thoughts on regrind cams

**SteveCZ28** · 06-12-2010, 05:41 PM

im tossing the idea around of camming my camaro. but am completly clueless as to what i want....i want my car to stay dependable while street drving, but do want some performance for the strip. i was thinking bout a magic stick, but am thinking this might be wayy too much cam for me. then i found out about the ls1 and ls6 hot cams...i found a ls1 hotcam for 125, but it is a regrind, and honestly dont know anything about a regrind, so if any one could chime in as to what exactly a regrind is, and if they reccomend it or not...and also maybe some help or information as to what will be a good cam choice for me. thanks in advance

**importhater81** · 06-12-2010, 05:57 PM

I personally would stay away from regrinds and buy new. Basically a regrind is a cam that most likely was stock that was worked over to increase lift and duration. IMHO regrinds are a waste of time and money.

**9T8W66** · 06-13-2010, 04:31 AM

Originally Posted by importhater81

I personally would stay away from regrinds and buy new. Basically a regrind is a cam that most likely was stock that was worked over to increase lift and duration. IMHO regrinds are a waste of time and money.

Agreed
Just he name "Regrind" scares the hell out of me.

There is only one LS1 Hotcam and it's pretty tame.
I would look at TR 224 as it's a proven performer.

**Firebirdjones** · 06-13-2010, 08:27 AM

The hot cam and the popular 224 are pretty similar in comparison if you want to get right down to it. The biggest difference really, the hot cam favoring a split pattern towards the exhaust side, where as the 224 is a straight pattern.

Hot Cam...218/227 at .050 with .525/.525 lift on a 112 lsa.

The popular 224 cam......224/224 at .050 with ~.581/.581 and can be had from 112 lsa and higher. The lift can also vary with this cam depending on the lobe profile.

Both cams in my opinion are pretty tame, and there is such little difference between the 2 on paper, other than lobe profiles not being disclosed,,,,I really don't see much difference in performance from one to the other. Definately not enough to worry about.

In my opinion, if you run stock LS1 heads that need help on the exhaust side, (they have a weak I/E ratio) and you are still running the single style exhaust system with a Y-pipe (even an aftermarket one) I would lean more towards a split pattern camshaft that favors the exhaust by at least 4 to 6 degrees, if you run headers. With stock exhaust manifolds I'd spread that out another 6 degrees or so. The XFI/XER 273 from Comp is a great cam that falls into that catagory if running headers.

If you don't want to get down to specifics like that and just want something off the shelf, and it sounds like you want to stay somewhat tame, either cam mentioned would work for you. Talk to locals, or local tuning shops to see what they recommend. May as well since you will need to tune it anyway.

**garygnu65** · 06-13-2010, 01:21 PM

say no to regrinds,get a tr224 or TSP 224r or 228r.go to TSP website,and start looking at a after market stall converter .I have seen too many threads involving a reground cam and they all end in a costly disaster.

**mark21742** · 06-14-2010, 05:33 AM

I got a regrind off of Ebay (fresh copy cam) from blueandsilver2002 for $125...ran it for less than a year and when I pulled it out there were 1/4" ruts in the lobes.
Don't buy a regrind!

**PFM** · 06-15-2010, 12:28 PM

Learn from other peoples mistakes. A classic thread.

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/genera...p-our-car.html

**importhater81** · 06-17-2010, 03:08 AM

Originally Posted by PFM

Learn from other peoples mistakes. A classic thread.

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/genera...p-our-car.html

That thread on the other site was good for a laugh.

I wouldn't blame that situation entirely on a regrind...sounds like the guys that did the original cam swap had no idea what they were doing.

**Firebirdjones** · 06-17-2010, 06:19 AM

Originally Posted by PFM

Learn from other peoples mistakes. A classic thread.

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/genera...p-our-car.html

I didn't read the whole thing, but it sounded to me like it was solved on the first page yet they go on for what......13-14 pages or more?? I don't know, but it sounded like the typical jibber jabber over there from people that didn't know the whole story. That's why I don't frequent over there.

**Smittro** · 06-17-2010, 07:38 AM

Some of us don't have the option to buy new cams.. Not because of money but because they are NOT made for a particular engine= regrinds.. Imho regrind should only be performed on a steel cam shaft. UNLESS the person/shop understands exactly how to work with cast iron..

**mark21742** · 06-17-2010, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by Smittro

Some of us don't have the option to buy new cams.. Not because of money but because they are NOT made for a particular engine= regrinds.. Imho regrind should only be performed on a steel cam shaft. UNLESS the person/shop understands exactly how to work with cast iron..

I have run regrinds in (yes I know) Hondas in the past....but the shop that did mine was a very good shop and even said the key tro a great regrind is in the retempering

**Smittro** · 06-17-2010, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by mark21742

I have run regrinds in (yes I know) Hondas in the past....but the shop that did mine was a very good shop and even said the key to a great regrind is in the retempering

For me it's my TDC 24v there's no choice but regrinds.. They don't make much of anything for them after market and no cams available..

**67CamaroRSSS** · 06-17-2010, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by mark21742

I have run regrinds in (yes I know) Hondas in the past....but the shop that did mine was a very good shop and even said the key tro a great regrind is in the retempering

^This!!!!!!111111one111111eleven11...

If a regrind isn't retempered properly it's going to fail in a spectacular way!

Usually you regrind to reduce the base circle of the cam because of clearance problems with rod bolts on stroker cranks.