V8 Developments Stealth Cam - Your feedback please

[simonjriley]

I have a Chim 500 (1998, 31k miles)that I absolutely love

I just found out today that the original cam needs replacing and I am just starting to explore my options

I have heard that the V8 Developments Stealth Cam is a good upgrade for the 500, I don't do track days (yet) so am looking for a cam that has good driveability on the road.

I would really appreciate peoples advice on the Stealth Cam, any feedback from those who have experience of it (or other similar cam upgrades) gratefully received

[clive f]

have a chat with Quinny on here, he has a stealth cam and is very happy with it, you may want to ask the question on the griff forum for a better response?

[V8 GRF]

Might be worth looking at this thread;

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[rev-erend]

Not sure draging up the way TVRbeaver handled that will help..

Worth taking a look at the sump up on this web page (half way down)
http://www.g33.co.uk/tuning.htm

then perhaps calling Rob Robertson on Monday..

Stealth and MC1 both look to be good options but best talk to Rob.

[V8 GRF]

rev-erend said:

Not sure draging up the way TVRbeaver handled that will help..

Worth taking a look at the sump up on this web page (half way down)
http://www.g33.co.uk/tuning.htm

then perhaps calling Rob Robertson on Monday..

Stealth and MC1 both look to be good options but best talk to Rob.

TBH I think he got a rough deal off some of the contributors on that thread and someone rattled V8d's cage. It's ongoing and still not sorted to his satisfaction.

I wanted to highlight that he needs to do his research and not just go for the first cam suggested. There are several options out there as you've pointed out by suggesting the MC1 as well as a TVR Power cam option.

[Del 203]

Quinny said:

IMO the Stealth is a great cam for road use, Rob has hundreds of happy customes with this cam, (hence why it always gets mentioned)
But its not perfect for everyone..

I'll chuck another in MC2 works for me no rough idle & pulls like a train from 1k in 5th (not done as norm)



Perhaps it just matched the breathing/induction mods but its perfect Original map as well

[simonjriley]

Quinny,

Thanks very much for your post.

Answers to your questions are as follows:

I found out that the cam needed replacing after putting the car in to Dan Taylor at Taylor TVR to investigate a problem with idling and the car running rough under acceleration. After checking a number of things including the stepper motor etc. etc. Dan advised checking the cam and found that is was very worn on some of the cylinders.

In terms of further mods and upgrades, I am not planning any immediate upgrades but was looking at the cam replacement as an opportunity to upgrade slightly from the standard 500 cam.

As fas as how I use the car, I enjoy the opportunity to give it some beans, so was hoping that the Stealth cam would give me good power delivery under acceleration.

I would say that 70% of my driving is on A and B roads, with 30% on motorways so need something that would work well in both situations.

Hope this helps and really value yours and everyone elses advice

[simonjriley]

Quinny,

Many thanks for the information about you experiences wih different cams.

Looks like I am an ideal candidate for the Stealth cam, but as you say worth giving Rob a call first before making a decision.

I will let you know how I get on.

Thanks again

[Adrianw]

Hi Simon,
I have just had stealth cam installed on my Griff by Dan Taylor.
Dan mentioned he had might have another customer who was interested in the results
The Griff had cam wear on Inlet 3 and exhaust 7, but she still was making 289Bhp and 350 lbs/ft at a rolling road session with Mark Adams last Feb. (Bosch AFM, Red Top Injectors and Smooth Bore ACT induction)

I asked Dan what he normally fitted and he said that the majority of customers went for
standard TVR425, but that he had fitted others. I spent a lot (really a lot) of time researching which cam to fit

• Pistonheads
• Mark Adams
• V8D
• Monster

etc...

In the end I decided on Stealth Cam because the Pistonheads feedback was good (thanks to Quinny and others…), V8d are experts on these engines, and Mark Adams had seen a few on these on the RR and the results were good. Yeah there are wilder cams out there but I spend 99% of my time on the road and not on a track. So driveability was the key.

In the end I got Dan to do
• Stealth Cam
• ACT Carbon Trumpets
• Pre-cats
• 72 Plenum

All in all a lot of changes which may masked any issues with this cam that some people may have experienced. NB: I am waiting for another MA roll road session to get the most from this set-up particular the cam as this is must for this type of change.

So what does this lot feel like? hmmmm

Quick ! Bike Quick (ok not superbike quick) ! But... traffic in front of you is now 1/2 mile behind.

• Power - Strong and very smooth: Lots of power mid range - very smooth (no feeling of on/off cam)
• Torque - Feels up across the rev range, but the RR will show whether that true, I am expecting abit less at the low end as result of the carbon trumpets
• Idle - nice a steady no hesitation of fluctuation
• Acceleration :-) - oh yeeaahhhhhhhh – The Big Bad Griff devours lots of the slower little porkie’s (even a turbo cab but maybe he just lost his hair piece in the blast from griff exhausts)
• Shunting - What’s that then? This had completely disappeared - I used to get this a lot just below 2K and was a real pain ar*se, but now gone

NB: Shunting was probably solved by a combination of all the changes I had done, not just the cam.

Ultimately, all of this is qualitative measurements the truth will be the RR results hopefully at the beginning of April.

If you need any more info, email me off-line