Quote:
Originally Posted by wstar
Mostly VVEL is a fuel-efficiency hack, IMHO. The problem with a solid cam is you can either profile it for good torque, or profile it for good MPG, but it's kinda hard to get both. VVEL lets them meet the MPG standards that the feds and/or consumers want and still deliver power when you get on the throttle.
The VQ37 is pretty decent on torque given it's a 3.7L V6, but it likes to be in the upper rev range. I know most people in normal conversation talk about "torque" as being the low-RPM stuff and HP as the high-RPM stuff, but HP is just Torque*RPM. You can't have good power output in general without first having decent torque somewhere in the rev range  . |
VVEL does help a bit with MPG in some situations... But it is first and foremost a way for them to have huge lift and duration (for a stock motor) at high RPM and reasonable, smooth-idling, smooth throttle response performance at low RPM.
If you cammed our engines with cams having the profile of VVEL at maximum Lift and Duration, it would be pretty lumpy and soft on the bottom end. Not at all nice for driving around town, or with an automatic transmission.
Just look at the dynos we all have from these cars, torque curves that flat didn't exist before technologies like this.* We're living in the (albeit a little boring to drive) future, man!
*Other than N/A rotary power.