I want to know if anyone has switched from the Engbldr 268 cam to the 261? I recently rebuilt my motor and love the way it runs, but I don't have the low end torque that I thought I would have. I did a lot of research before I built the motor and I thought the 268 was better for low end, but I guess I had my facts wrong. Anyway I am considering switching the cam and figured it will cos about $200 for cam, gasket set, head bolts, and coolant, plus my time, just wanted to find out if anyone else has done this! And yes I know its only a 22re, but I really have no torque until about 3k and thats what I really want!

 

So if I was to swap the cams, with only 1200 miles on my motor what are the chances I would have to do the headgasket over? I have heard if you don't have many miles on the gasket you might get away with switching the cam and head blots, but I wanted to see what everyone thought. If the head gasket must be done then I will do it the right way, but I have to do something about this lack of low end power, its great cruisin in the city, but every time I go hunting and I have to climb some hills I have to down shift and lay on it to 4k and I really don't like doing that! open to suggestions!

 

there are people that have done cam swaps without breaking a head gasket.
so, can you do the same? can't say.
worse I can offer is:
try, and if it works, you're golden
but if it don't work, then you're gonna have to redo it all...
...which isn't anything more than if you just decided to do it all in the first place.
except for the labor of doing some things twice.
You might get lucky the first time, or might not. Are you willing to take a chance on it?

 

Good Point, is it the clamping force being taken off the gasket and then reapplied that does it or does the head get moved slightly that messes it up? I feel sort of stupid cause I did a lot of research before I built my motor and I though the 268 was good for low end, but I think when I heard that the 261 might idle lopey I decided I didn't want it, but I can deal with the trade off!

 

I'd guess that the reassembly process is more likely to cause things to fail, what with torquing fastners and such.
that doesn't mean you couldn't get it all apart, then take extra steps in the assembly process to reduce the torquing motions that could cause the head to shift.

 

yeah I didn't think about the head shifting when torquing the new head bolts, the first time I did it I used Engbldr's process of 25% then a 1/4 off and so on till they are tight, I guess I could try it and be careful! Sucks cause I really don't have to do it, but I would love to feel the difference of some better low end, this would be the only thing I don't like about my new motor!

 

worse comes to worse, sell your engine the way it is to trade with someone else that wants your cam...
nunno though if that's a good idea.

 

perhaps if you drain the coolant and let it sit overnight, the water jacket will at least be clear.

 

I would be interested in that cam if you do swap them so if you decide to do it and sell the 268 do let me know

 

so what really is the difference between the 268 and 261 cams?

 

yeah if I swap it I will let you know for sure! The difference from what everyone else who has the 261 is that it has good low end torque from off idle up, but has a few less hp on the top, and the 268(the one I have) has no real torque until about 3k, but when it hits 3k it really takes off. It is great on a flat, but not so much on hills. I have seen a few other people with the same complaint, but its a trade off!

 

I was talking with engbldr today and he told me with my setup and intened use(22re sas 5.29's 5 speed and 35's dd and weekend toy) the 268 would be best and if I was going to be useing it more for off road that the 261c would work better because as you said it has a better low end torque but that the torque on the 268 should be fine for my use since I will be doing a fair amout of street driveing so I may end up doing the same thing myself if I don't like the feel of the 268. My real dd is gonna be my 90 4runner with a s/ced 3.4 and 5.29 on 35's on stock IFS and it will serve as my tow vehicle when I decide to take the sas to any off road parks so it's really a 6 of 1 half dozen of the other for me.

 

yeah i use it for a dd and do a lot of street driving, just wish it had more low end, I think it did have a little more before I got my new exhaust, but I think that helped move it up the rpm scale a little!

 

maybe regear it a little may help with the hills?

 

so really, not a good choice for someone driving their truck on road most of the time?

 

good for a lot of highway or freeway driving, but not mountain passes or large hills unless you want to rev it out a lot more!

 

that's kind of odd, considering... got a stock 22re, on 31's with stock gearing, and I find myself winding 3rd out a lot on mountainous passages like the 5 fwy / grapevine, 15 fwy / cajon pass. so the cam would help me do the exact thing I find myself doing without the cam?
lol.

I lol because on those hills I mentioned, I find myself in 3rd gear winding to 4500-5000 rpm without the cam ... the cam that would give me power to do what I do ... even though I don't have the cam for the power

now I'm even more confused.

 

Is the low end work lower than stock with the 268?

 

Compared to stock, I will sayy off-idle torque is at or BELOW the stock cam until 1500-1600 rpm, then it feels like this cam pulls much stronger through the rest of the RPM range.

What are your thoughts on your 268 cam harlyman???

 

Have not got one yet just found a motor to rebuild but I am running with what ted at engine builder has told me and like I said with the street time and off road time he thinks it would work best but the more I read about the 261c I may just go that route since the trip to and from work have some good size hills both ways.