I have a near stock 350 TPI engine with Edelbrock headers, Magnum 1.6 roller rockers and magnum springs. For the rest of my car, I have a beefy 700R4 with a 2000+ stall, and I believe my gears are 3.23's.

I called up comp cams and they recomended their Xtreme Energy cam, part number 12-262-4. I don't know anything about cams, so here is the chart:

http://www.compcams.com/catalog/056_057.html

It's the 2nd group down, and the 3rd cam listed in that group.

I would like to get as choppy an idle as I can get with out making my car undrivable. I absolutly LOVE the sound of a V8 with a lumpy idle.

Compcams said I should not go to the next step up cam (the very next cam down from the one I listed), because I don't have upgraded jets, runner, a ported plenum, and an aftermarket chip. Would it be possible to run this cam in my car for a while untill I get all that stuff done to my engine? is it that the car absolutly won't run with out the rest of these mods? or is it just that the cam won't put out it's full potential?

Would you guys go with either of these cams? any other recomendations?

Thanks a bunch guys! I can get either of these cam kits (with lifters) for about $220, and can get it installed for free (wohoo!)

 

Isn't your block a 87-92 block? If so your looking at the wrong cams. If you're not running a hydraulic-cammed block then that camshaft you listed would be a good choice.

 

that cam sounds like what you would want if you had a flat tappet engine. since you have 350 tip (btw the way wtf is tip ?-check your title ) I'll assume you have a roller cam. If you have a MAF car 86-89 your in luck as you could run a gm hot cam or a 270hr without having to burn a chip although your car won't run in tune, so kiss emmisions good bye without a custom chip. If you have Speed Density(90-92) i have no personel experience but I've heard that one of these would not run very well at all without a new PROM. The hot cam will is the "hotter" cam of the two with its LSA, and would give more lope. Also the 305 cam would do about the same but all three of these cams are reall a bit much for a mostly stock engine. Any of these cams ?should? require valve guide clearance to clear stock heads with 1.6 RR's and I'm not sure about your springs but they may need to be upgraded also with wider (machine your spring pockets) stiffer springs. also don't forget to replace your timeing chain with a double roller while your there. Any of these cams will probably be "too big" for a stock engine and you would probably see just as about as big of a gain with a smaller cam, but hey lope is very, very cool

 

My valve covers do not have center bolts, they have side bolts. I have been told that this makes my 350 an 86 or older. I do have an MAF, by the way, and my engine is NOT what came with the car.

So, if I have an 86 or older block, what cam should I run?

How do I tell if I have a hydraulic cam engine or not?

Thanks a bunch!!

 

The only real way to tell if you have a roller cam, is to take the intake off and look. Other than that you are SOL. Your block could be older, and running a roller cam with Retro Fit Lifters....

My guess is you have an older block with a Hydraulic Flat Tappet camshaft. Comp Suggested the 262 for me aswell, and told me if I went bigger, I'd loose velocity, and I'm glad I didn't go bigger. The idle is a bit tough right now, bigger would have needed some MAJOR prom tuning.

Since your car is nearly stock, and your heads are probably stock and NOT 416 or 081 castings(Best flowing stock heads, 305 heads.... even then that's what I have with bigger valves and they came up with the 262 Camshaft.)...


USE the cam Comp Recommended. They are payed to help you.

 

Thanks for the tip! I'm not sure what my heads are, all I know, is that they are made in Mexico. No joke.