OK.....I went to install my XE274 last week and ended up building a stroker. Now I am not sure if its the right cam any more. Should I use it an retard it 4* or look for something else?


388 Stroker
10:1 Compression, Eagle Crank & Rods, Forged Pistons
AFR 195
Speed Demon 750 DP
Edelbrock RPM Air-Gap
Crane Gold 1.6 Roller Rockers
Hooker 1 3/4 Long Tubes
Chromemoly pushrods, Comp lifters, Cloyes timing set, Mini Starter


The car will have 3.73 gears and a 2500 stall for the spring. I'll likely get a higher stall later on if I need it.

 

why do you think it's not the right cam? why do you think running it at 4* retard will make it better?

 

I don't know. I guess I am starting to second guess myself. I figured it was the right cam for the 350 based motor and just am not sure if I'd want a bigger cam so that it would act the same as the XE274 would in a 350. Maybe I want to bring the powerband down a bit and take advantage of the bottom end torque.

I was thinking that retarding the cam would make it 'act' like a slighty larger cam (iw. in between the 274 and 284). The engine should make good power with the 274...I just want to make sure that it isn't going to make significantly less with that cam. I guess it just comes down to me second guessing myself.

 

If you want low end torque, advance the cam. Keep in mind, any cam that seems 'large' in a 350 or a 355, will seem a bit smaller in a 383 or more. Also, due to the increase in cylinder volume, the powerband will naturally drop a bit. You cant get a cam for a 355 and expect it to run identical in a 383. No single cam will have the exact same power output per given RPM when its in a 355 or a 383.

Retarding the cam delays the valve timing, building higher RPM power IIRC. It also changes up the piston-to-valve clearance.

 

Stekman, I realize that. I am just not sure where I need to be. I am not sure if the lower powerband (with the same cam) is better than the same powerband (with a bigger cam). I am sort of thinking that maybe it will still work well because it will take advantage of the low RPM torque this thing should make.

 

ok, completely ignore the camshaft for this next question. Where do you want the powerband to be? Not where does the CAM put the powerband, but where do YOU want it. Aslo, what do you want your idle to be like? Ultimatly, that decides what to do about camshafts.

 

Originally, I thought 2000-6500, but now I am thinking maybe a powerband of 1500-6000 would be better. I don't care to much about idle quality - if I need to run a vacuum canister, I will.