Ill never buy an OTS cam again.

[Aliate X]

The stang is running. Drove it tonight. Vids tomorrow. The only thing im ever using OTS cams again for is paper weight. Bennett racing is ****ing awesome I love them. It screams all the way to the limiter and I still havnt strapped on my accufab 75mm, still running the stocker, just got the accufab today. Sorry for the worthless without pics thing but I couldnt resist guys Im jumping out of my skin right now in happiness if that makes any sense.

 

[RS200]

What OTS cam were you running?

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

No offense, but picking the right OTS cam is the key in making them work. A lot of guys just go by what everyone else is using or by what looks good on paper or has the most lope (not saying you did, just going by my experience). Most times if you search through enough venders you'll find an OTS cam that's very close to your specs. All those cam guys do is take down your combo and match it with a cam profile...which is probably from a list of cams that they've made for 100 other guys with your same combo, since it's inevitable that the same combo is going to come up every once in a while.


Still, it's not a bad way to go and definitely the way i would go as well if i were buying a new cam. I happened to score an X303 for super cheap so thats what i'm gonna run.

 

[pistonhead351]

i love the sound of a 5.0 at 6200 rpms. mine does the same thing and it just sounds wicked. now i just need an extender so i can take it to 6500! have fun and hurry up with some track times.

 

[Foxfan88]

i've always wondered if i would unlock any power from my combo upgrading to custom over my B-cam. since i am adding a supercharger i would get something more blower oriented and maybe gain some power.

oh and :

 

[fivespeedsteed]

awesome. im glad you got it running man. how much was it to get a custom one made? are you pullin to the stock limiter? how much is that around 6200? good luck with getting everything worked in.

 

[poneypower89]

No offense, but picking the right OTS cam is the key in making them work. A lot of guys just go by what everyone else is using or by what looks good on paper or has the most lope (not saying you did, just going by my experience). Most times if you search through enough venders you'll find an OTS cam that's very close to your specs. All those cam guys do is take down your combo and match it with a cam profile...which is probably from a list of cams that they've made for 100 other guys with your same combo, since it's inevitable that the same combo is going to come up every once in a while.


Still, it's not a bad way to go and definitely the way i would go as well if i were buying a new cam. I happened to score an X303 for super cheap so thats what i'm gonna run.

While I agree with SOME of what u said... there are much more to a custom cam than what you say.

You have to take into account that while the specs may be similar...

a custom cam will have a much stronger core (higher quality) that wont break, wobble, etc... like the OTS cams.

and ALSO, a custom cam will be EXACT. Many OTS cams never match up to their actual specs because the factory tolerances allow for too much error.

Just something to keep in mind about OTS cams.

 

[5spd GT]

Foxfan - You would definately gain, especially adding boost to the mix.

Custom cam's are not always meant for power. I know Ed has made grinds just for SOUND on old nostalgic builds from his customers.

You can make them anywhere from track king, driveability, street car, daily driver, vacuum, sound, etc...etc. Most end of mixing a variety of each of course

Degreeing a OTS or custom cam is still recommended if looking for max performance. Many custom cam grinders get Crane, Comp, etc to grind there cams once they figure out the grind they want for your combo.

I see to often that many think that a custom cam is meant for max performance...but it depends on what the customer wanted

Congrats Aliate X...you should see gains with a 75 over a STOCK throttle body. It will be the stock throttle body design, not the BIG 75mm design. A 65 or 70 from Accufab would do the same...but the 75 gives you a lot more room to grow in the future, like lots of boost

 

[25thmustang]

I wanted a custom grind for a while for my car, but never got around to it...

Get some vids up soon!

 

[Aliate X]

No offense, but picking the right OTS cam is the key in making them work. A lot of guys just go by what everyone else is using or by what looks good on paper or has the most lope (not saying you did, just going by my experience). Most times if you search through enough venders you'll find an OTS cam that's very close to your specs. All those cam guys do is take down your combo and match it with a cam profile...which is probably from a list of cams that they've made for 100 other guys with your same combo, since it's inevitable that the same combo is going to come up every once in a while.


Still, it's not a bad way to go and definitely the way i would go as well if i were buying a new cam. I happened to score an X303 for super cheap so thats what i'm gonna run.

My custom was the same price if not less than a comp cam. I mean the damn cam is even matched to your tire size. I guess we can just say buying a cam well matched to your combo ftw lol.

but anyways, Im so happy with it its not even funny, my old cam was a TFS1 for those who dont know, and this pulls so much higher but is a little less drivable down low, but I love it like that. The powerband is much more defined on this cam compared to my old one if that makes any sense. Once you hit around 5200 its like lighting a rocket behind the car. The car has that "clean running hci" scream to it now if that makes any sense either lol. Well Ill get some vids in a little bit gotta swap in the TB and such.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

My buddy ordered a "custom cam" from a reputable cam guy...i'll leave his name out because this isn't so much a bashing, just an observation. Anyways, the cam came in the mail in a COMP CAMS box, with COMP CAMS paperwork. Basically, the money paid for this "custom cam" was for the guy's experience with cams, and he sent his specs to Comp and they made the cam and he slapped his name on it.

