How come no body uses the performer rpm cam? is this not a good cam,? is sound like a decent cam, and the hp and tq numbers are good. the same results could be optianed with a set of high flowing iron heads right?.
any ways just expanding my cam options...

 

If thats the cam thats a carbon-copy of the old 327/350hp cam, then look elsewhere. Its old technology thats been hugely improved upon since the 1960s.

 

Peak power may be there, but low end is poor compared to modern grinds that produce the same peak power & torque.

Talk to Crane, Comp, Lunati - anyone who grinds their own profiles. You'd do a better job if you threw a dart at one of their catalogs to chose a cam.

 

 

The guy I bought my Vortec heads off of was running the RPM cam with them on a stock 350 shortblock, RPM intake, 3000 stall, 373 gear, 650 carb, full weight 80-something Monte. It went 12.5's on motor and dipped into the low 11's on nitrous... Cant be THAT bad of a cam

 

"...3000 stall, 373 gear..." Well into the powerband, enough gear to get it moving.

Notice I said peak power and torque will be there. It would still run better with a modern grind.

 

Well the guy never said he was building a stump puller or tow vehicle. Sure, no matter what cam you use theres always something better, and I'm sure you could go faster with a newer cam, but everyone talks about the RPM cam as if its the worst thing ever when most of them have never used it or seen it in use. Mid 12's from a 3500lb car, sub-9.5:1 350, non-fancy heads, and 100% daily drivable is pretty darn good. Sometimes the old stuff works great. If I had this cam laying around and was trying to build a low budget street/strip motor I'd definately use it ...although I do agree that if you were to be buying a new cam theres others out there that might make you happier (like my XE274 - less duration, same basic motor, probably makes a little more power)

 

If you have one laying around, perhaps. From Summit: Performer RPM cam & lifters, $190; Comp XE274 or XE284 cam & lifters, $176.

I was looking at a cam upgrade possibility for the 396, and thought a Comp Magnum would be the ticket. I wrote to them and described my setup and said that's what I was considering. Their response was the XE would do the job better, even though peak power might not be as much, because the XE would pull harder earlier.

Last month at T&T I was comparing open headers at the collector vs. through the exhaust. Open produced higher 1/4 mile MPH, but through the exhaust produced better ET. Same principal - it's the "area under the curve", not the peaks that get you there in the least amount of time.

The Performer RPM isn't a "bad" cam, and unlike the originator's assumption, people do run them. It's probably not the best cam for the money, that's all.

 

you guys see the new crane came its the "Z-cam"?? i seen it in jegs and it looks decent.

 

From my personal experience that is an exact statement of fact. these cams do not compare to whats out there now. I had next to no low end grunt and could I only run it with results low geared and high stalled to get anything. I had the full edelbrock rpm package btw.