question about cams

[down4thakrown]

heard that a big cam is bad for crawling. why is this? would it be harder to keep it runnin at angles or low speeds? i got the 274 lift/duration and someone on here said that its to big for crawlin. my truck isn't goin to be just a crawler it'll be more like a trail rig thats got a "pair". would it still be capable crawler with the cam? thx for the info

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Big cams are made for top end horsepower and sacrifice low end torque. 274 degrees of duration is fairly tame (assuming we are talking about a 350), so you should be fine.

 

[Ryan B.]

That cam is advertised duration, different companies spec their camshafts advertised duration at like .005" or .006" lifter rise. So a "274 advertised duration" comp cam isn't necessarily the same as a crower, isky, or cheapy summit cam etc.
If you look at the "duration at .050" " figures that is going to be the most accurate way to compare and determine whats going on, because those figures for all cams are taken at .050" of lifter rise.

 

[r_pogo]

Cams

Google for "desktop dyno".

This is a program that accepts engine specs including cam info and generates simulated torque and horsepower curves.

When crawling look at your tach and figure the RPMS where you need more gunt. Then plug in different cams and see what the curves look like.

Cheap thrills.