HOT OR NOT Hot cam

[stang233]

Hey guys I have a 02 400ex and was talking to honda about getting the hot cam for it. Even though the hot cam stats it works with all of the stock engine components HONDA says you will wear your engine out in a year if you do not replace the the proper components (springs, valves,) any how, HONDA did say i could go with the honda cam that is 300 and I will be ok with stock engine. Is this true help me out. I want more power out of my 400ex. I currently am jetted, filterd, and piped.... What else could i do besides cam. Thanks RIchard

[400exredrider]

Hotcam stage 2 abnormally wore on my valves causing me to drop a valve.. id get valve/spring setup if you do any sort of cam work

[Joe400ex]

what would be the pricing for valves and springs and stage 2 hotcams. it doesnt have to be exsact just a rough idea:devil:

[cals400ex]

whoever you talked to is full of ****. all of the hotcams are made like the honda cams and are drop in cams. some do say get heavy duty springs, others don't. however, this goes for the honda HRC cam too. find out what cam they are selling for 300. if it is the XR400 cam, they are screwing you big time. the HRC is a good cam but i don't know if a dealer would sell it for 300. i think they make a hrc regrind or something a bit different and i hear that isn't worth it. it depends on your riding style. i would look into the stage 1 or stage 2 hotcam. the stage 3 is probably over kill on a stock bike. the only complaint i have with the stage 1 is that it ticks really loud. the stage 3 doesn't have this problem. the stage 2 is new and i don't know much about it but i have a feeling that is the one i would look into for a stock pistoned bike.

[Buffalo400]

A lot of poeple talk about the new stage 2 hotcam. but at hotcaminc.com, they dont show or talk about this new cam? where buy this new cam if hotcamsinc.com don't show it on tehir website?

[FL426kid]

You should do some porting on it.Andwhen you rebuild the motor go with a 416.with the work done right thats a strong,and fast motor.

[2004exrider]

whoever you talked to is full of ****. all of the hotcams are made like the honda cams and are drop in cams.
he is rite my friend has had a stage 1 in his for over a year and i have one also. in the instructions to it said that you use it with stock springs etc. the only maintenace youll have to do is adjust the valves just a tad bit more. all in all im pretty satisfied with mine:)

[Buffalo400]

stage 1 really give a faster 400ex.. how many HP?

I wait for the new stage 2 for the moment if hotcam can show us thir new product...:macho

[400exredrider]

Cals.... take a look at these.... mechanics said.. Nicholas cycle... Doug Nicholas, id say hes a pretty reputable engine builed wouldent yo think? said the cam had abnormal wear on the valves... here you go,,,, its a costly its almost like choosing a HD rod over a stock rod,, its all up to you,,, but id take the safe way.

[Barney]

Hey 400exredrider put the picture of your piston back up this well
tell what happeded it was not your cam. look a little closer. You can see were your valves an piston were making contact for some time. The word is valve float look at the outside edge of the valve pocket on your piston it's there were valves an piston were crashing together.

[400exredrider]

only one valve hit,,,,, the other spots are there on JE pistons

[400exredrider]

here it is... onle hit in the one exhaust valve on the bottom left corner

[stang233]

Ok so if i am not going to go with bore kit and staying stock you are all saying to go with stage 2 HOT CAM and upgrade valve springs. How much does this cost and do you think that I could do it myself, how indepth is it? Also where should I purchase this stuff????? I want my bike reliable. Is it still going to be reliable. Thanks Richard

[400exredrider]

to be safe id go with atleast valves or springs,,, spring setup is about 120 valves are about 30 a valve

[Barney]

Stang go with stage2 or 3 what they calling it today. If you use a
high compresstion piston. if not use a stage 1. It's the best for the the buck.

[Barney]

Redrider thats what happens. The valve hit piston for little while
and then it get tired of it and then brakes off. I went throw this
a few years back. I even had Kibble White springs too. Exhaust
is the first to hit it's the closes to the piston when opening an closeing when the motar is running. Next time do the molding clay
thing and you won't have this problem. I well try posting some
pictures what mine looked like. the pictures are to big post.

