Slant *        6        Forum
Home Home Home
The Place to Go for Slant Six Info!
Click here to help support the Slant Six Forum!
It is currently Sun Nov 02, 2025 2:03 pm

All times are UTC-08:00




Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Diesel Cam Grinds
PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2025 8:42 am 
Offline
Board Sponsor & SL6 Racer

Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2002 7:57 pm
Posts: 9037
Location: Waynesboro, Pa.
Car Model: 65 Valiant 2Dr Post
I see on the Oregon cam grind list that there are some cams marked with a "D" for diesel. Can someone tell me what is different about those grinds that won't allow them to be ground on a gas engine cam? Does it have to do with the ramps...? Thanks

_________________
2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!
Image
12.70 @ 104.6
Image


Top
   
 Post subject: Re: Diesel Cam Grinds
PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2025 8:48 am 
Offline
Board Sponsor & Contributor

Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2002 5:39 pm
Posts: 24769
Location: North America
Car Model:
That sounds like something I might be tempted to…ah…ask Oregon Cams about! :mrgreen:

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Image


Top
   
 Post subject: Re: Diesel Cam Grinds
PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2025 11:23 am 
Offline
EFI Slant 6
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2003 3:52 am
Posts: 296
Location: Helsinki Finland
Car Model: 1966 2D Dart
Let me quess… Diesel cams have minimal or no overlap to make compression pressure high. High pressure is needed for fuel burn. This causes also diesels do have lower rpm range compared to gasoline engines.

_________________
1966 Dart. 170 cu.in. 200 rwhp. 101.6 MPH @ 1/4 mile.


Top
   
 Post subject: Re: Diesel Cam Grinds
PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2025 10:10 pm 
Offline
EFI Slant 6

Joined: Mon May 26, 2014 4:02 pm
Posts: 443
Location: Vermont
Car Model: Slant Six M37
Great question! I look forward to learning what the differences are and if they can be useful for low RPM street engines !!!


Top
   
 Post subject: Re: Diesel Cam Grinds
PostPosted: Sun Nov 02, 2025 5:10 am 
Offline
Board Sponsor & SL6 Racer

Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2002 7:57 pm
Posts: 9037
Location: Waynesboro, Pa.
Car Model: 65 Valiant 2Dr Post
I was looking for a higher lift cam with shorter duration to try and take advantage of my decent big valve head and still use the stock convertor in my truck. I chose 1793D at .485 lift and 211 duration. That is when Ken told me it was a diesel cam implying it wouldn't work. But I did not question him on why it wouldn't work.

_________________
2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!
Image
12.70 @ 104.6
Image


Top
   
 Post subject: Re: Diesel Cam Grinds
PostPosted: Sun Nov 02, 2025 6:21 am 
Offline
Supercharged
User avatar

Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2005 9:00 pm
Posts: 3037
Location: kankakee IL
Car Model: 80 volare, 78 fury 2 dr, 85 D150
Huh. I wonder if the cam I chose would be considered a "diesel" cam then... I have -1* overlap, it's Oregon 819. I haven't driven it yet but it sounds good...Ive been interested in diesel engines much over the years, so never looked into cams on them... Cam numbers make my head spin anyway.
I'm about to go thru the confusion of picking a cam for another engine (Mopar but not a /6) here soon. Small block, carb, magnum , "RV/ towing" application


Top
   
 Post subject: Re: Diesel Cam Grinds
PostPosted: Sun Nov 02, 2025 6:26 am 
Offline
Board Sponsor & Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2002 11:08 am
Posts: 17179
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Car Model:
I asked Ken about this a while back and he just said they wouldn't work with gasoline flat tappet. It might be something to do with the ramps or lobe profile, but I did not get into it with him. You might search online before you ask him. He is a busy guy and could have retired years ago, so it is great he is maintaining this business for old school hotrodders like us... You might ask Gary there, since he is the one who has been mostly taking the phone recently.

Lou

_________________
Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988


Top
   
 Post subject: Re: Diesel Cam Grinds
PostPosted: Sun Nov 02, 2025 6:38 am 
Offline
TBI Slant 6
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2018 4:26 pm
Posts: 101
Location: Utah-Idaho border
Car Model: 1964 Dart 270
Lifter diameters on diesel engines dwarf even Mopar lifters. You can put 1.5" lifters in a 6bt, I think stock diameter is a little smaller than that. They are the mushroom style like on an air cooled VW. Pretty sure a diesel cam would wipe the lobes right off a slant cam in nothing flat.

Brandon

_________________
____________________________

https://www.flickr.com/photos/162600228@N03/


Top
   
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 

All times are UTC-08:00


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 4 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited