Can someone please explain me something about mild cams etc.?

[rollo1504]

Hello folks!

I tried to search the internet but I could not find a suitable/understandable answer for my questions I have concerning cams.

What does "mild" cam mean. Many times I read "it is a mild cam...." but I could not get it so far.

Is that something which tells about the cam duration?

What different words or definitions are out there?

Stock, Mild, Wild, Extreme, Ultra ?

Thanks for your explanations

Roland

[b5blue]

  Basically the words used describe how much the cam is different from a stock cam. Higher opening of the valves (LIFT) and staying open for a longer time (DURATION). The shape of the actual bump on the cam itself (LOBE) can be altered to force the valve to open faster (RAMP) and stay wide open a bit longer so not just LIFT and DURATION numbers are taken into effect. 
 

[justcruisin]

In my experience the word "mild" is relative to who is using it. I have a 244@ 50 solid to replace the hydraulic FT in my 440, talk to a race guy and he says its mild, talk to a stock guy and he says it wild.

[rollo1504]

Thanks guys,

I know what the purpose of a camshaft is and what it does but as justcruisin says the explanation of mild and other words for a camshaft may really depend on who is talking about.

Ok.

I think I have now understood.

Great.

Thats all for now

THANKS

[c00nhunterjoe]

In my experience the word "mild" is relative to who is using it. I have a 244@ 50 solid to replace the hydraulic FT in my 440, talk to a race guy and he says its mild, talk to a stock guy and he says it wild.

This.

[jlatessa]

Also the term "mild" means to some the driveability, idle quality and sound.
A mild cam may not have as much "overlap" as something more race oriented,
this may help with the idle and have the vacuum needed for some accessories
such as power brakes.

Just my opinion>>>
Joe

[Nacho-RT74]

Id say, mild cam is something that is just below of the borderline between a street car and strip car... and in fact being a street/strip car, but definitelly comfortably streetable

[c00nhunterjoe]

Whats the difference between street-strip, and strip cars? And then what is the definition of street comfortable? Because i bet that your and my opinions of each are different

[Mebsuta]

I think people say mild when they don't know or forgot which cam. 

[c00nhunterjoe]

I think people say mild when they don't know or forgot which cam. 

Lol...mild...

[Nacho-RT74]

Whats the difference between street-strip, and strip cars? And then what is the definition of street comfortable? Because i bet that your and my opinions of each are different

Sure, they could be different, but I think there is allways a chance to get a consensus. For a racer the borderline will be high, for a regular car guy, the borderline is lower.

Engine changes able to make to work a cam propperly such as TC, CR will change also the mild cam appreciation. Just an opinion.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Purple 509. Mild or wild?

[rollo1504]

 

[cdr]

Purple 509. Mild or wild?

Mild the one with 108 LSA & VERY mild the one with 114 LSA 

[c00nhunterjoe]

Purple 509. Mild or wild?

Mild the one with 108 LSA & VERY mild the one with 114 LSA 

My thoughts exactly, yet the next 5 posts will say wild, and then if we even jump down a size to the 484 purple, people complain that it is too radical as well. So its pretty much impossible to categorize cams universally. Thus why you and i as well as russ dwayne and a few others always ask the more specific questions about the whole package that essentially pisses off the topic poster who doesnt understand that we are tryi g to help.

[John_Kunkel]

My thoughts drift to a time long long ago when cams were described as "3/4 race", "full race" and terms like "5-Cycle Hyperbolic Crossflow" ruled the market.

None of those terms had any real meaning, just as mild and wild are in the eye/ear of the beholder.

[flyinlow]

I thought I had a mild cam, then I realized I had a 3/4 race cam.

My tach goes to 8000 rpm , by 6000rpm (3/4 of the way)  it stops pulling hard. Also by 3/4 down the drag strip it is not accelerating as quickly as it did at the start of the race. It must be a 3/4 race cam.

[cdr]

I thought I had a mild cam, then I realized I had a 3/4 race cam.

My tach goes to 8000 rpm , by 6000rpm (3/4 of the way)  it stops pulling hard. Also by 3/4 down the drag strip it is not accelerating as quickly as it did at the start of the race. It must be a 3/4 race cam.

