23hp Vanguard: To cam, or not to cam?

[slonomo]

Wondering if I should install my Cheetah cam in my 23hp Vanguard? It runs so nicely with the new VM34 carb that I'm a little worried the cam will affect drivability and idle quality.

What do you guys think?

[Dave in VA]

Originally Posted by slonomo

Wondering if I should install my Cheetah cam in my 23hp Vanguard? It runs so nicely with the new VM34 carb that I'm a little worried the cam will affect drivability and idle quality.

What do you guys think?

Mine has a Cheetah cam, and it hasn't affected the driveability or idle, but I've got the stock Nikki 2bbl...

[slonomo]

Originally Posted by Dave in VA

Mine has a Cheetah cam, and it hasn't affected the driveability or idle, but I've got the stock Nikki 2bbl...

How would you describe the power difference with the cam?

[Dave in VA]

Originally Posted by slonomo

How would you describe the power difference with the cam?

I don't know. The engine came with the cam installed and the governor deleted.

[BIKERMIKEYBLACK]

I put the cheetah by precision in my 16 hp 310 lift 250 duration it REALLY woke it up revs really fast idle is a little rumpy but doesn’t affect the drivability so if you want to go fast put one in also there’s the expense about $250 shipped

[slonomo]

Originally Posted by BIKERMIKEYBLACK

I put the cheetah by precision in my 16 hp 310 lift 250 duration it REALLY woke it up revs really fast idle is a little rumpy but doesn’t affect the drivability so if you want to go fast put one in also there’s the expense about $250 shipped

Well.....I already have one Just haven't put it in yet. Just trying to decide if there is a "downside" to putting in the cam, because it runs so darn good and smooth right now.

[sho305]

Cams are not about running smooth lol. The cheater cam in my 420 is more duration, I already have 1.3 rockers for more lift. It runs fine on the bottom end it probably lost a little torque down low. But at 2500 and up it has more power and revs higher. Its far better than the stock cam. However the cart (other than my cut head and cheap gas causing low rpm knock) could still run a stock clutch and it would work and drive around, but not be ideal and not have the best take off. It still idles down to the comp release going off. I'm only running about 3-400 rpm more shift than the stock clutch did but it helped a lot and this one does not catch at low rpm. However I ran that before the cam change, so really the cam did more for power over 3K rpm up over 5500. The stock 420 dies back at over 3000 but has no other mods either. The mod 420 would pull 5200 down the road with 22s with stock cam yet, but large carb, head work, header, etc. But the cam was the one mod that did more than any other.

[slonomo]

Originally Posted by sho305

Cams are not about running smooth lol. The cheater cam in my 420 is more duration, I already have 1.3 rockers for more lift. It runs fine on the bottom end it probably lost a little torque down low. But at 2500 and up it has more power and revs higher. Its far better than the stock cam. However the cart (other than my cut head and cheap gas causing low rpm knock) could still run a stock clutch and it would work and drive around, but not be ideal and not have the best take off. It still idles down to the comp release going off. I'm only running about 3-400 rpm more shift than the stock clutch did but it helped a lot and this one does not catch at low rpm. However I ran that before the cam change, so really the cam did more for power over 3K rpm up over 5500. The stock 420 dies back at over 3000 but has no other mods either. The mod 420 would pull 5200 down the road with 22s with stock cam yet, but large carb, head work, header, etc. But the cam was the one mod that did more than any other.

Yeah I have plenty of experience with clone cams lol. Single cylinder engines, especially the built VC460 I had, aren't known for their smooth running. Twins typically have a better balance and run smoother.

With that said, I've never driven a cart with a cammed Vtwin, or better yet a cammed 23hp Vanguard. So I'm not sure how the cam makes the engine act. Will it sacrifice smoothness for power? That's the question.

What I really don't want to lose is my nice 1000 rpm idle that I worked so hard to achieve with all the carb work etc.

[BIKERMIKEYBLACK]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M28hARbuoZs

[sho305]

My cheater cam and 1.3 rockers in the 420 will idle down till the comp release goes off, so no issue with idle. All that cam does is give more top end power, more rpm. The stock 420 cart does have more bottom end at 2-3K rpm, otherwise the modded cart has way more top end powerband. But if I drive either around at low throttle there is not much difference.