I just installed a Hotcams stage 2 in place of an XR400 cam and seem to
have lost a bit of power. It's a 440, 11:1, cleanup porting and K&n
w/dynajet kit. I tried the 170 (dynajet, largest in kit) in place of the
165 I was running and never got it to blubber. What's the chance of this
thing just being more thirsty, or is Hotcams milder than I thought? I
can't pull the front end in 4th now where I could before.

 

i put a hotcam stage 1 in my 440...i can pull the front wheels off the ground in 5th gear!!!i have plenty of bottom...i just dont have all of the top end...

 

rev that beast out. with the stage 2, you won't have the instant torque that you had before, so wheelies might not be as easy. the hotcam is more aggressive, so your rpm's need to be up more. when they are up, you will have more power. an aftermarket rev box really helped mine out. i was hitting my stock rev limiter when the bike was still pulling good. i imagine the 170 jet is too big. i bet the 165 is too big too. just because it doesn't blubber, doesn't mean it isn't too rich. i would try something like a 155 or so and see how it runs.

 

will a stage 1 hotcam lower the top speed?

 

When I first put my Hotcam in, I thought what a dog! I ruined my bike its so slow. Then on my first desert trip, I was at the sand drags and doing pretty good against the piped Banshees. So I think I was used to the grunt of the stock cam and didn't realize how fast my bike really was.

 

Go down in jet size not up. Try around a 160.

 

What mods do you have to go with it?

 

the stage 1 might have a little less upper gear "hit." however, if you want the torque and more low to midrange power, you don't have much choice. the stage 2 just isn't suited for low end power. i prefer the power to be from mid-top. the cam iteself won't change speeds. different cams will have the power come on at different times. gearing determines the speed. you could make a stage 1 bike have more top speed than the stage 2 bikes. you just need the power to pull higher gearing. my friend with a stage 1 cam runs the same top speed as i do with my stage 2, but i put heavier front tires on that really hurt my upper gear performance. i would beat him up top too if these tires were not on. but, i do have higher gearing and a better flowing exhaust. i do beat him to top speed pretty easily from my higher compression piston though.

we need to remember dynojets are not the same as the keihin jets. so a 150 dynojet is not the same as a 150 keihin. i agree, kelly, try a smaller mainjet. your upper gear perfomance should improve.

 

OK, due to weather, I can only sit here right now instead of trying anything, so I have to ask why you guys think I may be rich? When I went to the XR cam, I was at about 155. I went to 160 then 165 and saw improvement each time. Now I went from 165 to 170 and couldn't really tell, but if anything, it wasn't worse. I'm all for trying other jets when it warms up a bit (tuned to my normal riding weather) but for winter conversation, I'm asking why you guys are suggesting leaning it for a more agressive cam.

Next, I have no prob jetting the main, plug reading and all that. But, what is a good technique for finding the needle's sweet spot, considering what a pain it is to move? I'm using the dynojet in the middle slot, never saw a need to move it, but what's a good test?

 

kelly, i have mods very similar to yours. I am running a 160 dj with a dj needle on the 4th groove down. I am running right at about 0 ft elevation and it pulls strong, i can be loping along in 5th, and with a slip of the clutch i will be on two wheels.