Helix cams

[RWood]

Anyone know a place where helix cams are offered around Reno?

Thanks

 

[Jetpilot]

They are only offered through Formula 1 dealers. If I can help out in any way please feel free to call.



Doug Smith

717-557-7060

 

[SHobbs]

Jetpilot

Is it possible to get a cam with a lobe for the LP in a 24v? Mechanical LP instead of electrical.

 

[Jetpilot]

All of the Helix series cams come with the lobe for a mechanical pump. Formula 1 is also making a kit just for this... . It will include the needed lines, fittings, and pump just for our 24v motors!



Doug

 

[Fishin Guide]

All of the Helix series cams come with the lobe for a mechanical pump. Formula 1 is also making a kit just for this... . It will include the needed lines, fittings, and pump just for our 24v motors!



Doug

Yes they do and it's the best thing since sliced bread!!



I love the performance aspect of the cam, but I really bought it to stem the tide of failing electrical lift pumps. WOT temps are down several hundred degrees and I really need a bigger turbo to realixe the full potential of my setup. I have a very hard time hitting 1250* below 70* ambiant. Power is much more linear and the truck has lost the "surge" that it had previously. Spool is much quicker and max boost is down a few psi. This is not a bad thing as the temps dropped with it.



Did I mention that I don't need to watch my fuel pressure? It just stays where it is all the time under all conditions. I thought my gauge was broke, but all is well!



Everything I needed was provided and the install went pretty smoothly. Gotta love those internal, never seen parts! Hardest part of the install was removing the gasket material from under the old lift pump mounting plate. Even with removing the fuel filter canister, it would have been easier to do it from below, but that's another story.



You'll love the cam! Being ground from a new blank, all the aspects of the cam can be determined before it's grond. No reworking of cams here boys. And to get the choice of press on gear or bolt on, is a nice benefit too. I don't think any other vendor offers both. I'm gonna go for valve springs when the 2nd charger makes it way onto the truck...



Dave

 

[Dave Ratcliffe]

Dave,



Did the cam extend your usable rpm range at all?

 

[Matt400]

Any idea how much valve timing change is made with a Helix on a 3rd gen and if it moves the power band up or down in the RPM range?

 

[Jetpilot]

The power band is greatly extended into the upper rpm range with the Helix 3! I was doing some dyno tuning on a truck this lasst week, the truck was a 2nd gen with a Redline box plus a few other goodies. Truck RPM was limited to 3500, what I noticed was that the max HP was still increasing @ 3500. But what blows my mind is max TQ was almost flat all the way from 2700 to 3500!



Doug

 

[Fishin Guide]

Dave,



Did the cam extend your usable rpm range at all?

In my case, it did.



You have to keep in mind I have the weenie sized hybrid on this truck. But it feels like it there are more lungs with which to breath.



The easiest way I can explain this is, when I was in drive, accerating through the gear near 1/2 to 3/4 throttle, the truck would start to "nose over". Basically, run out of air. With the cam, this is completely gone and I can run well up to and past redline if I am not careful.



It is much more fun to drive now! And the power hits so smooth, it just sets you back in the seat. And you don't realize the acceration curve untilyou finally lift. This is the hardest thing for me to get used to. The truck doesn't pull back on it's own and wants to continue to buiild. So, I end up on the back of traffic mroe often than not.



Dave

 

[Fishin Guide]

Any idea how much valve timing change is made with a Helix on a 3rd gen and if it moves the power band up or down in the RPM range?

Doug is right. The thing just flat works. And I have been told that on the 3rd gens, fuel economy can be the biggest benefit aside from the otherss mentioned.



Don M is a wealth of information as I am sure Doug is.



BTW Doug, I wanna talk to you about compounds!!



Dave

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Nice reports on the cam. You guys make it sound like it makes some power. . . I thought cams weren't supposed to do that, only good for helping spool big turbos and lowering EGTs

 

[Matt400]

Dave- Is yours a 1,2 or3 version?

