What do cam gears do?
Cam gears replace the fixed factory gears at the end of the camshaft, which carry the upper end of the timing belt. They are used to tune the valve timing relative to the crank. To make this job easier, they are indexed with decimal degree markings and are designed to allow precise adjustment. This can be done using the stock pulley; however, it is not nearly as easy. Cam gears do not add any power themselves – they are merely a tuning tool. Because of variation in each engine, cam timing is not perfectly adjusted at the factory. Most engines can benefit from some degree of fine tuning. On the SOHC, a cam gear is used to adjust the cam timing relative to the crank position, since the intake/exhaust overlap is fixed. Advancing the cam will increase low-end power; however, it can cause the upper end to fall off dramatically. Conversely, retarding the cam will improve high-end power at the cost of low-rev grunt. Cam gears are also used to adjust the relative timing of intake and exhaust v
