I'm looking at the range of cams available and I'm feeling quite at sea. If I were to make a list it would look like this:
Raby 9550 - (But you have to buy the rest of the engine to go around it. And I need to pass Fed emissions, though not California smog emissions.)
Webcam 73, 701i, stock - I don't see how a 73 or even a 701i is going to benefit me if I don't open the intakes up to 42mm, and I don't want to run my idle high for the privilege of more top end power. I want to optimize for the best out of the stock L-jet, driveability, and no hassles from the emissions man.
Scat? Be serious. I don't think I'll buy any wear part from them.
European Motorworks: They grind their own cams, and have a laundry list of Type4 grinds (more than a dozen by my count) for stock, HiPo, solid, hydraulic, race, etc. But I don't know a darned thing about their quality, reliability, etc. And 'chilled billet' is the most I get from their website for the cam blanks. Can anyone vouch for their quality? Has anyone run their cams for 50k plus miles and still been happy?
I know that one builds a 'whole engine' and the parts must be fit together not just on the basis of what can be jambed in the case, but what is compatible in terms of metallurgy, physics, rotational masses, thermodynamics and airflow. Please go easy on me as I lay out my intentions for scrutiny and get some advice from everyone.
At present:
- Stock Type4 GD 2L crankcase
- Stock crank, repolished journals
- AA 94mm (2L) Pistons and Cylinders
- OEM VW heads rebuilt (by Headflow, probably) with standard durability upgrades
- Stock rocker geometry
- All bearings are either Kolbenschmidt or Reinz
- Gasket & seals are Elring
- All new hoses, FI, vacuum and new custom formed ones from GeeBee racing for the Type4 (Decel, Breather, Sboot.)
- Stock 70amp Alternator (factory.)
- New Injectors
- Rebuilt throttle valve assembly
- 72-74 heat Exchangers