Thread: What Cam??

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Hello everyone, My name is Ed and I’m new to the forum. I’d like to thank you guys for all the valuable information ya’ll provide for us. It is greatly appreciated.

Now to my question: I’m building a 454 and I need to know what cam you guys would recommend to work best with my setup?

I don’t know exactly what information you’ll need but this is what I can provide for now.

454 .030 over, stock crank and rods, TRW L2349 pistons (est. comp. with head info 10.1 : 1)
HI PERF GM heads ported and polished by Greg Goode from Houston (stock 325cc IP, valves 2.17 I, 1.88 E; 118cc Chamber)
Crane roller rockers, dual spring (spring rate: Unknown)
Weiand X-team single plane intake, adapter plate for 4bbl carb; 820cfm demon Carb
3500-4000 stall on a TH350 trans.

Cars purpose is to run a 10… I don’t know if that’s asking for much but, that is our goal..

Please if you need any other information please let me know..

Originally Posted by spdneeder

Hello everyone, My name is Ed and I’m new to the forum. I’d like to thank you guys for all the valuable information ya’ll provide for us. It is greatly appreciated.

Now to my question: I’m building a 454 and I need to know what cam you guys would recommend to work best with my setup?

I don’t know exactly what information you’ll need but this is what I can provide for now.

454 .030 over, stock crank and rods, TRW L2349 pistons (est. comp. with head info 10.1 : 1)
HI PERF GM heads ported and polished by Greg Goode from Houston (stock 325cc IP, valves 2.17 I, 1.88 E; 118cc Chamber)
Crane roller rockers, dual spring (spring rate: Unknown)
Weiand X-team single plane intake, adapter plate for 4bbl carb; 820cfm demon Carb
3500-4000 stall on a TH350 trans.

Cars purpose is to run a 10… I don’t know if that’s asking for much but, that is our goal..

Please if you need any other information please let me know..

What gear do you have.

Hi Ed....and welcome! Well, what is this car going to be used for primarily? I see you want to race, but is it going to be a weekend racer, and see mostly street duty? How heavy of a car are we talking? I think 10's are pretty far in the future, but not impossible. What's your gearing going to be? I really depends on what you want the car to do, are you going for mostly high rpm punch, or do you want it to have lots of low end power? Im not familiar with that intake, but I have run a Team G single plane intake. It was good, but the Performer RPM I have now is better for low end torque. The heads you mention have a big intake port, so Im going to assume we're talking high rpm use here. If so, the single plane will be OK. I ran those pistons before, they're OK, but not the best when it comes to piston/valve clearance issues. You should be OK unless you get crazy with a cam, so be careful, and always check your clearances. I would go with a cam somewhere around 250/256 @ .050, and get it ground on a 107 or 108 LSA (still talking higher rpms here) Solid lifter cam would be my choice. If you can swing the money, go for a solid roller. You definitely gain in performance, but it will cost more. An engine with your basic specs and some good parts should be capable of low 12's, maybe high 11's with some tuning, assuming you can make it hook. I think you should give us a little more info on what you are building, and what you expect. John

Originally Posted by 1JohnnyO

Hi Ed....and welcome! Well, what is this car going to be used for primarily? I see you want to race, but is it going to be a weekend racer, and see mostly street duty? How heavy of a car are we talking? I think 10's are pretty far in the future, but not impossible. What's your gearing going to be? I really depends on what you want the car to do, are you going for mostly high rpm punch, or do you want it to have lots of low end power? Im not familiar with that intake, but I have run a Team G single plane intake. It was good, but the Performer RPM I have now is better for low end torque. The heads you mention have a big intake port, so Im going to assume we're talking high rpm use here. If so, the single plane will be OK. I ran those pistons before, they're OK, but not the best when it comes to piston/valve clearance issues. You should be OK unless you get crazy with a cam, so be careful, and always check your clearances. I would go with a cam somewhere around 250/256 @ .050, and get it ground on a 107 or 108 LSA (still talking higher rpms here) Solid lifter cam would be my choice. If you can swing the money, go for a solid roller. You definitely gain in performance, but it will cost more. An engine with your basic specs and some good parts should be capable of low 12's, maybe high 11's with some tuning, assuming you can make it hook. I think you should give us a little more info on what you are building, and what you expect. John

UMMM,How do you pick a cam without knowing his gear ratio???

