buy a cam now or later??

[400man]

Im planning on building up my 400ex just a little bit this summer, planning on just going to a 86mm 11:1 piston (either wiseco or JE, not decided yet...) and use a stage 2 hotcam. current mods are big gun full exhaust, srp +4 timing key, and amr coil. the bike is setup for woods racing (average skill level, placed toward the mid/front of the pack in gncc's/harescrambles on my old 250r).

suspension is pretty much done on my bike, just need to get the power up to par with the rest of the group. I get eat up bad in the fast field and light woods sections of the races, and im looking for more power in the mid and topend rpms. ive done lots of reading on here and decided the setup I have in mind should suit me well. motor is bone stock right now, 2000 model with ring/valve seal job couple months ago.

but enough talk.......my question is should I buy my stage 2 cam a little while before I do the piston upgrade, or just do em together? my main concern is doing the break-in......not 100% sure, but I know your suppose to break in the cam by holding it at a steady, moderate rpm for a few minutes, where as with a new piston/bore you are supose to vary the rpms alot. seems like there might be a little issue when breaking in a new cam and a new piston/rings together.........or am I just overly thinking this :confused:

[bens250ex]

I bought my cam a good while after I did my big bore. Cam made a hell of a power difference

[MidnightBlade]

id do all the work at once so you only have to open up the motor once. as far as the break in......you WAAAYYYYYY over thought. my friend got a wiseco 440 stage 3 hot cam and some other goodies and broke it in like you do off the show room floor. vary the rpms for a few minutes then hold it steady for a few. and if you dont want to do that you should put in a stage 3 cam after you break in the piston

[honda400ex2003]

I would buy one now, then you have it for later lol. it may do you some good now, then you can enjoy it until you do the rest of the upgrades. just my .02 though, steve

[MidnightBlade]

omly problem with getting it now is they recommend them on big bore engines. so idk what a stage 2 would do to stock valves and spings. oh and also you cant run the timing advance key with a big bore it will shear off the first time you start it.

[da 400ex]

HE WOULD BE FINE.. I HAVE THE SAME BORE SIZE PISTON A WISECO 86MM 11:1 PISTON WITH A STAGE 3 CAM SET UP.. IT WILL FUN FINE JUST KEEP IT COOL.. I HAVE A SPAL FAN INSTALLED, OVER SIZED OIL TANK AND SHROUDS... HOPES THIS HELPS!

[da 400ex]

RUN FINE OOPS.. TYPIN LIKE A 2 YEAR OLD TODAY :)

[honda400ex2003]

Stock springs and valves will be fine with a stage 2 or a 3 for that matter. all of the 400 cams are direct drop in. Keys are fine depending on the compression. It causes predetonation with higher comp unless you run 110 octane or something. steve

[JOHNDOE83]

Really, there is no breakin period for a cam, if you left it idle for a few minutes it would be broke in.

All hot cams work with stock springs and valves, but it is a good idea to get better valves and springs with a valve job to match everything up.

I went from a stock cam to a stage 2 after the big bore, there was a good power and speed gain from the stage 2, now I want a stage 3.

[honda400ex2003]

Originally posted by JOHNDOE83
Really, there is no breakin period for a cam, if you left it idle for a few minutes it would be broke in.

All hot cams work with stock springs and valves, but it is a good idea to get better valves and springs with a valve job to match everything up.

I went from a stock cam to a stage 2 after the big bore, there was a good power and speed gain from the stage 2, now I want a stage 3.

LOL 35 minutes late from the Jedi Master lol. When did you put that under your name John? That put a smile on my face. steve

[JOHNDOE83]

Originally posted by honda400ex2003
LOL 35 minutes late from the Jedi Master lol. When did you put that under your name John? That put a smile on my face. steve

LOL....only like a week ago.

[400man]

thanks for all the replies. so I should be just fine with installing the cam by itself or later with the new piston. and more than likely, when I got the topend torn down, im gonna pull the flywheel and have it lightend and go back to the stock timing key. they guy that I send my cylinders to can also lighten flywheels, so it will be done together.