So....as for quality, this is the exact same thing as an OTS cam, is it not? I don't think Comp or Lunati or anyone else is using sub-quality metal for OTS cams and then pulling out the adimentium for custom cams...lol

Second, as for being exact, i AGREE (which i did say i would go custom as well) but also take note that just because YOU have ____ cam, doesn't mean the guy down the street with your same heads and intake isn't going to have the exact same "custom cam". These guys don't start from square 1 every single time they make a cam. I'm sure instances come along where they hit a combo they haven't done a cam for, and then you probably do get a one-off cam, but not every time.

I'm just saying....if you do your homework and pick the right OTS cam, you're gonna get damn close. The difference between that and custom is that the custom guy is dealing with specific combos while the mass produced cams are geared towards a safe spec cam that'll suit a variety of engines. So, yes, custom is obviously better in every way, i'm just pointing out that a lot of what going custom does for people is just giving them the right specs for their combo.


You can imagine how upset my buddy was when his $350 cam came in a Comp box. If you ask me that's total F'in BS....when i hear custom i expect a guy to be in a shop with his own machines MAKING cams. This was basically a sub contracted cam. While you do pay for that person's experience, i also think it should be noted up front where the cam is coming from, since for example Comp will make you a "custom" cam if you ask them to.


Oh, to back up my theory that the custom guys have their own combo records....the guy actually told my buddy he needed a specific intake to work with this cam and the heads that he was using....sounds like a formula to me.

 

[Aliate X]

My buddy ordered a "custom cam" from a reputable cam guy...i'll leave his name out because this isn't so much a bashing, just an observation. Anyways, the cam came in the mail in a COMP CAMS box, with COMP CAMS paperwork. Basically, the money paid for this "custom cam" was for the guy's experience with cams, and he sent his specs to Comp and they made the cam and he slapped his name on it.

So....as for quality, this is the exact same thing as an OTS cam, is it not? I don't think Comp or Lunati or anyone else is using sub-quality metal for OTS cams and then pulling out the adimentium for custom cams...lol

Second, as for being exact, i AGREE (which i did say i would go custom as well) but also take note that just because YOU have ____ cam, doesn't mean the guy down the street with your same heads and intake isn't going to have the exact same "custom cam". These guys don't start from square 1 every single time they make a cam. I'm sure instances come along where they hit a combo they haven't done a cam for, and then you probably do get a one-off cam, but not every time.

I'm just saying....if you do your homework and pick the right OTS cam, you're gonna get damn close. The difference between that and custom is that the custom guy is dealing with specific combos while the mass produced cams are geared towards a safe spec cam that'll suit a variety of engines. So, yes, custom is obviously better in every way, i'm just pointing out that a lot of what going custom does for people is just giving them the right specs for their combo.


You can imagine how upset my buddy was when his $350 cam came in a Comp box. If you ask me that's total F'in BS....when i hear custom i expect a guy to be in a shop with his own machines MAKING cams. This was basically a sub contracted cam. While you do pay for that person's experience, i also think it should be noted up front where the cam is coming from, since for example Comp will make you a "custom" cam if you ask them to.


Oh, to back up my theory that the custom guys have their own combo records....the guy actually told my buddy he needed a specific intake to work with this cam and the heads that he was using....sounds like a formula to me.

Mine came in a comp cam box too with comp cam paperwork, you are paying for knowledge when you get a custom cam. With the comp OTS cams being around the same price Id rather go custom.

And yes I agree, if you know cam specs really well then comp cams has such a wide selection of cams you can always pick something out that really matches your setup, its just nice having something cut down to your gear ratios and tiresize. I asked for a 6200 shiftpoint and this guy gave me exactly that, no more no less.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Like i said, custom IS the way to go...i'm not disagreeing. I'm just saying if you do your homework an OTS cam isn't a bad way to go.

 

[Aliate X]

Like i said, custom IS the way to go...i'm not disagreeing. I'm just saying if you do your homework an OTS cam isn't a bad way to go.

nah definitally I agree like I said in the last part of my previous post lol. There are definitally good OTS cams out there. Im just going to still go custom though considering 340$ isnt a lot of money in relevance to what all of us spend on most parts for our cars. Its like an average catback or a set of headers or something except 20x more important heh.