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Anyone running an Edelbrock performer intake/cam? Also update on engine carnage.

Codeman96

Codeman96

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Like I said in my post the other night something let go in the top end of the motor. Well now I know what it was. #8 Exhaust just wiggles no other movement. Either the lifter broke or the cam is flat (I'm leaning towards the cam). It doesn't matter I am changing all of the lifters and the cam I didn't feel like it was making enough power anyway.

I have 1 5/8" headers and 2.5" merged into a single 3" exhaust right now. I am guessing I have a pretty severe bottle neck with my current set up. I am going to go true duals. Should I go with 2 1/4" or 2 1/2" pipe. I will be using as quiet a muffler as I can get away with because I want to hear the radio on the highway not the mufflers.

I already have a Performer intake and matching 600 carb on the burb now. Is anyone running a performer cam in a tow vehicle? I am tired of not having enough power I have to get this thing to pull stronger or its gone. I am kind of fed up working on it. :( Give me some advice guys on which way to go. Getting kind of depressed about this thing I love my Burb but i am thinking it may be time to move on.
 
I normally go with Comp Cams. One of the best in the bussiness in my honest opinion.
 
I run that satuep right now in a 85 k5. I love the performer setup. I have been running it with 2.5 and flowmaster 40's and its loud. So performance good and you might want to go with a quiet muffler.
 
Z3PR said:
I normally go with Comp Cams. One of the best in the bussiness in my honest opinion.
Click to expand...

Comp is OK too the place I buy from handles both. I am also looking at a Comp 255DEH which is what they recommend intheir catalog for towing etc. amazingly the specs are very close to the Performer.
 
2" pipe, big pipes look good but cost you torque....

Switch to a comp XE268H, you wont be disapointed.....you may have to upgrade the valve springs.
 
I don't think 2" would be big enough. There is a point when you go too small and start choking it. I think that is my problem now.

I put the XE268 into the engine analyzer and it actually made less torque across the board than the Performer and no more than 10 more horsepower. When I say engine analyzer I mean I have the professional version and my heads are listed and that is usally where the desktop dynos are off.
 
Go to enginemasters.com, check out the articles, "hardcore tech" or something like that, underneath the chev bowtie, ford oval, etc. There's an article on exhaust systems.

Vizard gets into "zero loss" exhaust setups. CFM for pipe, etc., (which is calculable by anyone anyways) but he explains it.

Probably most important for me is what kind of CFM the engine in question needed for exhaust, and true dual 2.5" was more than necessary.

Nowhere in the article is pipe diameter discussed as hurting or helping power, however everything else is, which tends to make me believe that pipe diameter is essentially meaningless, your restrictions/improvements that need looked at are your collectors, cat converter if present, and muffler.

The diameter of exhaust pipe from what he referenced, appeared to be all about exhaust noise, not performance.

If I have to replace pipe, I fully expect to run something like 2" pipes, (duals) mufflers with larger inlet/outlets, and tailpipes that are large enough to be masculine. :wink1:

True duals being that neither bank of cylidners "sees" the other banks exhaust stream. IMO that would not include systems with x or h pipes.

"Fake" duals are typically things like the 80's Monte Carlo SS or Buick GN's....Y-pipe into single exhaust pipe, single cat, splitting after the cat at some point into dual exhaust tips, to look cool.
 
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Regarding the Performer Camshaft:

It is an “old school design.” You are paying more for Edelbrock’s name on it. The cam is roughly one size larger than a stock Chevy camshaft. If you want a cheap old school cam, get one of Summit’s in house cams. Same specs, at least $50 cheaper.

The newer camps from Comp, Crane, and the newer Lunati Voodoo lines have significantly advanced camshaft technology....they open the valve faster, close it slower, etc. Basically they are getting more horsepower and torque out of a cam with similar “on paper” specs compared to the older designs. If you want the most performance, I’d spend the $200 or so on a newer design from one of the companies mentioned above.

Buying the Edelbrock Performer cam is basically paying more $$ for no real reason.........unless you like the stickers that they include in the package. :D

Roy
 
That is a common statement about Edelbrocks stuff, the camshafts are outdated when compared to comp, crane, and the other "big names".

I know when researching my camshaft, Edelbrock wasn't even in the running after my preliminary check of what was available. Crane ended up being the one because they had the only cam with the specs I wanted.

I believe most, if not all cam manufacturers offer tech support to help you make your decision, which is a really good way to go.
 
78Buford said:
Regarding the Performer Camshaft:

It is an “old school design.” You are paying more for Edelbrock’s name on it. The cam is roughly one size larger than a stock Chevy camshaft. If you want a cheap old school cam, get one of Summit’s in house cams. Same specs, at least $50 cheaper.

