the volume. Other benefactors of a cam would be those who have a large amount of fuel and an airflow defficiency.

Other differences and needs are also noted and can be taken up with vendors. Bolt on gears, when they are needed, tappet replacement, etc.

Don~

 

Typically, stock RPMs is what most are stuck with at this time in the CR engines. Some work is advancing toward higher RPM ranges and when that is more commonplace I suspect we will try and optimize a grind for higher RPM. At this time: we have no cams for the CR engine tested over stock RPM ranges. They are not dialed in for that at all.

Anything being sold as full race or whatever at this time would be from a standpoint of guesswork. Not somethig I do very well or even market.

Don~