Small engine cams

raydhd

While researching my opie build I came Tim Isky' small engine cam site.He has a cam for the B&S opie along with all the briggs engines.But the impression from his site he can make a cam for any small engine.Of particular note here would be if he has a performance cam for the V twin predator.

BGW

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slonomo

The only way he would make one for the Predator is if the demand would justify the R&D cost, and if sales would allow him to recap.

I think the problem with the Predator is that it's unproven and has shown some signs of not tolerating hot rodding. The Briggs engines have lots of years and many examples of success in this category. Demand is high for Briggs parts because there are so many engines out there and so many people modding them. I'd be interested to know what his cams are like.

raydhd

IF the predator Vtwin is really a honda clone he already produces cams for the honda gx 620 and 670.PS Tim Isky is Ed Isky's son.If you don't know about his father cams in hot rodding I don't know where you been for the last 70 or so years.In fact if you have the vegascarts high rpm cam you already own a Tim Isky cam.

slonomo

Ray....I know who Isky is bro, I used to race cars. And no one really knows if the Predator 670 is a Honda clone, some say it's similar, but not a clone. Why don't you call your buddy Tim and ask? I do believe my VC cam is made by them.

raydhd

I was only showing the members building predator V twins a possible way to increase performance.Also as I said in another thread If I had known there was a cam for the G2-14 yamaha I would probably bought one.It also looks like he produces or can produce a hotter cam for other carts and other small engines.PS If I had a predator V twin I would have called already.I suspect many of the cams coming from the other vendors are produced by him or someone like him.I doubt there a very many shops actually grinding their own cams.I will also add people on some of the aircraft sites and compared the honda ,briggs and predator V twins.They have found the predator to be equal or superior in terms of machining ,metal hardness,and fit to the others.The main question was ease of obtaining replacement parts.With a few members building these engines we may soon get some real info here.

sho305

Lol! It sure has promise, and you don't scream a vanny without a rev kit either. I did like seeing those guys pull 5100 on the dyno with no mods at all, that was funny.

I said it a while back, once the clone twin is here at a low price it will take over just like the smaller singles did. I don't know how you make a lawn engine that is 25yr old and expect it to be worth much. I don't know how you expect the rest of the world to buy clones at 1/3 the price and not be able to buy them in the free USA....I mean you dont have to buy them but if I buy old junk I'm not wanting to pay much for it. Old junk is good enough to power my golf cart true, but its not worth much. If they made a brand new Ford Model T would you pay $30K for it? I wouldn't buy a new car without DI today, efi is old junk I don't want unless its cheap and fits my needs (maybe I don't drive many miles so the poor mpg would not be a big deal, but its still inferior and will have poor resale value).

These engines are so mild I doubt its difficult for a good cam maker to add some duration/lift to make it run much better. The cheater cams they can weld/regrind a stock cam, that is why they are cheap and work fairly well for an upgrade. They appear to make the big cams new a lot of the time, so I don't know if the weld holds up for those poorly or what. Or they regrind a smaller base circle on a stock cam to make lift higher, but they can only add so much. Sounds like fun, who is in??? It is going to happen, I'm just waiting for it. If I ever get to building another cart it will be an option.

slonomo

Ray I understand what you are saying, but are you asking if Isky makes the cam for the Predator 670? or are you telling us Isky makes one? Really neither. The reason is that no one has confirmed that the Predator Vtwin is a clone of anything. Geoff at VC did his tests on them and was convinced that it was not, and that it wasn't worth making parts for. Since he's in the business I'll take him for his word. I trust that he makes and sells good products, since I own several of them. If he couldn't get one, then it's probably not available.

The truth is that no one really knows because no one else has done any R&D on them yet that has been posted. I saw the dyno video someone posted. I saw the 100 lb wheelie go kart, that looked like fun, but it was no golf cart. I'm just not convinced enough that the Predator 670 is worth the bucks yet. Maybe that will change, but for now I think that money could be better spent on something that is proven.

slonomo

Yeah I'm not sure if I'd buy a new engine and put a rewelded reground cam in it. Reliable? Who knows? Not sure I'd want to be the one.

I've always told people that if they kept it stock it would probably make a good powerplant. If they wanted more power? Not sure about that.

slonomo

Now I re-read my initial post. What I should have said is that "The only way Isky would MASS PRODUCE a cam for the Predator 670 is if there was a demand for it".

I don't want to comment on whether they will custom make one for it or not, because I don't know that. Maybe. The risk? Possibly high cost. Possibly not a good profile/grind. Possibly a failure of the engine's valvetrain. Or maybe it would be really awesome, I don't know.

The problem for me is modifying an engine with unproven reliability.

sho305

The welded/ground cams are made from stock take offs, that why they so cheap. Making a new cam they are much more, but again you pay for it lol so its no hair off their back. The gokart guys run both, they seem to know how to do it though they likely are not so keen on reliability as we are.

The HF predator is NOT the twin Vegas had, its much different and much more like a honda or vanny. His even had a single brrl carb the HF has a dual. I would guess now that they have epa others will start selling them. Sounds like the mud motor and gokart guys will have them modded far before we do, I'll keep watching. Problem here is I'll buy a utv for a little more if a cart costs that much here then I wont need a motor at all. I been looking but few deals to find when I am looking, just found a possible cart and I'm into another project of course and can't mess with it. I can't really see the point in putting a twin in my cart as the clone works great for my needs.

Don't worry about reliability, if they mod them and they all blow up we will know about it lol. You get on those sites you will find some hard core engine people, its great reading, but I've not had time lately.