I was looking at the PDR cam for my 03 then ended up selling for an 05 before i did it. Now once again thinking on a cam for the 05.

I don't really want to do valve springs so that leaves me with the level 1 choice plus I don't plan on crazy fueling.



I wish I knew what the difference was between a PDR and the Helix 1 (spec wise) but I have found in the Diesel world thats asking too much. I am sure they both would make the motor breath more easy. I can't remember if PDR ever gave a me a price when I was asking. . they were not selling any yet.

 

[BDR]

So are there other modifications required to run these cams?

 

[BPonci]

Matt, Piers will have a cam spec page very soon on his tech page.

 

[rubberneck]

which stage

Jetpilot, which stage would you recomend me. I'm kind of a dual purpose truck you might say. (hotrodding around, yet still tows very heavy 23k gross on occasion). Currently, i have mach 4. 5's, full size B1, drag comp, and oringed head. Probably going to PDR towing twins very soon. As you go up from stage 1 to 2 to 3, does the power band continue to increase in rpm, or just widen?? I would like to retain as much of the bottom as possible.

 

[Jetpilot]

rubberneck,



The Helix 2 would be a great choice for you. The Helix 3 is for all out power and isn't quite as good for towing as the 2. If I can answer any more questions please let me know.



Doug

 

[rubberneck]

cool, I think this may be my next mod. I will give you a call. I need to get a set of head studs, and a snow h2o/meth system too. I see you have the hrvp44 on your site. whats the skinny on theses things. Do you give anything up for the added peak hp. (do you lose anything on the bottom or dreiveablility etc). Im torn on what to do with the pump. I have a couple of inlines laying around on the bench, I may just ppump it and be done. any thoughts on that.



ps, what about the valve springs?? I really dont see my self pushing this motor over 3400, would the set you sell without the titanium retainers be adequate?? or should i just bite the bullet and go for the top dogs?

 

[Matt400]

Matt, Piers will have a cam spec page very soon on his tech page.

Cool, the numbers always interest me. Thanks!

 

[Jetpilot]

rubberneck,



We carry snow's water/meth stystems now as well... . As far as the HR pumps, I saw a truck this weekend do 605 RWHP with a HRVP, Mach 4's, drag comp, and a phatshaft 66! The HRVP really wakes up the bottum end of our trucks.



As for the p-pump I wouldn't go that route you loose a lot of driveability and if max HP is what you are after we managed 832 RWHP out of my VP truck this weekend. I suspect I can get 900 RWHP out of the VP soon!



The springs alone will be fine for your setup. The top dawg set is only for all out max HP and rpm and the price really doesn't justify the means for anything else.



Doug

 

[Fishin Guide]

In response to which cam I have, it's the Helix 2. I had no idea what Don was sending me, but he said I would be "happy".



I have not swapped the valve springs in my truck as I still had over . 040" of free coil. I will be swapping them when the twins go in. Don told me he has seen stock valves float on a stock to mildly fueled truck. So, the springs would be a good upgrade no matter what you are doing.



Vaughn, the cam made no more horsepower in my mind. It brought the turbo on sooner, so it feels more powerful because the turbo is father ahead of the fueling curve than before. Does that make any sense? The true benefit is faster spooling, lower EGTs and increased fuel economy. I got back the milage I lost after going to 285s from 265s.



BTW, Don will provide you with the cam specs. It'll either drag the rest of the market with him or they will continue to work on the 40% this, 15% that.....



This is not to say that the other vendors are ripping any one off or doing a dis-service. I just think it will help those that understand the numbers make the best decision for them.



And the specs that are changed in regards to these cams are going to have different effects than a gasser. For those of us that have been around forced induction in gasoline engines, the learning curve is shorter. But, like all things, a little research will empower you to make edjucated decisions.



I just wish I could talk Don into building turbo systems!!



Dave