First off heres my setup:
'77 350 block
Bored .040 over
Crane Blueracer .465/.488 290/300
Speed Pro 10.5:1 flat tops
882 heads with 2.02/1.60 combo, 3 angle valve job etc
Windage tray
3.73's
Melling HV Oil Pump
Edelbrock Performer RPM Manifold
650 DP or 650/750 Speed Demon VS (undecided)

Ok so im looking for more power (arent we all?) and have been thinking about a head and cam swap. Ive been looking at the Jegs (Canfield) 197cc Heads with 64cc Combustion chambers, 2.055"/1.60" valves, 1.440" Springs and was wondering what you guys thought of those? Also im undecided between the Comp XE 268 and 274 Cams. This is a primarily street car with some strip runs. How much lift will i actually get from both cams with 1.6 rockers? which should i go with? Will i be better off switching to one of the Comps cams?

 

Ok, I think you are right to upgrade your heads and cam, but I don't necessarily agree on your choices. First I am just curious what the car is gonna be used for...ie.drag racing, everyday, etc, etc. What kind of power are you looking to obtain? Just switching to 1.6 RR's would increase the lift of your present cam to .496"/.520". I don't know the specs of the other cams, but I am sure that either choice would be good as an upgrade if needed, just as long as all parts are matched. I would definately ditch those heads, if I remember correctly they have like 76cc chambers so you are around 9:1 compression, plus they don't flow very well. The jegs heads you are looking for seem to be decent but the runners kinda seem alittle big for your engine needs, I think something in the realm of 180-190 would be a better choice, and also the valves seem much too large for your combination also. If I also am remembering correctly they are about $1200 a set, for that price you could pick up a set of AFR 190's, that would match you r combo perfect.

 

yea youre right these heads are 76cc chambers and probably the worst flowing out there. I woud love to have AFR's but i always thought they were just too dang $$$$$ and i thought they stopped making the 190 AFR's and went to 180 or 195's. Where can i find them for $1200? Im still not sure where i wanna go with the cam, but ive just heard so many good things about the Comp XE's. The specs on the XE 274 are:

Lift: .490''/.490''
Duration: 274°/286°
RPM Range: 1800-6000

or the XE 268:
Lift: .477''/.480''
Duration: 268°/280°
RPM Range: 1600-5800

This is a daily driven car in the summer with occasional passes at the strip and i want as close to 400 HP as possible.

 

Another head to consider is the Trick Flow head. I think they are complete for like $1050, which is a great bang for the buck head in my opinion.

If you do replace the heads with a better flowing set, the Xe274 is probably what I would go with.

Unless you are running larger bearing clearances, remote oil cooler, remote filter, etc, you don't need a high volume pump. The melling M-55, a hardened shaft like Mellings or ARP, the 55-S screen, and the Mr. Gasket #26 pressure spring is about all any normal sbc will need.

 

I also would recomend the Trick Flow heads, they are flow very well, as the AFR heads, I think the street AFR heads run about $1175. The trick flow's are really good for the price and they also have 195 runners, which would be fine with 400hp. Both are very good.

Personally I would go with the xe274 cam, 1.6 RR's, and either set of those heads. W/ around 10:1, 4bl carb, headers, I would say that your 400hp goal is very realistic, and not that hard to obtain.

I also agree w/ Stekman, You should use a standard volume pump unless you have those things mentioned, or a oil pan w/ increased oil capacity. I have seen more than a few stock pans w/ high volume pumps rob all the oil from the bottom end and have spun bearings as a result.

 

forgot to mention that i do have a hi capacity oil pan....looks like ill be going with the trick flows, XE 274 and 1.6 rollers. how big of a difference is there between the cnc combustion chambers and the non cnc chambers performance wise? this is all going to be bolted to a BTO level 2 200-4R with a 9.5" converter somewhere in the 2600-2800 stall range.

 

I don't know exactly how much of a difference there is in the combustion chambers, but I would imagine it would be slightly noticable. I would get the CNC'd ones becasue they aren't much more, but the should help alittle. I don't know much about auto trannies but the stall seems correct to me.

 

ill be sure to call the converter company first before buying just to make sure i have the right stall. Has anyone had any header clearance issues with the angle plugs on the TF's??

 

High capacity oil pan really doesn't mean anything as far as the oil pump is concerned. All it means is you have more oil storage capability. It (the oil pan) deals with where the oil is stored. The pump deals with where the oil goes. Until you add more volume for pressurized oil to inhibit, you don't need a high volume pump.

 

so has anyone had any clearance issues with the angle plus and headers? also will the 1.250 springs be good enough for the XE 274 cam with 1.6 RR's? The lift of the XE 274 is .487/.490 ( i dunno how much it is with the 1.6 RR's) and summit says the 1.250 springs will handle .520 of lift.