Hotcams,durability

[2muchquad]

I wanna know how much time people have put on there hotcams?I have heard they are junk but im going to gambe and get one for the money.I just want a drop in and dont feel like getting hardened rockers etc.,so a hotcam should suit me just fine.Any stories of them wearing down lobes prematurely or anything?Some say they are junk but for $100,i would like to get a couple seasons out of it.

[sideways]

ive had a hotcam stage 1 in my 400 for about 3 years now. i ride every weekend, and put about 20-30 hours a month on my quad. the cam is still in great shape, no problems swhatsoever

[hornetgod13]

The person that told you that HotCams were junk was shooting off at the mouth and most likely had no basis to make that statement. I'm willing to bet most everything else he or she has told you is just as useless.

Buy Hotcams. They make some of the best camshafts in the business.

[Honda#4]

Buy Hotcams. They make some of the best camshafts in the business

AGREED!!

[2muchquad]

Yeah i usually take everything with a grain of salt because everybody has had a bad experience with something.I just want to know some of the reliability of them thats all.I usually do my homework to know enough about something and make my own decisions as far as buying goes and not let opinions influence me too much;)

[hornetgod13]

I'm the same way. I do a lot of research before I spend my money. I want to make sure I'm making a smart purchase.

[Ruby Soho]

hotcams are great cams. ive had mine for over a year and its doing great

[drew416ex]

I have had a stage 2 in mine for 5 years with no problems

[Wheelie]

I've been running the stg 3 for 2 years now without any problems.

[Ryan'07400ex]

What is the difference between stage 1 ,2, and 3?
it seems every website says something different

[Honda#4]

What is the difference between stage 1 ,2, and 3?

Stg 1- for stock to mild built motors (Ex. stock-416)

Stg 2- mild to moderate built motors (Ex. 416-426)

Stg 3- for built motors only (Ex 440-500 and up)

Thats my opinion from info on here.

[honda400ex2003]

Agreed with everyone!!!^^^^ steve

[hypersnyper6947]

I have something to add to the reliability issue, the only way i would put one in is if i change the valves springs and rockers. My rockers were almost brand new when i put the cam in, by the time the motor blew the rockers were very worn and one of them had broken, which could have contributed to the motor blowing, since it dropped 2 valves and destroyed everything. I also set the lash to spec and checked it twice after riding to make sure they were still in spec. So i know many of you have had good experiences with Hot Cams but my experience was very bad. I would not use one again.

[dirtdigger71]

get a hotcam, if somthing comes apart it was probably gonna happen anyhow.I put a stage 1 in my 426 rebuild 4 years ago still running stock head with no problems and I have raced it many times and run the dog out of it since 2000 when I bought it.

[sc400ex_rider]

i got a stg 2 and its held up fine. after break in i went back to the factory spec for valve lash and its pretty quite. it has just a slight tick above the exhaust and i have a very quite exhaust. they had a bad batch back in 02 but they changed suppliers or something.

[Ryan'07400ex]

Originally posted by sc400ex_rider
i got a stg 2 and its held up fine. .

So you haven't bored to a 416 or over and have a Stage 2? Someone said you should have stage 1 if lower than 416. so jw if i could do the same.

I always thought
Stage 1- low-mid
Stage 2- mid-top
Stage 3- top-stroker kit

I think people are mislead that the stage 1 hotcam doesnt have a topend increase, it has an all around increase over stock.

[Ryan'07400ex]

Originally posted by FlewByU352
I think people are mislead that the stage 1 hotcam doesnt have a topend increase, it has an all around increase over stock.

Okay thanks
I may get it then if my mom says it okay hehe. I'm only 15 and she doesn't want me going any faster.
One other question: will this mess sumthing up faster than the stock cam would? idk wat just anything in general?

[sc400ex_rider]

Originally posted by Ryan'07400ex
So you haven't bored to a 416 or over and have a Stage 2? Someone said you should have stage 1 if lower than 416. so jw if i could do the same.

I always thought
Stage 1- low-mid
Stage 2- mid-top
Stage 3- top-stroker kit

you dont haft to do anything, i wanted more top and i stuck with the stock bore piston cause its lighter and i wanted a quick reving engine. i also lightened my flywheel and am very happy with the results. there is someone on here with a stg 3 cam on a stock motor and he loves it. if you want more bottom torque go stg 1 if you want more bottom midand top go stg 2. if you want all top go stg 3

[brokenmike]

I have had my old stage 2 hot cam in my 440ex for 6 years with stock valve springs and rockers and never a minutes trouble. No complaints here....

[killer400ex]

i bought my quad 3 years ago, it had a 11:1 comp 406 wiseco and a stage 1 hotcam, it also had the full hmf exhaust, but i never had a problem with it, i loved how it would gallop since i had the idle set very low just because the way it sounds, my buddie has the same set up accept without the stage 1 and the only difference is that it starts easier cause the decompression mec. but mine starts as soon as i press the button, only cold does it have to turn over twice before it snapps to life, but i recently did my rebuild and put the stage two in along with a 426 wiseco piston that is also 11:1, but when i did the rebuild i checked every part in the engine and the rockers were fine, and so were the lobes, i think that kid who had his hardned rockers fail didnt follow the break in procedure properly, it sais to keep the engine above 3000 rpm for at least a half hour the second you start it and not to let it idle, this is because the surfaces on the lobes have not been smoothed down or "broken in" properly. and keeping it above 3000 rpm will help this process along quickly, if it idles during break in when the lobes arent "broken in" it creates ALOT of friction which causes heat failure, and if the rockers were brand new and hardned then it was a ticking time bomb imo. the two new surfaces caused double the friction and heat failure occurred, ive seen this plenty of times and it is always a sad day when it happens

[F-16Guy]

The only problems I have ever heard about with HotCams was with their old cams that had a splined end for use of the stock cam gear flange (on the 400ex). Once they started manufacturing them with a new flange permanently installed, I've heard nothing but good. I actually have one of the old style cams, but I haven't had any problems (knock on wood). I'd say a must have, and the best bang-for-the-buck once you have a slip-on and a filter. Add a piston with it, and you'll really see a difference.

Originally posted by F-16Guy
The only problems I have ever heard about with HotCams was with their old cams that had a splined end for use of the stock cam gear flange (on the 400ex).

My bro had one and it ended in disaster not to mention it was a pain to put the other gear on.

[F-16Guy]

Yeah, it was a crap shoot with that first batch of cams. I checked mine the last time I had it apart and it was still tight, so I must have gotten a good one.