After being asked a few times now about my opinions on the performance cam that Lancer provides, I have decided to create this thread to address those questions.

Ease of install: (Seems to be the most popular question asked of me)
Installation of the performance camshaft is a straight forward swap. Just use the instructions in the Clymers or Suzuki Shop Manual for camshaft replacement.

Performance (Second most popular question asked)
I do not have any hard data except that even with my heavy a$$ girder frontend and a full six gallon Road King tank I can, at a fifteen mile per hour roll in second gear just roll the throttle back hard and lift the front wheel off of the ground about an inch.

I do highly recommend this camshaft and Lancer is great with shipping and tech support.

I've got one in my 96 with stock carb/intake and a HD/FXD muffler and no clutch concerns noted running full fairing and hard bags with trunk. I've run about 30K miles with that setup.  

Sidecar rig is supposed to have an aftermarket clutch setup (?Barnett?), the cam, and had a AMAL carb and straight pipe. I went back the to OE carb jetted up a little and aluminum body Supertrapp made for an Honda XT250/500 which has a bigger inlet than the Savage long taper supertrapp. No clutch concerns in almost 1000 miles running with the sidecar and wife and shopping items. If it were me I'd do the cam as I really like the low end improvement and not abuse the clutch and it will last long enough. Max

I missed the part about it calling for racing oil, because I just use what I have always used Quakerstate 10w40 and have had no problems with it.

If the profile of the cam causes more pressure against the cam and parts of the valve train, I'd be leery of any general automotive oil.  I'd use a 15W-40 or 5W-40 dual rated diesel/gasoline engine oil, or an automotive racing oil, or a motorcycle oil.  

The most recent automotive service category, API SL and ILSAC GF-4, lowered the allowable level of phosphorus to reduce phosphorus poisioning of the catalytic converter.  The zinc phosphorus compound in the oil is a very effective, very cheap anti wear agent.  Each new oil formulation is extensively tested on production engines to be more robust than the previous oils, but these don't have after-market cams with higher contact pressures.  There is plenty of the zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (or related compound) in the oil for stock engines.  Other antiwear agents are very effective but cost more, so aren't used much in the usual automotive oils.  Diesel engine oils, racing oils, and motorcycle-labeled oils usually are more robust than the ordinary automotive oils.

Also, I don't think Quaker State is Shell's best oil.  I've heard a Shell rep rank Shell's products as (1) Pennzoil, (2) Formula Shell, (3) Quaker State (all are brand names owned by Royal Dutch/Shell).

[quote author=5B5C43100 link=1241324937/0#7 date=1241394911]marshall13 wrote on 05/03/09 at 16:38:48:


With my re-jet and the performance cam, my mileage has only dropped about 5mpg. I don't have any hard data to prove this, but that I believe is a rather accurate guesstimate.

it passes air more efficiently for the engine, thus using a little more... so, rejetting, and possibly a MINOR loss in mileage... i doubt the difference will make any change in your fueling habits, unless you have a "run from full to reserve" daily 1 way commute.... now, throw the second grind one in, add an open pipe exhaust, and say an edelbrock 38mm, with an efficient air filter(or a velocity stack), and your mileage will drop noticably... anything that makes the engine breath more air, will require you to burn more fuel per gulp.... though one can mitigate that to an extent with final drive gearing(more torque available at cruise speed, you can lower the drive ratio, thus lowering revs, and air/fuel usage)... it's a package deal, aint no free rides...lol

Lancer (other upgraded cam owners),

Have you noticed any cam chain issues, like earlier wearout.  Is there a performance difference between the stock cam chain and the nitrided cam chain you offer (wears longer/better)?  

Thanks

Wolf  

the pics of lancer's cam on ebay show straight lobes, no commas... these cams are both basically analogs of v-8 "torquer/towing" performance cams... as the savage's bore/stroke dimensions and rev range are close to those of the big detroit iron, it's by far the proper choice.... the second grind cam is bordering on the "performance" cam lift/duration, which is why he says it's only for modified engines... the 90-93 dr650 cam has duration like a v-8 "high-performance" cam, just less lift.... lancer's cams arent so much "hot-rod" bump-sticks, they're more efficient breathers.... the loads on the various parts of the timing, intake, exhaust systems should be very close to stock... by what ive seen here, lancer's cam, diamond jim's kamikaze intake, and a low restriction exhaust (something resembling a baffled harley big twin drag pipe) is a near ideal combo for these machines.... though i think the stock headpipe is too large in diameter... a 1 1/2 inch pipe would be better....think  pushrod v-8 when you think about mods to these beasties, and you'll find what you want....