I actually know what his gear ratio is. Im just waiting for him to reply, to see if he knows what it is. It's a gift I have always had, almost since birth.

As I said in my response, Im assuming a few things, by what he already said about his heads, his desire to run in the 10's, etc. If he responds and says no, he wants low end power, then it will change! No problem John

Originally Posted by 1JohnnyO

I actually know what his gear ratio is. Im just waiting for him to reply, to see if he knows what it is. It's a gift I have always had, almost since birth.

As I said in my response, Im assuming a few things, by what he already said about his heads, his desire to run in the 10's, etc. If he responds and says no, he wants low end power, then it will change! No problem John

please tell me the winning lottery numbers i know my gear size . hey i did get my new heads for the gto they are the olds/chief darts .intake2.400and ex 1.900 heads hope i can get them to fit in the car?

the gear i believe we'll be using is a 4:11, I dont plan on rpm'n the motor to much just to about 6200-6500. (since the stock bottom end) Or could I?? I know the heads are a little radical for the bottom end, but maybe a stroker will be added later on in the project. All this is going into a 79' Nova (3100-3300lbs) that will be strictly track and occasional run on the street with fellow gearheads..

if any more info needed please let me know.

and thanks John and Erik for your responses

p.s. I will be buying a roller cam and solid lifters

by the way guys, i also have some oval port 049 heads that i could possibly use in case those rect dont give me what i need.. If you think these would be better please let me know!

well you will want some thing like a soild roller like a 645/645 lift (or smaller) at some where.050@ 250 and a 110 lsa but it would be nice if you had more cr than you could go bigger with the cam. the heads will want more gear any way you go like a 433/456 i think .but a bigger cam may not work so good so it is abit miss match with them heads i think. i have a set of 049 i think for low rpms the Oports shine with the small cid and not much cr .but i have used mild work over gm rect ports from 460 to 548 with big cam with hi cr and work great .they would not be my first pick on a mild build and small cid and low rpms. it would be 781 /049 heads and then the rear gear at 411 would work with the rpms. and do not forget the big tube headers with a X pipe run at lest 3ich ex and find some 2 1/8 tube headers how about a4.250 crank get you a 489/496 060. over then the heades look better and get it to cr 10 1/2 and then the 10s will come

Thanks Pat, thats real helpful information! I suspected those heads would be a bit much for the build but i did get them for a really good price I will be working the block over than to get the car exactly where i want it..

Thanks again,

Ed

Originally Posted by 1JohnnyO

I actually know what his gear ratio is. Im just waiting for him to reply, to see if he knows what it is. It's a gift I have always had, almost since birth.

As I said in my response, Im assuming a few things, by what he already said about his heads, his desire to run in the 10's, etc. If he responds and says no, he wants low end power, then it will change! No problem John

What is it they say when you assume???

Originally Posted by spdneeder

Hello everyone, My name is Ed and I’m new to the forum. I’d like to thank you guys for all the valuable information ya’ll provide for us. It is greatly appreciated.

Now to my question: I’m building a 454 and I need to know what cam you guys would recommend to work best with my setup?

I don’t know exactly what information you’ll need but this is what I can provide for now.

454 .030 over, stock crank and rods, TRW L2349 pistons (est. comp. with head info 10.1 : 1)
HI PERF GM heads ported and polished by Greg Goode from Houston (stock 325cc IP, valves 2.17 I, 1.88 E; 118cc Chamber)
Crane roller rockers, dual spring (spring rate: Unknown)
Weiand X-team single plane intake, adapter plate for 4bbl carb; 820cfm demon Carb
3500-4000 stall on a TH350 trans.

Cars purpose is to run a 10… I don’t know if that’s asking for much but, that is our goal..

Please if you need any other information please let me know..

I have been using a lot of the Lunati cams latley.
I would try part #502a2lun.
The spec's are lift .630/.630,duration at .050 is 255/264,it is cut on 107 for lode seperation.
Power band is 3000-7000.
This cam should be easy on you valve train.
Make sure you check your spring rates.
Don't forget to run your stud girdle.

107 may work good but do not forget to check your piston to valve i do not think you will have any ????

107 may work good but do not forget to check your piston to valve i do not think you will have any ????

Me neither...not with those pistons. With the duration, LSA on this cam, I dont believe it will go without cutting the pistons. But I do like the cam!