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Cam kit

R

ramses

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I have a bad lifter in my 73's 350 motor so im going to put a cam kit in it while im at it, but I dont know much about which to buy. Ive been looking at the ones in LMC and I dont know what all these numbers mean. Such as "Degree Duration", and "Gross valve lift int/exh". I can guess what they mean pretty much but I dont know if I want higher numbers of what or lower. I dont want a really big cam, nothing that will hurt gas mileage much at all, but I want a mild one. Also it says what the cruise rpm's are for each, what does that mean? Finally, what are the numbers for these things for the stock cam to compare these to?
 
COMP CAMS !!!! Call them up, and tell them what you got and what you want, and let them recomend a cam and lifter kit.
 
Cruise RPM is where you're cruising down the highway. If you're geared for 1800 RPM @ 65 don't buy a cam that has a cruise RPM of 3000-3200. Pretty easy there.

Forget stock cam specs. It's so small it's pathetic.

IMO it's hard to beat the smallest Xtreme4x4 cam (250 grind). 204/216 or so at .050", .432/.453 lift, 111* LSA. The Xtreme energy has a real good smaller one, and if ya want a little more pep, the 262 grind probably isn't too big, but I wouldn't go any bigger than that.

I'd say 220* @ .050" max, 215* or under probably a better bet. Go with a dual pattern that has more duration on the exhaust side, they've been shown to make better power with rather restrictive street type exhaust systems and stock cylinder heads.

If there's any question, always go SMALLER, not bigger.

Replace your timing chain while you're in there, consider dropping the oil pan and changing to a 1 piece fel-pro oil pan gasket as well. Use a good quality timing set.

Keep in mind to do this with the engine in the rig, the radiator needs to come out as well as the AC condensor and you might have to smack your radiator support with a hammer to get it out (I did).

Don't nick your cam bearings, be careful, take your time, follow the instructions with the cam on adjusting your valves, and post up here if you need any help.

I've installed a cam or five. It's worth it, but it's very time consuming, I'll tell ya that right now. If ya got the coin and your bottom end is in good shape, consider swapping to a set of good cylinder heads and some steel shim head gaskets while you're at it.

Oh and let me know what cam you're looking at before you buy, I'll try to make you a better deal. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
To be honest I dont need anymore performance out of my engine for my truck. Im adding headers and a cam kit and a K and N then im done with that, it does great for what I need. I just need a new lifter really, but I want to put in a mild cam while I have it apart. I dont want much if any loss in gas mileage most importantly, this is my daily driver here. My truck only has 51,000 original miles on everything and those were put on by my grandpa so a teardown on anyhting unecessary is out of the question to me its in great shape. Right now if I want to keep up with interstate trafficve I have to run it at almost 2500 rpm which is a little higher than I like and it sucks a lot of gas too. Could a cam help me much with that problem? If not I dont care but that would be great. I need a cam kit around $200 max that will give me decent performance when driving around town and maybe help with the interstate that will hurt my gas mileage the least amount possible. Most importantly is gas mileage I cant drive it everyday if it get much worse than my 8-10mpg. So can ya help me out with my choice any better now?
 
Another nod to the Comp 4x4 grind in the 204-206 duration @.050"
Good cam for a basic stock plant.
I was cruisin at 3K 70mph(speed limit) with an SM465 manual gearbox and was more than happy with that.
2500-3000 RPM is an optimum cruise range for a SBC with a 1.1:1 final drive.
That cam with a stock plant will be makin the most use of the powerband in that range.
And still have enough down low to move it. Nothing spectacular but it won't be a pooch either.
 
[ QUOTE ]
COMP CAMS !!!! Call them up, and tell them what you got and what you want, and let them recomend a cam and lifter kit.

[/ QUOTE ]
'nuff said. Just call them.
 
The Crane Cam Energizer kit in LMC has a 204/204 duration at .050 and a cruise rpm of 1600-2200. Is that going to give me much performance over stock or hurt my gas mileage much? And is $220 a high price for this kit?
 
I seem to recall Summit having much better prices.
Even a regular ol Ebrock performer cam kit is only $100 or so.
And in the spec range that ya are lookin at.
I believe Comps simelar grind is in the same price range.
 