  Good one   ,,  It was very nice to meet you & thank you for lunch, I'll buy next time.

[Nacho-RT74]

Purple 509. Mild or wild?

Mild the one with 108 LSA & VERY mild the one with 114 LSA 

My thoughts exactly, yet the next 5 posts will say wild, and then if we even jump down a size to the 484 purple, people complain that it is too radical as well. So its pretty much impossible to categorize cams universally. Thus why you and i as well as russ dwayne and a few others always ask the more specific questions about the whole package that essentially pisses off the topic poster who doesnt understand that we are tryi g to help.

If you look at your avatars, is easy to set the borderline of your opinions and categorize the cam to the reader LOL

If you look at my avatar, I'd say mostly sure the 114 version will allow me to still turn on the AC and will be somehow mild ( allmost wild ) while the 108 version not.

I think the base for the mild category must beging and qualified from bottom, since all cars leave the plant being streetable and comfortable, then the next step without big changes will make it mild. You can't begin from top racer cars, because there is allmost no limit to the racers category. You get atmospheric engines, then blower/turbo engines, the top fuel.... where you beging the scale from top to bottom?

[c00nhunterjoe]

Purple 509. Mild or wild?

Mild the one with 108 LSA & VERY mild the one with 114 LSA 

My thoughts exactly, yet the next 5 posts will say wild, and then if we even jump down a size to the 484 purple, people complain that it is too radical as well. So its pretty much impossible to categorize cams universally. Thus why you and i as well as russ dwayne and a few others always ask the more specific questions about the whole package that essentially pisses off the topic poster who doesnt understand that we are tryi g to help.

If you look at your avatars, is easy to set the borderline of your opinions and categorize the cam to the reader LOL

If you look at my avatar, I'd say mostly sure the 114 version will allow me to still turn on the AC and will be somehow mild ( allmost wild ) while the 108 version not.

I think the base for the mild category must beging and qualified from bottom, since all cars leave the plant being streetable and comfortable, then the next step without big changes will make it mild. You can't begin from top racer cars, because there is allmost no limit to the racers category. You get atmospheric engines, then blower/turbo engines, the top fuel.... where you beging the scale from top to bottom?

My avatar is not a street engine... doesnt even have motor mount provisions. That aside, calling a bone stock 69 charger comfortable could be argued as well. As compared to what? If you recall we just had a topic about choosing to drive your old car vs new and there were heated opinions there. And thats just it- its all opinion.
  I find a stock big block dull and boring. They dont even sound good.

[Nacho-RT74]

Sure, I was pretty sure is not an street engine, thats why I said what I said... if somebody with that avatar says X cam is a mild one, I wouldn't be able to give credit to that, LOL 

Not saying you are right or wrong, but sits the borderline way high   

Stock engines boring? For you maybe and once again that can be right or wrong, but is what they came out from factory and is allways the baseline no matter what . Then the next step on scale is a mild mod.  No matter if you jump straight to a race world, but thats your option to jump out all the middle steps available, which, like or not, they exist

[c00nhunterjoe]

Oh i agree with you 100%. But what you may consider a wild cam, i can probably make very streetable for your liking in the correct combination.  As for stock being boring- if you think they are not boring, swing by and lets go for a ride in any of my junk. Even the wife's 350 nova will outrun a stock 375/440 and its a low compression 72 engine.... but a good basline? Hell yeah it is. But its a baseline boat anchor to me. Lol. Some guys think simply bolting on headers is a wild change. And we could go on and on. Its all in good fun though. No harm meant.

Edit- check cdr's cam card. Alot of people will have bug eyes seeing his cam numbers at 1st, yet he cruises with the ac on in overdrive and a lockup converter..... it comes down to the combination, not just the cam.

[John_Kunkel]

Yeah, it's all about the combination. I ran a roller cam that was wild by anybody's definition (Isky 590) in this '62 Dart but it idled fairly smooth because the blower cleans up the overlap that makes it sound wild.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Wait... so was it mild.... or wild.... lol

[flyinlow]

  Good one   ,,  It was very nice to meet you & thank you for lunch, I'll buy next time.

Deal !