BISI lvl 2 Cam without tune YES OR NO?

[CB7Denmark]

Just yesterday, i picked up my cam and the springs from the post office.
Its tickling to get started installing that cam, but i keep thinking of a discussion i had here with some guys telling me i'm gonna kill my engine, melt the pistons and whatnot.

But i also heard from a guy that claims he drove around with the cam a full year before the tune..

i CANNOT wait to get started, so i REALLY need to get a clear answer.

Can i install the bisi cam without the tune, will i damage my engine? Will it be driveable, yes or no. And why/why not.

The tune will come in a matter of months, but i just need to do something to that engine, you guys must know the feeling? :P

Help me out here!

[Domesticated]

You will run super lean. You absolutely have to tune. I don't believe that someone drive around a year with no issues. Wait until you can afford a tune. Also the cam won't do a lot of good unless you have other supporting mods.

[CB7Denmark]

You will run super lean. You absolutely have to tune. I don't believe that someone drive around a year with no issues. Wait until you can afford a tune. Also the cam won't do a lot of good unless you have other supporting mods.

What would the supporting mods be?

[Domesticated]

Less restrictive intake, much less restrictive exhaust. Better exhaust manifold. Adjustable cam gears are always good with aftermarket cams, but not always necessary. When I spoke with Bisi they recommended the level 2 was the highest someone should go without ITBs so I'm assuming it's a fairly aggressive cam. May need the head to be reworked a bit to really take advantage of it. And a tune of course.

[CB7Denmark]

Less restrictive intake, much less restrictive exhaust. Better exhaust manifold. Adjustable cam gears are always good with aftermarket cams, but not always necessary. When I spoke with Bisi they recommended the level 2 was the highest someone should go without ITBs so I'm assuming it's a fairly aggressive cam. May need the head to be reworked a bit to really take advantage of it. And a tune of course.

Ah, not worries. Everything is prepared for the Cam. The A3 head are much less restrictive than the A1 and A6 counterparts. Keep in mind, the A3 produces 150hp stock.

I got 66mm TB from the H22A, H22A Plenum, much much bigger than the stock plenum. I recently installed Headers. I got a 3" CAI. The only thing i need is the new exhaust which i will take care of after my vacation to Germany and Holland, C/R is 9.8.1 which i think should be able to produce 200hp at the crank before i need to up the pressure.

Ill be back at 07.11 and d.13th im gonna have the car dynoed to compare results.

Why would i need a adjustable camgear on a SOHC engine? Normally its used to control overlap, but the overlap is fixed on a SOHC engine?? Correct me if im wrong please.

[Domesticated]

OK, good to know. I would wait until the tune. If you have that much invested already don't risk messing it up.

[CB7Denmark]

OK, good to know. I would wait until the tune. If you have that much invested already don't risk messing it up.

You're right... I just gotta control myself sometimes, ill wait till i can get a tune.
As you said, it would be sad to ruin the engine.


Thanks for helping me decide on this one

[sonikaccord]

When you use an adjustable cam gear on a SOHC, you advance or retard both cycles at the same time. They also allow more accurate timing.

[P5ylance]

I looked around for people's results with cam gears on other similar sohc honda motors (civic community) and I think i recall some results from other f22a's... most of em said they got nothing from the cam gear, and ended up not changing any degrees and keeping it at zero. so... it may not even be worth it. with what i saw, i'd keep the stock cam gear unless some problem comes up that MAY be solved by an adjustable one...

plus, no chance of slipping.

[Accrdwgnguy]

Heh, I ran around for a few years with a Bullfrog cam, no tuning. Not saying you should follow my example, but I did not experience any ill effects. Of course I have an A1 so my compression ratio is 1 point lower, which helps.

My buddy's wife is from Denmark, they are over there right now for their wedding.

[wagon-r]

A lot depends on how you drive. If you keep the engine at less that 30-50% throttle, it will run closed-loop and the oxygen sensor will ensure that the engine has the proper air/fuel ratio.

It's WOT that can kill you engine. At higher loads the ECU switches to open-loop operation, with fuel injection pulse widths pre-programmed and stored inside the ECU. This is when delivering more air than the ECU expects will make the engine run lean.

And, of course, high loads are exactly when you do not want to run lean.

So, if you just want to break in the camshaft (or an engine), you should be fine running it without a tune if you keep your foot out of the throttle (and keep the oxygen sensor). But it is really important to get a tune before you start using all that extra air.

[jdm92_accorn]

i'd definitely get a chipped ecu first, it's never worth the risk. as far as cam gears go, the bisimoto regrinds are ground with 2deg advance so stock ca gears are fine on the level2 or less. only benefit to a cam gear at tht point would be to correct timing discrepancies due to head milling. im very familiar with the f22ax's and bisimoto products and i can promise you the cam is almost not worth it without tuning.

[CB7Denmark]

I am going to change the timing belt in very near future, so i thought i could change to the new cam in the process as well.


You guys have definitively given me some qualified answers and i will make a decision based on those.


Thanks a lot so far, keep em coming