[cals400ex]

i am betting the abnormal wear couldn't have been from the cam itself. i bet the problem lies in the valves, rockers, or head.

[Barney]

It's a matter of fit from valve pockets in piston to valves. if you use thin head gasket and oversize valves you better make sure you have room for the valve float that's when it happens. Valves
travles the poflle of the cam till you reach high RPM and then
the valves travel farther than the profile. And if you check the
clearnes with molding clay you will see how close it is. It's realy close. less than .020. I milled the pocket bigger in my Ross piston
this time to make sure. Owning your own Machine shop helps a lot. Just because you can purchase piston does mean it's always
going to work do the homework.

[400exredrider]

only one valve even hit the piston,,, none of the others touched it,, the pick might look like the others hit but they were untouched

[Barney]

The valve pocket in the piston did not match your head. When i
rebuild the motar after i did this you could see my valves were
closer on one side than the other. If you would like I can E-mail
some pictures to you if you like. PM a address,

[UglyMotha™]

Originally posted by 400exredrider
Cals.... take a look at these.... mechanics said.. Nicholas cycle... Doug Nicholas, id say hes a pretty reputable engine builed wouldent yo think? said the cam had abnormal wear on the valves... here you go,,,, its a costly its almost like choosing a HD rod over a stock rod,, its all up to you,,, but id take the safe way.


yah, ok buddy, don't hand me the crap a reputable engine builder, that don't mean jack and I don't care if he works for some stealership, i've seen so many wrecks built by dealers it ain't even funny, and if I do recall your engine blew up within the same day............... sounds like a real reputable engine builder you have there, I build all my engines and I've been running and stg2 hotcam for 2 hard season and let me repeat that 2 seasons, not 2 hours, ON THE STOCK VALVE TRAIN, so please no more false info out of you, if replaceing the valves and springs was required hotcams would have noted it but they do not because this is an entirely drop in cam, you problem lies in your engine builder, I'd find a new one if i was you

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid156/p8767cf399a5b07074ec7b0f1f9c905ca/f543f99b.jpg

[400exredrider]

haha nicholas cycle didnt build my motor,, i did it my self,, call me a bad builder but doug nicholas said it was a bad valve becase of abnormal wear,, stick with your stock valve train thats fine with me,, i just do things the safe way from here on out HD rod and valvetrain setup. im glad youve had good luck,, i talked to Hotcams rep and he said it has happend before just not enough times for hotcams to require a setup on valves..

[400exredrider]

do some research on doug nicholas and nicholas cycle in essex iowa,,, youll see what im talkin about

[UglyMotha™]

Originally posted by 400exredrider
haha nicholas cycle didnt build my motor,, i did it my self,,



guess you should have taken it too doug then :o

[400exredrider]

guess so..

[wile76]

If you want info on EX mods what you can and cannot do with stock valve train call Colby @ C&D he is not full of CHIT and he can help you. I run a stage 3 stock (for the most part) valve train MX for the last 2 years and not trouble @ all. :rolleyes: just am FYI

[UglyMotha™]

Originally posted by wile76
I run a stage 3 stock (for the most part) valve train MX for the last 2 years and not trouble @ all. :rolleyes: just am FYI




really............................. no crap, I guess your one of the lucky ones too, just hangin on, i'm sure a valve could go at any time specially after two years, I guess were all lucky that we were able to make it past a full hour without droping a valve :rolleyes:

[400exredrider]

dude, its over, dont worry about it, it already happend, you dont need to come back here and keep trying to flame out.. i like hotcams, im just sayin in goin the safe way this time. i dont know if your trying to take up posts or what but you comin back to keep tellin your point is getting pointless.:rolleyes:

[DEAL]

My stage 2 seems to work good too .. but .. I also didn't build my motor myself..

[crazyatvn]

I think heavy duty valve springs are hard on valves and the seats on the head. It just make your valves slap down faster and harder. My opinion is run stock valve spring unless your cam requires it. Now that is my opinion so don't start yelling at me!!:D