Mikesxs Cam good? Bad?

I have a chance to buy a new in box Mikesxs cam. And I would like some feedback from you folks that have ran one. If it's not gonna be beneficial, I would rather spend my money elsewhere. Thanks for your time.

I used the XS Performance camshaft in my current engine and will be replacing it with my old Shell #1. I don't recommend the XS Performance cam for several reasons.
1. Valve springs supplied are weaker than they should be.
2. The sprocket can be mounted on its slots for adjustability, but that's not a good
idea. Standard attachment for an adjustable sprocket is three-point mounting with
7 mm. bolts. The XS Performance unit uses two 7 mm. bolts. It can be trusted
if mounted on the holes, but it's questionable otherwise. That means you have to
degree the cam by tweaking deck height if you want to be safe (and there is not,
never was, and never will be any such thing as a "drop in" performance camshaft).
3. The bolts mount in heavy bosses positioned 180* apart. It's one thing to have a bit
of radial imbalance close to the centerline, but the situation worsens the farther
from center the imbalance is placed. Unless you're very, very lucky, the camshaft will
will cause seriously harsh vibration.

I thought hugh had probs with one too....said it would rev past 4500 at all.

Re. performance, the one in my motor does fine; due to HD rods and welded crank the motor will take more rpm than stock, and it pulls very nicely up to 8500 (and would wind tighter, but power wise there's no percentage in going higher than that). The lobes could have been machined more accurately, but I've seen worse.

Thanks for the replies. I think I'm gonna spend my money on a Shell#1. I'm not all that thrilled about the 2-bolt timing gear, just doesn't seem all that trustworthy.

I had a terrible time getting a MikesXS cam to run properly in one of my engines last year. I finally pulled it out, put in a stocker and the engine ran great after that... Some serious vibes above 4500 (non-rephased) with the Mikes cam, and I couldn't ever seem to find the sweet spot for a tune...

I really wanted to make it work, but it just wasn't happening for me. Others have had some luck with it as a "Drop-In" cam, but I did not like the idea that you couldn't degree it in easily....

Aw come on, Hugh, dialing in that POS is a piece of cake--it's getting things to stay where you put 'em that's the challenge! When I unpacked mine and had a good look at it, I had one of those "What was I thinking?!" moments. I'd failed to act according to one of my own maxims: "You usually get what you pay for, but if the price is low enough you're likely to get less."

Mikesxs hasn't got their cam listed at the moment, Hoos racings shell cam is so cheap it's not worth looking at the Mikesxs cam

I'd steer away from those high lift cams as the power band is placed well above practical street usage,generally 4000 to 4500 RPMs. Shell #1(Central street fighter)(Megacycle Shell version),Web 59A, and 256 are all great cam choices for street use and if you want more power get the head ported.

Thanks for all the info guys. I decided to pass on the so-called good deal. I do however have a Hoos Racing Shell #1 cam coming for this build.

Yeah, after having a $137 Web Camshafts 59a grind just done on a $12 cam I snagged on eBay, I'm not sure what the appeal of a MikesXS cam is.