I pulled my oil filter to check if the cams were hollow (no holes, so no?)

However, when my car is at idle it idles at about negative 18-20 on the boost gauge.

I might just end up pulling my valve cover off when it cools down. They also sometimes sound like aftermarket cams (they don't always make that aftermarket sound, the one where the exhaust sounds like it's spitting, but they sometimes do). Along with the sound, the idle doesn't always stay the same, It will jump around a couple hundred RPM's.

Any advice or input would be extremely helpful. I already checked google and the search function and there are a few things that I've heard on what is aftermarket/stock. So I thought I'd just make this thread to have more recent input on the situation.

Thanks,
Sy

 

Pull the valve cover. Hard to check cams at Oil filter. :}

 

Yup take off valve cover and check, idk if trolling about the oil filter part though lol

 

Haha, Pull the valve cover and see what markings you find. Usually will be able to determine what you have

 

with that much vacuum, likely not. Look anyway--not thru the oil filter.

 

pull the valve cover, take pictures, look for numbers or any kind of markings on the cam.

 

Mine idles with a vacuum of 19-20 and I'm on stock cams I wasn't aware cams effected the vacuum idle

 

I hope by oil filter you meant the oil fill, but even with that it's impossible to tell. Like everyone else said, pull the valve cover and look for markings.

 

Yes aggressive cams will decrease vacuum. I have gsc s2's and idle around 11 inHg

 

With a vacuum that high it's pretty safe to assume your on stock cams. Also, I give you props for being able to see your cams through the oil filter location.

 

It's possible to have that vacuum he is seeing with aftermarket cams. The hks line is mild. I had some 280s that were -18in/Hg to -20in/Hg. Also if the car idles 1100-1200 rpm it's going draw more vacuum then an idle at 900-1000 rpm.

 

Its an mivec car so cam timing is the reason why you get lop. I have tuned cars with the small kelfords and GSC and they idle like stock pulling 18 inches easy. Even putting 25* into the idle area for overlap they just barely get some lop to it.

 

Ok cool, I'll end up taking the valve cover off and taking pictures. I was just reading somewhere that you can see if the cams are stock through the oil cap (didn't mean to say filter /facepalm). EIther way I'll check out under the valve cover.

Thanks for advice all

 

Ended up taking off the valve cover, and the cams are stock... I'm a little shocked because I don't know why my car is making this much power with the mods it has on pump gas. Can't wait for s2 gsc's and e85.

 

Well you have a mivec head so that's why your power is looking nice. The VIII's benefit a lot from cams. You'll enjoy the s2's