I wanna get more power for my car and I want it to be easy... maybe not the cheapest options... but easy power is more of what I want. I'm considering buying an adjustable cam from either IPD or MVP for my 760 Turbo but I got a few questions... Is there any difference between IPD's or MVP's? Also... With the adj. cam if you advance it, it will shift sooner right? Backing farther away from the redline... But if you retard it that will push it closer to the redline. Which way is better? My friends always tell me their manual tranny cars are better then my auto even with less horsepower just because they can make it go all the way to the redline. So what is the best choice for me? Also... How come my friend's acura legend actually makes the tires squeek when he floors it? Thanks!

Brian

brian,

it is easier to squeak the tires on a front wheel drive car than a real wheel drive car due to the weight transfer from the front wheels to the rear under acceleration. You can squeal the tires on just about any front wheel drive car (auto or manual), unless you have a car with LOTS of horsepower you will find it harder to squeal the tires on a real wheel drive (amreracan cars with heavy v8's are easier to squeal than volvos as there is very little weight on the rear wheels while the volvos are closer to 50/50 weight distribution). For example my father's 850 with auto will squeal the tires without trying hard, but my 740 (with about the same power) will not. If you really want to squeal the tires with your auto you would have to rev the engine to around 3000+ rpm with the brake on and then take you foot off the brake (may even need higher rpm's) but this will put alot of strain on your drive train, and I wouldn't really recommend it too often. Can't help you much with the cams, I am relatively happy with the performance of my 16valve so haven't played with the engine at all. I wish you luck though.

Brian,

First, the ipd (or better yet the K cam) will give you a little more hp and is probably worth it. The cam is not adjustable but you can buy an adjustable cam gear. If you advance the cam gear, you will gain low end power at the expense of high end power. Please note, that cam (valve) timing is not the same as ignition timing. IMHO and from personal experience, the adjustable gear is not needed in a mildly modified engine. I built a street car ('80 DL) with Vx cam, headers and ipd sports exhaust and did not need the gear. OTOH, my ProRally car ('80 GT) has a K cam, headers, Weber DCOE45 carbs and head work and benefitted greatly with the addition of the adjustable gear.

Your friend's Acura is quicker because it has more hp and is much lighter. Chirping the tires is a matter of how much abuse you are willing to inflict on your car.

Skip

'80 242GT ProRally

'93 850GLT

I'm not sure that you fully understand the adjustable cam gear vs. the performance camshaft that both MVP and IPD offer. I also don't think that I'm the one to explain it, but I'll try. Of the two, you'd be better off with the performance camshaft. The performance cam will give you more power, but the adjustable cam gear as IPD says "allows easy horsepower and torque curve adjustment." You'd be able to dial in where you wanted the most power, either on the low end or on the high end. See these sites for some info on camshafts:

http://www.turbobricks.org/camshafts.html

According to http://www.volvonet.org/tpc/cam_data.html:

"The VX cam adds about 12 horsepower to a normally aspirated B23 or B230's output with no other modifications. When installed in a turbocharged engine, it probably adds at least twice that, especially if the car has benefitted from other mods, such as an improved-flow exhaust system or more efficient turbocharger."

If you haven't already done so, a good free flow exhaust will help (2.5" to 3" max). As for which company to buy from, find out which one will ship the cheapest, and see if they have any kind of sale going on because both offer the same camshaft.

Good luck.

Brian,

I myself havent tried the adjustable cam gear. I heard it doesnt make as much of an improvement on turbo's but its great on the N/A engines. Now on my favorite subject, beating acura's, any car can squeek the wheels with a manual. I guess a way to get ur engine up to the redline, is to bring down to first in ur auto, then when u get up to 5.5-6k rpm or so, push the shifter up into second and etc.. A quick tip, try the gas and break technique before u take off and then push the trottle down to the floor gently but quick, it helps get u off the line quicker...no more of that slight hesitation and lag when u floor it.

Volvo 740's are probably never going to satisfy anyone who wants a lot of power for their car - or a lot of rapid acceleration. It may be different with the turbo, but I am so happy with the slow and steady power of my '86 740, and can't imagine trying to get it to be like a sporty Acura.

IMHO, as they say.