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Lobe Separation Angle Formula:
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Lobe Separation Angle (LSA) is a camshaft specification that represents the angular distance between the centerlines of the intake and exhaust lobes. It's calculated as the average of the intake centerline and exhaust centerline angles.
The calculator uses the LSA formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the average angular separation between the intake and exhaust lobe centerlines, which is a critical camshaft timing parameter.
Details: LSA affects engine characteristics including torque curve, power band, idle quality, and emissions. Narrower LSA typically increases low-end torque while wider LSA improves high-RPM power.
Tips: Enter both intake centerline and exhaust centerline values in degrees. Both values must be positive numbers for accurate calculation.
Q1: What is a typical LSA range for performance cams?
A: Performance cams typically range from 106-114 degrees LSA, with narrower angles for more aggressive idle and low-end torque.
Q2: How does LSA affect engine performance?
A: Narrower LSA increases overlap, improving low-RPM torque but potentially reducing high-RPM power. Wider LSA reduces overlap for better high-RPM performance.
Q3: What's the difference between LSA and lobe center angle?
A: Lobe center angle refers to individual intake or exhaust centerlines, while LSA is the average separation between both centerlines.
Q4: Can LSA be adjusted after cam installation?
A: LSA is fixed by camshaft grind, but timing can be advanced or retarded to effectively change the operating characteristics.
Q5: How does LSA affect emissions and idle quality?
A: Wider LSA typically improves idle quality and reduces emissions by decreasing valve overlap, while narrower LSA can cause rougher idle and higher emissions.