106° Vs 110° Lobe Separation Angle: Real Impacts You Must Learn

Do you know what the best lobe separation angle for your car engine is? After consulting with many experts, you are still in confusion between 106° and 110°- lobe separation angles. I am pretty sure, right now, you find yourself in the middle of the rising debate of 106° vs 110° lobe separation angle.

Okay, have a sigh because you have opened the right door. Well, If I am not mistaken, you must be looking for which angle has what impact on your engine or which would be the best.

Simply put, both 106° and 110° lobe separation angles have many advantages and disadvantages. But, after comparing these two LSA based on a few mechanical aspects, such as maximum Torque, RPM, powerband, oil consumption, and many more, you will find the 106° LSA with better performance output.

That was just a glimpse of the information you were looking for. So, without wasting any moment, let’s find out the answer.

Comparison Table Between 106° Vs 110° Lobe Separation Angle

For your convenience, I am providing a comparison table to give you an overall idea about the comparison. This table will create a map in your head, and I bet it will make your understanding crystal clear.

Mechanical Factors106° LSA110° LSA
Maximum TorqueProduces Maximum TorqueFails to reach maximum torque
RPMLow RPMMassive RPM
Power BandNarrowBroader
Cylinder PressureHigherBelow Moderate
Engine KnockIncreasing Chance of engine KnockNo Engine Knocking Problem
Cranking Compression RateAbove Standard PSI levelBelow Standard PSI level
Efficient CompressionRising Compression RateDecreasing Rate
Idle VacuumReduction in Idle Vacuum RateRising Idle Vacuum Rate
EGR EffectIncreasing RateDecreasing Rate
Piston-to-Valve ClearanceLower ClearanceHigher Clearance
Oil Consumption RateLowHigh

In this segment, I am going to compare those two lobe separation angles based on a couple of mechanical factors. So, sit tight back and explore.

Maximum Torque

106° LSA: As you know, the intake and exhaust lobes’ centerline distance is known as lobe separation angle. In the 106° LSA, the engine can reach the maximum torque, making the driving more efficient and saving energy. As a result, you can enjoy a pleasing engine outcome.

110° LSA: On the contrary, at 110° LSA, the engine fails to reach the maximum torque, resulting in a decrease in torque rate. Consequently, decreased torque rate often leads to more energy consumption.

RPM (Rotation Per Minute)

106° LSA: As the 106° LSA is a tighter LSA, it fails to generate maximum power. Due to the tightness and frequent overlapping of the intake and exhaust valves, the engine can’t generate the high RPM as it is supposed to.  

110° LSA: On the other hand, 110° LSA is comparatively a wider LSA; it can generate a massive amount of RPM for the engine. So, you can enjoy a mighty acceleration power at 110° LSA.

Powerband

106° LSA: So, if I talk about the powerband at 106° LSA, the powerband is narrow. Powerband serves a massive contribution to the acceleration car. But, the narrow or broad powerband choice varies from person to person. Some prefer a narrow powerband, and some prefer the broader one. 

110° LSA: On the contrary, if you look at the powerband at 110° LSA, the powerband is comparatively broader. But remember, although a broader powerband has a couple of acceleration advantages, it also comes with a few drawbacks. 

Cylinder Pressure

106° LSA: At 106° LSA, the cylinder pressure is a bit higher. But there is a drawback of higher cylinder pressure: higher cylinder pressure may sometimes lead to piston or piston ring problems. 

110° LSA: Oppositely, the cylinder pressure is comparatively lower at 110° LSA than at 106° LSA. Lower cylinder pressure is advantageous for your engine. The piston and cylinder damage possibility is pretty low at 110° LSA. 

Engine Knock

106° LSA: There is an increasing chance of engine knock at the 106° lobe separation angle. Engine knocking generally occurs when the burning of the fuel by the engine is uneven.

110° LSA: But, contrarily, at 110° LSA, you don’t have to face the problem of engine knocking. So, this LSA is suitable for your engine and its components. The absence of engine knocking ensures that your car engine is reasonably combusting the fuel. 

Cranking Compression

106° LSA: There is a scale of standard cranking compression of the engine. But, at 106° LSA, the cranking compression may increase above the standard PSI level.

110° LSA: However, if you look at the rate of cranking compression at 110° LSA, you will find a reduced compression rate from the standard cranking compression PSI level.

Efficient Compression

106° LSA: The scale of efficient compression rises at 106° LSA. But it is a piece of good news for your engine. That means your engine can produce more power with a minimum amount of fuel combustion.

110° LSA: On the contrary, it is pretty unpleasant to inform you that the efficient compression rate decreases at 110° LSA. A lower efficient compression rate leads to a higher fuel consumption rate by your engine to produce higher power.

Idle Vacuum

106° LSA: At this LSA, the car machine has to confront the reduction of idle vacuum rate quite often. As a result of this fall, the idle of the engine has to face suffering quite often.

110° LSA: You will find the complete opposite scenario here. A good amount of idle vacuum or increased idle vacuum found at 110° LSA advances the engine’s efficiency. The Idle’s increasing vacuum improves the idle quality and the engine’s overall performance. 

