PURPOSE: To provide an improved camshaft for an internal combustion engine, significantly decreasing the magnitude of a net torque pulse during normal operation.

CONSTITUTION: A torque compensated camshaft 24 for operating a valve of each of a plurality of valves of an internal combustion engine has an elongate shaftlike portion and an engine valve operating cam 20 for each of the valves, the valve operating cams 20 being spaced apart from one another along the shaftlike portion. The torque compensated camshaft 24 also has a compensating cam 22. The engine valve operating cams have respective outwardly projecting portions, which are offset from one another about the longitudinal central axis of the camshaft. The camshaft supports the compensating cam surface as an inwardly facing surface of another compensating cam or an inwardly facing surface of a portion of a drive sprocket which is keyed to the shaftlike portion.