That Crane Energizer cam is a good cam for what you want. $220 is way too much to pay for it. You can get a Crane energizer cam and lifters from Summit for 120.00

The Comp Cams 4x4 extreme that everyone else recomends is also an excelent choice. Summit sells them for around $170 for the cam/lifter kit you need.\

Go here and read:Camshaft FAQ and Info it will tell you all bout what all those cam numbers mean
 
[ QUOTE ]
The Crane Cam Energizer kit in LMC has a 204/204 duration at .050 and a cruise rpm of 1600-2200. Is that going to give me much performance over stock or hurt my gas mileage much? And is $220 a high price for this kit?

[/ QUOTE ] I am not a fan of Crane Cams. A few years back a friend bought one of there reproduction 300 horse cams for a 327. Anyways one of the lobes was off by so many degrees. Cause a valve too punch a hole in a piston. Crane admitted their misstake, offered too replace the cam, but refused too pay for the damage thier f_ck up caused. My friend wasn't even asking for labor, just wanted the damaged parts replaced, he'd do all the work himself. Crane still refuced too pay. Ever sence that, I lost all respect for Crane Cams.
 
[ QUOTE ]
My friend wasn't even asking for labor, just wanted the damaged parts replaced, he'd do all the work himself. Crane still refuced too pay. Ever sence that, I lost all respect for Crane Cams.

[/ QUOTE ]

The cam is all they should pay for.I dont know of any camshaft maker that will pay for damage caused to an engine by that. If the cam was properly degreed and checked for piston to valve clearance when installed. The bad cam would have been discovered before final assembly and start up.(instead of after) The cam may have been ground bad. But the blown engine is not Cranes fault.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
My friend wasn't even asking for labor, just wanted the damaged parts replaced, he'd do all the work himself. Crane still refuced too pay. Ever sence that, I lost all respect for Crane Cams.

[/ QUOTE ]

The cam is all they should pay for.I dont know of any camshaft maker that will pay for damage caused to an engine by that. If the cam was properly degreed and checked for piston to valve clearance when installed. The bad cam would have been discovered before final assembly and start up.(instead of after) The cam may have been ground bad. But the blown engine is not Cranes fault.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto. Piston to valve clearance is just as imporant as oil clearances or piston to wall. Failure to check it is the person assembling the engine's responsiblity, not the cam manufacturer.
 
Ok im gonna buy a crane cam from Jegs, their prices are pretty good. Im not sure which one to buy yet though. There are 2 types ive narrowed it down to. One says its specifically for trucks and the other is the energizer kit. I want the one that best suits my need. The main thing I care about is gas mileage. I dont want much if any loss of my 8mpg lol my truck is a daily driver. I would like to keep the low end power it has now as much as possible bu maybe get a kit that will help it on the interstate a bit. The truck cams have higher numbers for the exhaust valves and the energizer kits have the same numbers for both. Which would be better for me? What performance gains are available with cams that give more exhaust flow? Which will hurt my mileahe more? More exhaust flow helps mileage doesnt it? The Truck cam kit numbers are: adv. duration-260/272, Gross lift: 427/454, and rpm range: idle-4500.
The energizer kit numbers are: duration: 260, gross lift: 427, and rpm range: 1200-4200. Are these kits going to be much different from stock? Sorry this is so long, could someone please help me decide on this? /forums/images/graemlins/1zhelp.gif /forums/images/graemlins/truck.gif
 
Agree with the truck cam too. As for gas milage. It may improve. Thats a good torque cam. I really dont think a cam like that will hurt gas milage
 
[ QUOTE ]

IMO it's hard to beat the smallest Xtreme4x4 cam (250 grind). 204/216 or so at .050", .432/.453 lift, 111* LSA. The Xtreme energy has a real good smaller one, and if ya want a little more pep, the 262 grind probably isn't too big, but I wouldn't go any bigger than that.

I'd say 220* @ .050" max, 215* or under probably a better bet. Go with a dual pattern that has more duration on the exhaust side, they've been shown to make better power with rather restrictive street type exhaust systems and stock cylinder heads.


...consider dropping the oil pan and changing to a 1 piece fel-pro oil pan gasket as well.


[/ QUOTE ]

I called Comp Cams and they recommended the XE256H (p/n 12-234-2) for my 86 Suburban with a stock crate 350, 700R4, Q-Jet, 33" tires and 4:10 gears. I'm after torque, so in your opinion would this be a good cam for a stock motor? Or would you recommend something different?

Also, do you have the Felpro part number for the 1 piece oil pan gasket?

Thanks /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

Dave
 
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