Howdy fellas,

This is my first post ever on TGO so if I’m doin something wrong or the post is acting funny or whatever please forgive me. I bought my 85 z28 3 years ago and have slowly been fixing and upgrading parts as I go along. It’s finally time for my engine build and I’ve decided to get what I can out of the 305. I know your all gonna say just get a 350 but I know my 305 block is in good shape and I do not want to take a chance on a junkyard block and I’m not looking to spend the extra grand on a reman block (seeing as how I do not have a core to exchange) until the 305 blows.

Onto my question, the man I spoke to at comp cams recommended a high energy cam with a 218/218 grind 110 LSA 268h. However I’ve found what I think to be a good deal on a cam, lifters, and timing chain with gears all new in box that a man has locally for $100. The cam has a 223/223 duration and a 114 LSA. Curious on your thoughts between the two and if the money savings are worth it. Thanks.

 

I had the 268H in a Ford 302 and didn't like it at all. I'd suggest a Xtreme Energy XE256-H. It has higher lift, faster ramps, and better low RPM torque. Of course you'll need new valvesprings of the proper stiffness...

 

What are your thoughts on the 223 duration cam. It has similar lift to a xe268 but a 114 LSA? It’s a really good deal or so I think anyways.

 

The 223 will work with the 114 LSA, but will sacrifice low RPM torque in exchange for more upper RPM power.
The 305 in stock form is not a high RPM engine. The cam will work, but will have sluggish throttle response. If your transmission is automatic, a looser converter can compensate for some of that.

Is your engine a LG-4 or L-69? If it's the LG-4, it's only around 8.5:1 compression, and that 223 duration will be pretty sluggish from bleeding off compression...

 

I was under the impression that 85 and up lg4 was 9.5:1 compression. I’m also planning to put vortex’s on it getting them Milled to Match compression. Should also mention 700r4 and 3.73 rear gears.

 

Back in the day when I was installing cams in the L69s, my favorite, while keeping the stock stall (around 2000 rpm), was a high efficiency Lunati, 255/265 - 205/215 on a 112 spread. Next favorite was a custom grind 252/260 - 206/212 on a 110 spread with the Comp 260/260 - 212/212 on a 110 eventually being about as large as I liked to install - to keep the computer controlled carb adjustments simple.

One of the worst running with the stock converter and a little hard to tune was the Crane 272/284 - 216/228 on a 112 spread. I installed a couple Alliance cams back then, which were the same as the Summit 204/214 and 214/224 – 112 cams. The 204/214 idled rougher and never ran as quick as the 205/215 – 112 Lunati and I could say the same for their 214/224 cam compared to the largest cam I would end up installing in the 305s, the 260/260 - 212/212 - 110 Comp.

The last cam I recommended and tuned on in a L69 a few years back was the 254/262 – 210/218 - 111 Comp 4x4. It idled about the same and was as crisp as the old high efficiency 205/215 Lunati I liked so much, but it pulled harder than the old 260 (212/212) Comp. It required minimal carb adjustments – idle mixture screws, air bleed, and idle speed (filed tang on the butterfly flaps and adjusted the spring tension and the throttle blade linkage for full throttle opening – most all do not open up all the way)
http://www.compcams.com/Company/CC/c...x?csid=95&sb=2

That 223/223-114 is a copy of the old 350HP/327 1960's cam - slow ramps and I personally think it is better suited to work as a door stop than as a "performance" cam. Even if you're not running a computer carb, if your stall speed is 2000 rpm or less, you still won't want to run anything much bigger than that 210/218-111 Comp (or a newer fast rate of rise cam that's close to those specs). Plus any bigger, you'll have to change valve springs - which isn't a bad idea depending on the mileage. We didn't put new springs running that 210/218-111 4x4 Comp, but it was a relatively low mileage car. You'll definitely want to replace the timing chain while you're at it, the Cloyes double roller C-3023K at $20 is a good deal.

Hope that helps and good luck

 

There is some very good info right there. Listen.
Wish I had someone to tell me this back in the day. Guess which cam I ran - The Crane Compucam 2050 - 272/284 - 216/228 on a 112 spread. Hard to tune - more like impossible.

 

I have run the 218/218 cam in 2 different 305s. One was a Crane and the other a Lunati. Both in 305 Vortec head engines with flat top pistons. Both had headers. One was in a carbureted 1980 Corvette and the other in my 1999 Tahoe. Both ran very strong even with the stock torque converter but woke up even more with around 2,600 rpm stall speed. The Vette had a powerglide and 3.07 gears with P275/60R15s. The Tahoe a 4L60E and 3.42s with 33" tall P305/50R20s.

I had two different XE roller lobes go flat. The flat tappet grinds have a nasty habit of doing it too.

 

Was really hoping to have fast355 chime in. Thanks everyone for their suggestions. Only reason for pushing the 223 was to save a few bucks. I’ll probably go with the 218 that the comp cam man recommended. Any chance anyone knows what rods I’ll need with the vortecs milled about .030?

 

Also the heads are gm performance remans with approximately 8k miles. I’ve been told they are good for a .470 inch lift. Thoughts on upgrading springs? Sorry for all the questions.

 

I have friends who run XE cams and have never had a problem. You have to run the proper spring pressure, and do a proper break-in...

 

The guy at Comp may or may not have installed a cam in a 305. Don't get me wrong, the 218/218-110 Comp is not a bad cam at all in a 305, you could run a lot worse. Like Fast said, it's "ok" with the stock stall but works a lot better with a 2400-2600 stall. I installed a couple of the Comp 268s, 260s, 252s and even custom 252/260 and 260/268 cams back in the day, along with a number of others. All were in later model LG4 and L69 305s, Most were in L69s with the 2000-ish stall and a few had the lower 1700-ish stall speed converters. The ones with the lower stall speeds ran best with the 205/215-112 and 206/212-110 cams. The Monte Carlos had a better exhaust system than the Camaros and a single pattern cam ran better in those than the F-body. Dual pattern with at least 6, up to a 10-degree spread with the stock heads worked really well in the F-body 305s.

The springs on your heads should be fine but you're going to have to double check for coil bind and make sure the rocker slots are not binding as well - they shouldn't with the 268H, the XE256H (212/218-110), or X4254H (210/218-111) - the X4254H would work best with a lower stall speed converter and more restrictive exhaust systems. You'll appreciate any of them compared the that stock LG4 cam for sure.

It's very important to buy good lifters and not cheap out on them, it was important back in the day and even more so now with all the quality control issues. Also important to use good lube on the cam and lifters along with a high zinc/phosphorus content oil - Delo 400 LE seems to be the most reasonably priced around here. I never had a flat tappet lobe on a Comp, Isky, or Lunati go bad and installed a lot of those. You can do everything right and still have a problem with wiping a lobe. I only installed 3 Crane flat tappets and one went bad, only install one Crower flat tappet and it went bad. I tend to stay away from both of those brands (used their recommended lifter also). Good luck!

 

The one I had problems with was run with proper springs and was a roller cam. No break-in needed on a roller.