Adjustable Cam Gears Tuning

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03.5 MSP
I have a 2003 mazda mazdaspeed protg with full bolt-ons but stock internals. Does anybody know what the limits of the engine are when it comes to tuning with adjustable cam gears? For example, how much to retard or to advance both the intake and exhaust cam gear without causing any internal damage? Thank you.
 
Every car is different, you will have to monitor the ECU for detonation and knock while the car is on a dyno to find the safe limits of the timing curve.
 
If you have the factory cams there is not much room for adjustment, as they only provide approximately 4deg of overlap, adding more overlap will provide better high end power in theory, as long as the cams have enough duration. If your cylinder head has not been machined, or has only been machined lightly once to ensure a perfect surface for a re-build you will not have any problems. As the FS-DE is a non-interference motor it is possible to adjust the timing of the cam gears to whatever you'd like without an issue. Once the cylinder head is machined too many times it could create an interference situation, at this point you would need to buy a "test spring" this is a valve spring you can install and then push down with your fingers in order to measure valve to piston clearance with a dial gauge.
 
If you have the factory cams there is not much room for adjustment, as they only provide approximately 4deg of overlap, adding more overlap will provide better high end power in theory, as long as the cams have enough duration. If your cylinder head has not been machined, or has only been machined lightly once to ensure a perfect surface for a re-build you will not have any problems. As the FS-DE is a non-interference motor it is possible to adjust the timing of the cam gears to whatever you'd like without an issue. Once the cylinder head is machined too many times it could create an interference situation, at this point you would need to buy a "test spring" this is a valve spring you can install and then push down with your fingers in order to measure valve to piston clearance with a dial gauge.

Yes I have the stock cams and the engine hasn't been machined so we are good there. When you said 4 degrees did you mean that you can only advance 4 degrees and or retard 4 degrees from factory specs? Also I heard that these cars come with a lot of overlap and I am turbo. So wouldn't taking away overlap help with boost and increase power? Opposite of an naturally forced inducted car.
 
I believe that the Turbo and NA cams are the same. And by 4deg I mean that they come standard with 4deg of overlap. FSD7 intake and exhaust cams. If you google FS DE engine specs and go to the second link (FS Engine/Revisions/Cam specs) you'll find a lot more information there.

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Well just got tuned with the adjustable cam gears, went -3 on just the intake cam gear nothing else and saw gains of 15whp. Overall not a bad mod. FYI this was on stock cams.
 
Do you have a dyno sheet showing your gains. That's a good gain for a simple loosen and tighten of the intake gear.

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