i plan on swaping one of these into my fbody.due to their availibility and their respectable performance. numbers. which cam should i run to free up an few extra ponies? anyone run one of these with a carb?

 

Yes, a lot of people have.

Performer or Performer RPM intake manifold. The cam should have less than .480" lift, and you should assume new valve springs should be installed. Something like a Comp XR26x-ish would be a significant improvement over the stock cam (I'd suggest keeping it roller).

A complete exhaust replacement should go along with it if you want it to perform its best.

 

Except on cam. Comp cams has a proven, off the shelf cam, that's not the latest tech, but specs at 210/220-112 480/480. It'll work with carb and with EFI. The specs are similar to GM's own ZZ4 cam. You'll find it easier to stick with stock rocker arms.

 

My L31 is carbed with a comp 282 hr cam. They have all the info on springs and everything. It gets 15 inches at idle, mid 12's in the quarter, and I even drove it for a while with the stock converter...... even idled whith the a/c.

Cam specs are 230/236 and .510/.520 if I remember right.

 

Stock cam is 192/197 .412/.428 on a 111ēLSA.

Comp Cams 26915 or 26918 Beehives with 787-16 retainers will allow .525" lift. Crane also has a drop in spring that helps with the retainer/seal clearance.

You can also ghetto grind the stock retainers 0.030" I have been told.

Go performer RPM Vortec over the Performer Vortec, worth 25hp with similar torque.

peace
Hog

 

Only there's no point in exceeding .480" lift, as the intake ports stall. They actually flow less air at 0.500" than at 0.475", and as you close the valve from 0.500", the flow at any given lift down to 0.200 is less than if the valve wasn't opened past 0.475". if the cam is rated at 0.480", then with a true 1.5:1 rocker, the valve will never see more than 0.476" due to the initial reaction of the lifter each time it meets the opening ramp on the lobe.