Cam Choice - 88 or 89?

[DeckSetter]

You may have read in the other thread, my head was cracked and leaking pressure. It is an '89 swirl on a 2.5 in a minivan.

I'm getting a head from an '88 Lancer Shelby (or maybe Shelby Lancer? I don't know, but I think it was a T2 / A555 car). It comes with the cam / lifters / rockers and stuff, all still assembled.

Are the cams the same? If not, should I put the 89 cam in or will there be any noticeable difference? This engine probably won't see above 18psi, if even that. Probably only 12-14psi most of the time.

[turbovanman²]

1) The 1984 - 1987 Turbo Camshafts
This camshaft is the best stock camshaft available for turbocharged engines. They use the slider cam followers. This cam tended to have a slightly rough idle because of the longer duration and overlap.

2) The 1988 Turbo Camshaft
This camshaft was the first to use the roller cam followers and featured less valve duration which improved idle smoothness and emissions. It also slightly decreased the engine's top-end performance. This was somewhat intentional because Chrysler was trying to improve the low engine speed performance of the turbocharged engines (installing a smaller turbo, etc.).

3) The 1989 - 1993 Turbo Camshafts
These cams were even milder than the 1988 camshaft. This was probably because of the 2.5L engine, who's longer stroke and displacement didn't require such long cam durations. Chrysler was also trying to smooth these engines out at this time (balance shafts), so they may have been concerned about the idle.





1984-1987 Turbo I/II PN: 4293819 .430 Lift 240-240 Duration
1988 Turbo I/II PN: 4387850 .430 Lift 236-232 Duration
1989-1992 Turbo I/II PN: 4387721 .430 Lift 228-228 Duration
Mopar Performance "314" PN: P4529314 .460 Lift 240-240 Duration
Forward Motion 475 PN: FM09034 .460 Lift Unknown
Forward Motion 505 PN: FM-505 .505 Lift Unknown
TAFT S1 (re-ground roller) Mild street Unknown
Unknown
TAFT S2 (re-ground roller) S-60 replacement Unknown
Unknown
TAFT S3 (re-ground roller) Full race Unknown
Unknown
Mopar Performance Super 60 PN: P5249496 .499 Lift 260-260 Duration
CompCams PN: 22-124-4 .499 Lift 268-268 Duration

[DeckSetter]

Well snap, looks like the '88 would be a little better with more duration, but I think it's a different sprocked so it would be 4* retarded. I'm too cheap for cam keys or an adjustable sprocket when I'm going 2.4 soon.

Looks like the '89 will go back in. Should I use the caps from the '89 head that had that cam or will it matter?

[turbovanman²]

Looks like the '89 will go back in. Should I use the caps from the '89 head that had that cam or will it matter?

Use the cam caps that came with the head otherwise you'll seize the cam.

[DeckSetter]

good to know, thanks!!!

[Una]

I've always heard you should go with the TBI cams.. '88 if you have a square tooth timing belt.. '89 if you have a round tooth..

[turbo xtc]

i used 89 sprocket on 87 cam and 87 head the teeth are round instead of square this is also to make the 2.5 run smoother

[Una]

And 87 cam is a slider, not even a roller.. Whatever floats your boat, but you're takin a big step backwards..

[turbo xtc]

And 87 cam is a slider, not even a roller.. Whatever floats your boat, but you're takin a big step backwards..

yeah i know but i think the slider works best for auto trans i get a little faster spool then the roller especially noticed at 2-3 shift but i'm using a log and boosts great for 13 psi on stock lm and 89 2.5