The newer camps from Comp, Crane, and the newer Lunati Voodoo lines have significantly advanced camshaft technology....they open the valve faster, close it slower, etc. Basically they are getting more horsepower and torque out of a cam with similar “on paper” specs compared to the older designs. If you want the most performance, I’d spend the $200 or so on a newer design from one of the companies mentioned above.

Buying the Edelbrock Performer cam is basically paying more $$ for no real reason.........unless you like the stickers that they include in the package. :D

Roy
Click to expand...

We are on the same page. The Summit cam #K1102 is a performer knock off and would be the way I go anyway. I have used their cams before and is whats in there now just curious why it failed, bad part? Anything is possible.

Brand name means nothing to me finding a good cam with gobs of torque across the board for my parts I have now.
 
dyeager535 said:
Go to enginemasters.com, check out the articles, "hardcore tech" or something like that, underneath the chev bowtie, ford oval, etc. There's an article on exhaust diameter.

Vizard gets into "zero loss" exhaust setups. CFM for pipe, etc., (which is calculable by anyone anyways) but he explains it.

Probably most important for me is what kind of CFM the engine in question needed for exhaust, and true dual 2.5" was more than necessary.

Nowhere in the article is pipe diameter discussed as hurting or helping power, however everything else is, which tends to make me believe that pipe diameter is essentially meaningless, your restrictions/improvements that need looked at are your collectors, cat converter if present, and muffler.

The diameter of exhaust pipe from what he referenced, appeared to be all about exhaust noise, not performance.

If I have to replace pipe, I fully expect to run something like 2" pipes, (duals) mufflers with larger inlet/outlets, and tailpipes that are large enough to be masculine. :wink1:

True duals being that neither bank of cylidners "sees" the other banks exhaust stream. IMO that would not include systems with x or h pipes.

"Fake" duals are typically things like the 80's Monte Carlo SS or Buick GN's....Y-pipe into single exhaust pipe, single cat, splitting after the cat at some point into dual exhaust tips, to look cool.
Click to expand...

Wow now that was something to read! I think the way I have mine merged and the muffler I am using is causing a bottleneck for my engine.
 
78Buford said:
Regarding the Performer Camshaft:

It is an “old school design.” You are paying more for Edelbrock’s name on it. The cam is roughly one size larger than a stock Chevy camshaft. If you want a cheap old school cam, get one of Summit’s in house cams. Same specs, at least $50 cheaper.

The newer camps from Comp, Crane, and the newer Lunati Voodoo lines have significantly advanced camshaft technology....they open the valve faster, close it slower, etc. Basically they are getting more horsepower and torque out of a cam with similar “on paper” specs compared to the older designs. If you want the most performance, I’d spend the $200 or so on a newer design from one of the companies mentioned above.

Buying the Edelbrock Performer cam is basically paying more $$ for no real reason.........unless you like the stickers that they include in the package. :D

Roy
Click to expand...


Well said :thumb: , and so true
 
I've always felt my exhaust was too large, but I never thought to run smaller pipes underneath the truck, which makes more sense anyways...better clearance for one thing.

Mine is actually pretty quiet exhaust-wise, which I like, but that article made me wonder how quiet it could actually be if the pipe diameter was decreased.

Of course, I think that along with the calculations on flow requirements, having access to a dyno to make *sure* you are going the right way is pretty advantageous.
 
dyeager535 said:
I've always felt my exhaust was too large, but I never thought to run smaller pipes underneath the truck, which makes more sense anyways...better clearance for one thing.
Click to expand...

I definitely wouldn't get an entire new (smaller) exhaust system and plan on having increased performance.
 
Thats why I said smaller pipes underneath. That doesn't include the muffler in/outs, or the collectors.
 
Well the summit version of a Performer cam is on its way. And I already have a set of 2.5" 3 chamber Flowmasters laying on the shelf as well. So I think I may go 2.25 in and out of the FM Mufflers I just hope they aren't too loud. Would straight out the back (don't know if I can do this with my hitch etc.) or turned out to the sides be quieter?
 
Codeman96 said:
Well the summit version of a Performer cam is on its way. And I already have a set of 2.5" 3 chamber Flowmasters laying on the shelf as well. So I think I may go 2.25 in and out of the FM Mufflers I just hope they aren't too loud. Would straight out the back (don't know if I can do this with my hitch etc.) or turned out to the sides be quieter?
Click to expand...

Rear exits will likely be quieter inside the cab......the sound is pointing away from you vs. one pipe coming out each side.
 
Well I scored a windstar fan on Ebay to go along with this little project now. Now maybe I can keep it cool at idle and the air on.
 
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