Power gains from adjustable cam gears

[masospaghetti]

My particular application is the H23A1 w/ stock cams and H22 pistons. There don't seem to be many options for cams for this engine. Would adjustable gears be a decent substitute (assuming I also get a tune)?

My guess is that

1 - gears are not as good as a complete regrind, but
2 - gears are better than nothing, and
3 - gears on a DOHC engine make a bigger difference than on a single cam engine.

Am I on the right track here?

[deevergote]

Gears alone probably won't do a whole lot for you, but some gains may be realized. I think I remember reading in Honda/Acura Engine Performance by Mike Kojima that a 5-7hp gain could be seen on... I think it was a B16A, but I'm not positive (my friend has my book at the moment.) If that's true, then I'd say that would be worth doing. I've heard quite a few complaints about the adjustable gears being a pain in the ass to actually adjust to the perfect settings. If you're meticulous and don't mind making tiny adjustments to get optimal results, then I say go for it.

I've had a set of AEM H22A cam gears in my basement since 2004. Never did install them. They're actually in a box at my feet, waiting for me to stop being lazy and get them sold!

[93redcb7]

My particular application is the H23A1 w/ stock cams and H22 pistons. There don't seem to be many options for cams for this engine. Would adjustable gears be a decent substitute (assuming I also get a tune)?

My guess is that

1 - gears are not as good as a complete regrind, but
2 - gears are better than nothing, and
3 - gears on a DOHC engine make a bigger difference than on a single cam engine.

Am I on the right track here?

if your planning on getting tuned, you might look into delta camshafts.

[masospaghetti]

I actually tried to contact them but their main email address returned my message. Not a good sign.

[deevergote]

They're still in business. Their website has always been crappy, and it was recently changed. I wonder if there are still bugs in the system. I assume they're one of those companies that don't quite understand internet stuff all that well. Your best bet would be to call them. Delta is one of the few truly consistent smaller companies that CB7tuners have dealt with over the years. They have never let anyone down that I can recall. Hell, I've actually owned Delta 272 camshafts for both my H22A and my F22A! (neither were installed... the cars they were intended for got wrecked before I got around to it...)

I would highly recommend Delta. Hell, you could probably even ask them for advice regarding adjustable gears. They'd certainly know more than anyone here likely does, seeing as camshafts are their thing.

[thumping_accord]

I had a set of stage 2 Crower cams in my h23a1, I believe they have other options as well. When I had that motor tuned, the tuner said I would have benefited from adjustable cam gears with those particular cams, as the overlap was kinda large.

On a side note, some cams claim you don't have to do any head work, but be aware that is not always the case. I destroyed a set of valve stem seals on the first go with those cams and they said head work wouldn't be needed.

[deevergote]

It's disheartening to hear that about Crower! They're one of the brands I'd have trusted blindly!
Granted, with any performance build, it's always better to overbuild than anything else. Well, better for the engine, not your wallet.

A set of Delta 260s would probably be harmless. 272s usually provide no problems. Never anything above that without adequate supporting mods (and above that, I'd go with a pricier option, personally.)

[masospaghetti]

Called Delta cam and they picked right up, he was super helpful. $137 for a regrind sounds like a super deal (not sure if this was both cams or per cam) but he recommended the 272 and said that adjustable gears would allow some improvement also.

[deevergote]

There you go!
Good. I'm glad to hear yet another good thing about Delta. I really like that company! Even if it was $274 for two cams, that's not a bad deal!

[illinois_erik]

Adjustable cam gears arent really bolt on power adders that get slapped on, theyre "tools" to more precisely adjust the valve train. Along with regrinds, adjustable cam gears, youll also need to degree the cams so you dont get any interaction between valves and pistons. usually in mock up with cams and gears youll do a clay test to see what clearances you have or if theres a straight up collision.
Also when you get the adjustable cam gears get the name brand ones with as many fasteners as you can, the ones with 3 bolts are no good they come loose, that design was superseded with with 4 or 5 fastener style. you dont want things changing while the engine is running obviously. wot will put a lot of torque on those gears. anyway, just do your research and triple check stuff and youll be just fine.

[deevergote]

I remember when Bisi first started selling his gears, he drew attention to the fact that the teeth were the best non-slip design possible. Whether or not that's true, it definitely draws attention to the need for quality! There are LOTS of cheap knockoff gears out there. For a non-interference engine, I'd risk it. For an interference engine, hell no!

One good thing about the older 3 bolt designs is that they're more solid. My old AEM gears are 3 bolt. I never used them, so I can't say whether or not they would come loose or be more/less difficult to adjust... but I'd imagine they'd be able to take a beating in terms of material strength.

[Raf99]

Agreed, no power gains here. Unless you are willing to have non-OEM cams installed. The OEM cams are already machined to perfection for the job they have to do. Usually people who support special cams have the head re-built as well.

[wagon-r]

I picked up 8 hp at 6500 rpm by retarding the camshaft 6 degrees with an adjustable cam gear - and that was on a F22A with SOHC. I did have a stage 1 cam from webcams. It lost 1 hp below 4000 rpm.

Note that I had this dialed in on a dyno by purehondatuning in Toledo, as they could quickly and accurately determine the impact of changes in gear timing. You can find the dyno graph here:
http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthre...=201795&page=3

I'm not sure how you would dial it in properly if you don't have a dyno.

[masospaghetti]

Thanks everyone for your input.

I was looking for upgraded springs and retainers for a 272 regrind (even though Delta said the stock setup would be OK) but I can't find any. Can I use H22 valvetrain parts? Where can I get H23A1 performance parts?

[deevergote]

I can't find a damn thing on H23A1 valve springs! If H22 stuff is compatible, I have a set of upgraded inner springs for an H22 (should be good for 272s, if they're compatible on the H23A1.)