If cylinder heads are the heart of an engine, then the camshaft and valvetrain have to be the brains of the operation. Timing the opening, closing, lift, and duration of each valve event is central to increasing power and torque. While something this complex might seem expensive, the price of camshaft admission is surprisingly affordable.
Rather than deal specifically with camshafts in this particular story, we’ll focus instead on several options that you can take concerning rocker ratios, poly locks for the street to maintain that valve lash, and how to save a little money on your next engine buildup using a hydraulic-roller camshaft. So climb on board as we take a high-tech ride on the valvetrain.