Colt stage 3 in my ALH

As it says I installed this Colt stage 3 cam in my already modded ALH. It needed the lifter bores to be relieved some, but otherwise it's a drop in with new lifters. The timing was set using the timing tools just as an OEM cam would be.
"Results may vary" - here are mine as a "seat of the pants" reaction. About 2 MPG less than stock cam with a very slight power loss on the bottom and a slight gain in the middle and top. 1/4 mile speed, after many runs before and after install is the same. Is there a better cam timing spec than stock?
Anyone got one of these and how's yours work?? Gotto be somebody with one.

I have stage 2 colt, less lift, but similar gains.

If you want to shift the power down, you can advance it a little. I run the slightest advance on my cam (1.5 teeth on the flywheel).

I actually am curious to try it at zero or 1 or 2 teeth retarded, to make the top end even better, but currently don't have the tools!

Interesting. I've got a stage 2, but was told by the seller that retarding the cam up to 2-3 degrees would give better mpg's and advancing it would make it 'more responsive'.

I interpreted that to mean that retarding it would boost low-end torque, and advancing it would help the upper RPM range. You're saying the opposite. I'm still dialing in my tune and breaking in the engine, haven't had a chance to play with cam timing yet.

Any other experiences out there?

From what I've been told, retarding helps higher rpm... the valves are open closer to TDC, later into the stroke... helps high end flow.

Advance increases pressure low and mid range, because the valves open early, close early....

Colt cam

My real thoughts are that the cam upgrade is it not worth the money and time. I am thinking of putting the stock cam back in to regain my mileage, because I have been trying to convince myself the stage 3 is a power upgrade at all. Now I said it.

A stage 3 cam without some serious head work is a waste of $$$.. The ALH head just doesn't flow well enough in stock form to take advantage of it.

I see significantly better power and lower EGTs for same fueling over 4000 RPM with my ported head and Dbilas 260 cam. This cam is less aggressive than the Colt Stage 3. But in normal driving I see little, if any difference. Now that I have a before and after I think neither head porting nor a more aggressive cam offer much benefit on a daily driver. On the track, however, it makes a significant difference.

Why no difference on daily driver, but for track? Because of 4,000rpm+ advantages?

How often are you running between 4000 and redline (5500 in my car) at WOT on the street? In my car I'd either be spinning the front wheels (lower gears) or exceeding the speed limit big time.

Colt 3 cam

With the advice above I tried advancing the cam 2 teeth showing in the window ahead of TDC, i.e. I set the cam with the flat plate tool, loosened the cam sprocket and advanced the crank 2 teeth in the window hole. What a difference - it lost power everywhere!! I wondered if I screwed up something else in the process, so back the crank went to TDC and the power returned. I had thought 43 MPG in normal driving was a bit lower than before, but some of that might be winter fuel. What a waste, but I had to try advancing the cam.

Advancing the crank (toward the front of the car) while holding the cam in position is retarding the cam which will tend to loose lower RPM power and "may" increase higher RPM power. Go the other way so that the cam is leading the crank instead of lagging it.

Be careful with advancing / retarding too much unless you know exactly what your valve protrusion and piston clearance is. 2 teeth on stock geometry with a stage 3 cam is getting "cozy" between valves and pistons.

I've installed tons of colt stage 2's with positive results. Even dyno'ing back to back, picked up 10hp and 14lb/ft. Never had a single negative review.

LNXGUY said:

A stage 3 cam without some serious head work is a waste of $$$.. The ALH head just doesn't flow well enough in stock form to take advantage of it.

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Your sig says a ported head, who did the work? If it was just a clean up, then you're not taking advantage of the cam at all hence no gains as airflow is choked in the ports.

so what do you have for the springs, retainers, valves and lifters in the head? i thought this cam would coil bind with the stock parts in there.

Funny been lurking a lot.... iirc during my build I found negative results with a stage two colt. My responses weren't so friendly. And now this has surfaced again. You better be running a LOT of air and over fueling of you expect to see gains.

What negatives???
Me dumb, me like data, lol.

Keebler145 said:

Funny been lurking a lot.... iirc during my build I found negative results with a stage two colt. My responses weren't so friendly. And now this has surfaced again. You better be running a LOT of air and over fueling of you expect to see gains.

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Your whole tdi modding experience was a negative. Can't blame it on the Colt cam.

Cute Charlie. I guess I'm not too surprised by your comment. Never expected much from you though *rolls eyes* I only provided my thoughts and experience of the cam. Thanks for your two cents though

I find colt 3's lose mileage but gain power. Colt 2's seem neutral in terms of mileage and gain power, though the power from 3k til redline is stronger with a 3. Mind you...this is a heavily modded car. I wouldnt put a 3 in a stock engine unless it was running too much fuel and a lot of turbo.