Hey guys I've been looking around for a decent cam to step up to soon. Been reading some books too (I recommend anything by David Vizard basically, his books are great). But anyways, here's the setup, probably to be done late spring early summer. I'm picking up a set of 081 heads for cheap and will get the refurbished and possibly try my hand at a little port work. Probably will step up to some screw in studs while I'm at it and not sure if the valves were 1.84/1.50 or 1.94/1.50 but either way I'll get them to 1.94/1.50. I'm actually hoping they're 1.84 so I can try getting the seats cut to 30* angles. Oh yeah, and they'll be machined to take some pretty good lift. So, that will be lined up good, then I have the full exhaust and Holley intake which has a pretty large plenum.

Now, down to the real question, I'm just looking for some input on cams. I know Dewey has run a couple grinds and had some luck with them so I look forward to your input. I haven't looked through a ton of cams but I kind of liked the Crane HR-276:

Duration @.05 214/222 Lift .488/.509 LCA 112

I kind of like the high lift numbers on it with 1.5 rockers too. Let's assume I can tune this in pretty well also. You guys think this would be a decent choice? Just looking for any input on the subject, feel free to post any ideas.

Jim

 

If you could tune it, then it probably would make a good combo with the right fuel injectors and pressure. Since you have the prominator you have a good tool (or so I have heard) to start with. Myself having never tuned a cam before, have read that with 112 degrees overlapp it will be a little tricky. I'm sure someone can give you some very specific answers though.

 

That should be fine. That is right about the range I would shoot for. I wouldn't worry about the 112 centerline, After tuning a few cars with cams much more radical than that, you should be OK. The overlap on a cam with only 214* of duration, will not be that bad, I myself might even be tempted to try that cam on a 110 (but then again, I am crazy).

214 is going to get that motor spinning. With the stock heads, and a 206/216 cam, mine spins right up to 6,200, with no issues. So i would expect that cam is going to want you to spin her to about 6500 to shift. to really take advantage of it.

 

Yeah that's what I was thinking dewey, I figure as long as I set up the heads right I should be fine with spinning it up pretty high. Believe it or not I was actually trying to find the same grind on a 110 too. I don't think I'd go any higher than 112. I've been looking at the specs trying to figure out the exact overlap of a bunch of cams, how do you calculate that from the specs? I know it's the overlapping valve timing of when both intake and exhaust valves are open but can't tell exactly what gives me it.

Any other thoughts on the choice?

 

That's a good cam to start tuning with. I wouldn't go with much more on the intake duration or you'll start to loose idle vacuum which makes it difficult getting the AE tuned. It's already difficult getting AE done with TBI .
Speedreader + Ultimate TBI code + Prominator = The best a man can get! (Gillette if you're wondering).

 

Oh yeah, I want that Speedreader bad. Jon, have you seen RBob's Ultimate TBI code yet? Knowing what RBob says and does on these boards and seeing his knowledge of code I think it's going to be awesome when we see it.

edit: Oh yeah and what do you guys think about that much lift with stock rockers with ~70k miles on them? You think they can be trusted or changed down the road, or changed immediately?

 

I actually have the code already, been working on a nice software interface similar to my Lockers HUD. I just need to have the speedreader in my hands before I can start trying to communicate with it. They (Bill and Ken) wanted it working on the parallel port usuing 1 of the 8 pins for serial communication. I have the software ready to test but I don't know their protocal .
As for the rockers, they'll be fine. The studs however might not be. I wouldn't waste my time on screw in studs. Just pin them and call it a day. You can check to see if the slot in the rocker arms is long enough. I'd check before running the motor.
Just a FYI, when I pull my engine apart to do some upgrades I'll be installing my L03's original roller lifters that have 140k miles. Steel rockers should theoretically never fail, aluminum on the other hand work hardens and will eventually break or loose it's tolerances.

 

That sounds pretty cool Jon, your Lockers display sounded pretty sweet from what I remember reading about it on the DIY board.

I guess I will just pin the studs then and save the screw-ins for a more serious buildup later on with a bigger bore motor. I'll definitely check the slots on the rocker arms though and I could probably grind them out a little with a dremel if I need to. I figure the only thing I have to look out for with them is overloading them with whatever springs I choose. So, I'll just probably go fairly conservative with the spring choice. Any suggestions in that department?

 

crane should have spring recomendations to go with the cam. I would run the speced springs on it.

You might need long slot rockers, you might, check and see if you plan on staying with stamped. If they don't work, I would go to full rollers, instead of spending money for longslot stamped rockers.

 

Yeah I'll look into that. Would it be safe to slot my stock rockers if they were a little close? Otherwise I'd probably go for the steel Magnum roller rockers, but I'd rather not have to deal out that extra money.

What is the size of the cam you're moving up to Dewey? Just out of curiousity.

 

i was going to go to 212/218.

but now that I have the 327 Turbo project, I don't know how much more I'm going to be doing to the 305. With the nitrous on, I hope to go 12's with this, I may pick up the larger cam, and toss the 416's on. But we will have to see.

 

Cool, that 327 project should be pretty nice. What kind of induction/ECM are you going to use with it? TBI/749?

 

It won't be TBI, MPFI of some sort. Computer will be either a 749 or aftermarket, not sure yet. It is in the very begining stages, still have lots of work and planning to go. So don't worry, I will still be in the TBI world for some time.

 

Good to hear. You better throw those heads and cam on or I'll have to blow your doors off with mine haha

 

heh, we need to have a nation TBI convention, in say Arizona, come febuary.

 

That'd be really cool to get something like that together. Arizona in february, maybe a little bit warmer then Chicago huh?

 

I hear that you can wear shorts in febuary down there

 

I'll be there in Febuary, lol.

 

I actualy might be in Pheonix on Dec 28th for the Insight Bowl (the Oregon State Beavers are playing in the game).

 

Thats too far away from Ohio-ville. I could only go if JP shoved me into his suitcase on his way out of C-bus.

 

Borrow a car from work, and drive. Then in Arizona, we can get video of me drifting in one of your work limo's.