EGR Effect

106° LSA: You can see an increasing EGR effect at 106° LSA. Increasing the EGR effect has a good side in that it reduces the amount of oxygen in the combustion chamber.

This process slows down the reaction rates of the air-fuel mixture, causing temperatures to drop and preventing the engine from overheating.

110° LSA: But here, quite surprisingly, you have to face the reduction of the EGR effect due to the 110° LSA. The reduced rate of the EGR effect lowers oxygen circulation in the engine’s combustion chamber.

But an interestingly shocking fact is that this event escalates the air-fuel mixture’s reaction rates, causing temperatures to rise and causing the problem of overheating the engine. 

Piston-to-Valve Clearance

106° LSA: 106°LSA results in a decrease in piston-to-valve clearance. But, you may find it quite shocking that the piston-to-valve clearance’s decreasing rate raises the chance of damaging the valve by the piston.

110° LSA: On the contrary, 110°LSA has a higher piston-to-valve clearance rate. But, you may wonder knowing that a higher valve clearance rate reduces the chance of damaging the valve by the piston.

Oil Consumption Rate

It is an important note you must keep; due to the lobe separation angle, there creates an overlapping of intake valve opening time and exhaust valve closing time and vice versa. This overlapping has a direct influence on the oil consumption rate of the engine.

106° LSA: The overlapping is higher as 106° LSA is comparatively tighter LSA than 110° LSA. Higher overlapping lets less oil fall through the oil inlet. That is why 106° LSA consumes less oil.

110° LSA: On the other hand, 110° LSA is a wider LSA with almost no overlap. As a result, a wider valve opening system with no overlapping allows more oil to fall through the oil inlet. Ultimately, it makes the 110° LSA an oil-consuming LSA.

Analysis of The Comparison

This comparison highlights that the 106° LSA is a good performer in a few mechanical aspects than the 110° LSA. Similarly, 110° LSA is also found to be a more fabulous performer in several mechanical aspects.

110° LSA: The 110° LSA shows up mechanically advantageous in mechanical aspects like higher RPM, lower engine knock, moderate cylinder pressure, improved idle vacuum, and higher piston-to-valve clearance.

These favorable mechanical features depict the powerful acceleration capacity of the engine with higher oil and energy consumption rate, overheating problems, and other mechanical problems.  

106° LSA: On the contrary, if we look at the 106° LSA, we will find it more advantageous and energy efficient than the 110° LSA engine.

Mechanical aspects like maximum torque, narrower powerband, higher cranking compression rate, efficient compression rate, effective EGR effect, and lower oil consumption rate increase the car engine’s efficiency and make it energy efficient.

Moreover, a user from the Chevelle forum said,

“LSA 110-108 Deg. = Moderate

LSA 108-106 Deg. = Moderately Tight”

Final Result

So, the 110° LSA engine is a suitable choice for people prone to be the fan of a powerful engine with mighty acceleration power.

Contrariwise, 106° LSA car engines are the best choice for people seeking energy-efficient cars with moderate engine power. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to Calculate Lobe Separation Angle while not mentioned in the engine body?

Well, it is quite a natural event that you may not find the lope separation angle mentioned at the engine body. But you always have a cam card with the engine. If you look at the cam card, you will find a maximum lift column on the card.
Now, all you have to do is, add up the two mentioned maximum angles and divide the summation by 2. Boom, you get the lobe separation angle of that engine.

Why is the Lobe Separation Angle necessary?

According to the Motortrend, LSA (Lobe Separation Angle) is a wonderful approximation of the operation of the engine because it takes into account the relative time of the intake-valve events (intake opening, intake closing) and the exhaust-valve events (exhaust opening, exhaust closing) concerning each other.
Above mentioned sequential activities allow LSA to be an accurate representation of the operation of the engine.

What is the average range of lobe separation angle in a car engine?

Usually, this separation angle ranges from 95-degree to 120-degree. But, you may find a lobe wider than a 120-degree angle in any car engine.
But, I must let you know that those are customized car engines prepared for any special purpose, such as racing, drag racing, off-road riding, or performing stunts.

Is more lobe separation angle better?

The lobe separation angle in a natural car engine conveys a considerable impact, especially regarding the maximum torque. At a lower LSA, the engine reaches the peak of the torque earlier than the standard time but generates a lower RPM.
On the contrary, at a higher LSA, the engine reaches the peak torque at a higher resistance level and generates a bulk number of RPM.

How does cam overlap affect engine performance?

Camshafts with a substantial overlapping tendency should not be used in vehicles driven on public streets. The engine will have weak performance in the low-end range.
A low vacuum can also cause the brake pedal to be quite difficult to press. Exhaust reversion is another undesirable side effect that can be caused by overlap.

Final Insight

That was all, and we have already reached the concluding point. I believe you have got the idea of what you were seeking. After swimming through the entire article, I hope you are now well aware of the 102 vs 110 lobe separation angle.

So, choose the perfect lobe separation angle for your engine, complying with the requirements of your needs.

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