Which cams to use

[mazdaspeed23]

I have 2 set of cams and im wondering what is better and the difference between the 2

K801
KL01

[kulluminati777]

KL01 of course!

The k801´s are not from the 115whp 1.8 s--- box?

[MrMazda92]

Arguable...

The KL01 intake cams are preferred from a power perspective. The exhaust cams kind of depend on your goals and setup...

The K8 is a beast btw.

[Sleeper6]

Arguable...

The KL01 intake cams are preferred from a power perspective. The exhaust cams kind of depend on your goals and setup...

The K8 is a beast btw.

Maybe when compared to a blender

[MrMazda92]

Well, the power to displacement ratio of the K8 beats that of the KL, whether you are talking about DE or ZE.

The engines are more durable, as many people will happily attest:
- They rev to high RPMs without a single concern
- They leak/burn oil like nobody's business and still run like a champ
- They sound better than the KL - I want to qualify this, before people turn this into a pissing match: I have had a K8 and KL side by side, running open exhaust from the heads, as well as the downpipes, and finally the stock y-pipe, and in all 3 configurations the K8 had a far cleaner sound and similar volume. A KL can be outfitted with an aftermarket exhaust and sound wonderful, but right off the showroom floor the K8 sounds better.
- K8s are a dime a dozen to buy, since everybody swaps to the KL

There are more benefits too...

[kulluminati777]

Arguable...

The KL01 intake cams are preferred from a power perspective. The exhaust cams kind of depend on your goals and setup...

The K8 is a beast btw.

Maybe when compared to a blender

[mazdaspeed23]

im talking about the ZE. im doing a complete rebuild havent decided if i want to stay n/a or boost. but either way i want the better cam that i can pound the s--- out of im not going to baby it by all means

[Sleeper6]

Use the KL01 since you dont have an actual ze KL31 cam. the K801 is from the suffocated k8 1.8L

[mazdaspeed23]

i might have a kl31 in my engine that im running right now. but not sure. these are just the extra cams i have laying around

[Ryan]

The K8 and KL01 exhaust cams are very similar, the K8 being a wee bit more on the retarded side.

Most N/A engines are more intake side sensitive.

Don't mix and match camshafts.

Just use a Kl01's. Not a bad cam, would probably produce the same 'area under the curve' as the KL31's. The bottom end torque is a bit more robust which is better for a daily anyway.

[mazdaspeed23]

sounds good guys thanks. does anyone know the max bore you can get out of the ze?

[MrMazda92]

Depends on budget... You can overbore ANYTHING to damn near any point, with enough money.

The largest bored/stroked engines I have seen mention of that seemed legitimate were 2.9l... These were said to be very sensitive to tuning, and had overheating troubles. Mind you, this is second hand information from ProbeTalk, so take it with a grain of salt.

Multiple people have successfully stroked 2.7l KLs, for limited power gains... If you are looking for NA power and don't want to go with ITBs, and money isn't an issue for your build, then I would consider it.

If you want to go beyond 260 HP, I would recommend you boost or build an ITB setup. The benefits of overboring/stroking a KL are minimal for the cost... Worthwhile to some(like me), but not to most.

[Josh]

sounds good guys thanks. does anyone know the max bore you can get out of the ze?

There are specific tolerances. Of which I do not know off the top of my head. I know SuperK just did his build with over bored pistons. You should shoot him a message. He would probably know off the top of his head.

[mazdaspeed23]

money isn't an issue but i dont want to go crazy and not gain alot from it

[Pritchett]

How much does an ITB setup generally run?