Understanding Camshafts Camshaft Basics From the February, 2009 issue of Chevy High Performance By Bob Mehlhoff It's Greek jargon, or street parlance to the rest of the world, but it often defines us. Whether we're talking about axle ratios, compression, carburetor size, timing, or e.t.'s, our hot-rod language sets us apart. And perhaps nothing else is discussed as emotionally as camshafts. Lift, duration, lobe center, overlap, and much more confer just how the camshaft will or will not alter an (often theoretical) engine's performance personality. Camshaft In scientific terms, it's all about the area under the curve. Just like that calculus class you wished you didn't have to take (or avoided altogether), the camshaft in your engine is largely based on the same mathematical rules. To allow more airflow into your engine, a camshaft is designed with a profile (or curve) that provides a specific amount lift to the valve. So in this issue, we're goi...