383 Engine 509 cam timing ?

[minimacho440]

I Have A Friend Who Has A 1968 charger With A 383 Engine He Also Has A Mopar 509 Purple Shaft Cam And Im Trying To Find For Him The Initial Timing Specs Some One Out There Must Know Thanks All

 

[D575]

depends on compression, start around 15 btdc

 

[minimacho440]

I need initial timing. 15 btdc @ 2500 rpms ? To be sure .

 

[Scooby67]

D575 said 15 degrees initial. At idle, not 2500 rpm's.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

http://www.mopar1.us/engine2.html

 

[eric383]

Great info.

 

[lewtot184]

to use 15-20 degrees initial the distributor has to be reworked. you can't just throw a bunch of initial timing at the engine and think everything is ok. that 509 cam is too much for a 383 in a fat b-body. been there done that.

 

[mopar 3 B]

His biggest trick will be keeping it from dying before it hits its power band and I suppose it will also be a street car. If it is a strip only car with automatic he may have a chance of getting it to move before it stumbles and dies.

 

[GearAddict]

I'm living through the woes of a .509 in a 383 right now.. It's not like it's impossible, but it's an uncompromising cam for sure.

15-20 initial . 36 total, all in at 2500 rpms, is a good place to start. I have to keep my idle at around 1K. If you're running a stock distributor (which will make running that cam tough, because of how much initial timing it wants), set you max at 36 and work backwards from there.

 

[lewtot184]

i ran the racer brown ssh44, which is the forerunner of the .509 cam, in a 4.30 geared 383 4spd car back in the day. miserable performer in a 383. keep cams to the moderate side in 383's. small solids are probably the best bet.

 

[mopar 3 B]

I'm living through the woes of a .509 in a 383 right now.. It's not like it's impossible, but it's an uncompromising cam for sure.

15-20 initial . 36 total, all in at 2500 rpms, is a good place to start. I have to keep my idle at around 1K. If you're running a stock distributor (which will make running that cam tough, because of how much initial timing it wants), set you max at 36 and work backwards from there.

You have the right idea on setting timing. Do not know your engine combination but surprised the is still running at 1k. This is a very low vacuum cam at idle found it best to ditch any attempt of vacuum advance. If you have access to a distributor machine set mechanical to start at about 2200 and full at 3200 will not start to develop any real power till 3800 anyway. Was using a RB AFB for carb do not rember jet size but used the largest accelerator nozzle available. I had idle set at 1700 may sound high but with solid mounts got tired of the paint shaker affect, also got it above the idle circuit on the carb which it would not run on anyway. Have no idea where initial timing ended up at would guess about 18 to 20. Found it started best buy cutting other ignition till the engine was turning. Take the huge load off the starter. Some may call all this a crook but it was what worked for me.

 

[GearAddict]

Yep... 5-7" vacuum..

I lied, the idle is usually 1.1K, doesn't like to idle cold, but once it warms up, she's fine at that 1-1.1K mark. It's a 4 speed though, so no/little load on the engine at idle.

 

[lewtot184]

when i was messing with big cammed 383's i had the total centrifugal advance all in by 1200rpm. had 18 degrees in the distributor and 18-20 initial. the car actually performed the best with a crower 201hj camshaft. pretty mild profile compared to the 509 cam. big cams don't work in 383's for the street.

 

[Cranky]

I would like to know that the mechanical compression ratio is for the engine or even a compression test would be fine. Also, would like to know if the cam was degreed in and where it's at. Yeah, the 509 kinda big for the street but when everything is right, the 383 can be a screamer. Compression, cam timing and ignition timing are all important and too little of compression and ignition timing was make it a terrible cam for it.