'77 mopar 400 cam swap

[rumblefish360]

IIRC, Crane had some off the shelf cams around +10* or so.
I’m going to look for my old Crane cam card for my small block……… (TV show, Jeopardy, there music being played now.)




BUZZER!!!!

Dang, I can’t find it right now. IIRC, the Hyd. cam specs were;
216/228-112 w/.454/.480 lift.

Can anyone help with this small block cam from Crane?
No worries either way.

*I Think* the Chevy LS cams have a really wide spread.

 

[gtxrt]

IIRC, Crane had some off the shelf cams around +10* or so.
I’m going to look for my old Crane cam card for my small block……… (TV show, Jeopardy, there music being played now.)




BUZZER!!!!

Dang, I can’t find it right now. IIRC, the Hyd. cam specs were;
216/228-112 w/.454/.480 lift.

Can anyone help with this small block cam from Crane?
No worries either way.

*I Think* the Chevy LS cams have a really wide spread.

the crane cam is called ecomopower hmv-272-2. advertise duration is 272-284. #103-6933941

 

[rumblefish360]

Hummm, they used a different label name when I got it. I can’t remember what it was though. Yes! 272/284.

 

[gtxrt]

Hummm, they used a different label name when I got it. I can’t remember what it was though. Yes! 272/284.

they called the bigger size ones Hi intensity

 

[rumblefish360]

There was also the Energizer, I’m still not clear in my head if that was it or not but no matter. It was a decent little cam that woke up a 318 just fine. It fit the bill at the time.

 

[Geoff 2]

Rumble,
Crane cams. Are you thinking of the old Blazer series?

 

[Geoff 2]

I have seen a lot of cam LSA comparisons over the years, from mild to wild, & rarely is wide LSA the winner when you look at the overall result. One such test was a big SFT cam in a 350 Chev, 106, 108, 110 LSA. The 110 made peak hp, 583, 3 hp more than the 106.
But through 3000-7000, the 106 was stronger by 19.5 hp. I know which one I would be using...

 

[casey henson]

I have seen a lot of cam LSA comparisons over the years, from mild to wild, & rarely is wide LSA the winner when you look at the overall result. One such test was a big SFT cam in a 350 Chev, 106, 108, 110 LSA. The 110 made peak hp, 583, 3 hp more than the 106.
But through 3000-7000, the 106 was stronger by 19.5 hp. I know which one I would be using...

It is starting to sink in. Thank you Geoff2 and Mr.Vizard

 

[Don Frelier]

It is starting to sink in. Thank you Geoff2 and Mr.Vizard

I wouldn't be too quick to put a really low lobe separation angle cam in a heavy car with power brakes, a tight converter and low gears. Unless you want a rough idle and poor brakes. Youll likely find you need to put it in neutral at each stop light and have it ide at 800-900 rpm. Your car will be totally different than it is today. You've still got an aging low compression motor that was no powerhouse when it was new. Everything needs to work together and just changing the cam isn't going to be a magic bullet.
If you don't mind a choppy idle and plan putting different heads and changing the converter and you have a plan for the brakes then perhaps.

 

[gtxrt]

There was also the Energizer, I’m still not clear in my head if that was it or not but no matter. It was a decent little cam that woke up a 318 just fine. It fit the bill at the time.

the energizer is a single pattern one is 216-216, 450-450 lift, 272 advertise on a 110 LSA

 

[Don Frelier]

the energizer is a single pattern one is 216-216, 450-450 lift, 272 advertise on a 110 LSA

Something like this might be a good choice and you would still see good improvement with other modifications to the car.

 

[casey henson]

I wouldn't be too quick to put a really low lobe separation angle cam in a heavy car with power brakes, a tight converter and low gears. Unless you want a rough idle and poor brakes. Youll likely find you need to put it in neutral at each stop light and have it ide at 800-900 rpm. Your car will be totally different than it is today. You've still got an aging low compression motor that was no powerhouse when it was new. Everything needs to work together and just changing the cam isn't going to be a magic bullet.
If you don't mind a choppy idle and plan putting different heads and changing the converter and you have a plan for the brakes then perhaps.

Well really I am changing a few things in addition to cam. The only thing that is staying the same are the rear gears and converter. The motor is a low mileage and in perfect shape.
I am also considering how I use this car now. I doubt there will be any stop light to stop light and sure wont be any drag racing. Mostly highway driving speed limit 75 and above. The gears and converter both benefit here.

 

[rumblefish360]

Rumble,
Crane cams. Are you thinking of the old Blazer series?

No. I actually forgot about that series.

the energizer is a single pattern one is 216-216, 450-450 lift, 272 advertise on a 110 LSA

Thanks.

 

[rumblefish360]

Well really I am changing a few things in addition to cam. The only thing that is staying the same are the rear gears and converter. The motor is a low mileage and in perfect shape.
I am also considering how I use this car now. I doubt there will be any stop light to stop light and sure wont be any drag racing. Mostly highway driving speed limit 75 and above. The gears and converter both benefit here.

Right about now would be a great time to disclose what changes your considering as well as the gear ratio, tire size and the converters stall speed if you know it. No worries if you don’t. Someone here may know. Also if you have or are going to use headers.

One of the things I consider, like your doing, is the overall package. I like that you said no racing just cruising. In a broad statement, as well as usage, generally speaking, a cam of no greater than a duration of 218@050 will work with a stock (read: low-ish stall) converter pretty good. If the converter is a low stall, back the duration @050 down 4-6*’s.

The gear ratio is the next factor in the cam selection as well as car weight with the cubic inch engine being used. Before we get into those last two, if the gear ratio is sub 3.21, I suggest the smaller cam over the 218@050. The 218@050 will work OK with 3.21 with a medium to high stall factory converter.
3.55’s would be better. But not for the Hwy cruise speeds.
If your rear gears are below 3.00, go with a 212@050 duration cam.

Even though the cams are smallish, they will offer improved torque over the small cams the big blocks came with. Also being your not interested in speed contests, a single pattern cam would be fine since the extra duration in a dual pattern cam just adds top end.

 

[qkcuda]

I ran a Crane HMV 278 in a 9:1 compression 400 I built. It was 222/234 duration and 467/494 lift with a 114 lobe separation. It is almost identical specs to the larger summit cam 6401. it was a nice street cam but probably one step too large for your car with lower compression and higher rear gears.

 

[gtxrt]

I ran a Crane HMV 278 in a 9:1 compression 400 I built. It was 222/234 duration and 467/494 lift with a 114 lobe separation. It is almost identical specs to the larger summit cam 6401. it was a nice street cam but probably one step too large for your car with lower compression and higher rear gears.

also ran that same cam in my 67 RT fresh rebuilt but stock cam was in there when i bought the car. between the wide lsa and high exhaust duration it never really turned on but keep pulling all through the upper rpm range.

 

[casey henson]

Right about now would be a great time to disclose what changes your considering as well as the gear ratio, tire size and the converters stall speed if you know it. No worries if you don’t. Someone here may know. Also if you have or are going to use headers.

HP exhaust manifolds with 2.5" pipes dumped at the axle,performer RPM intake, 850 AVS2 carb, on an otherwise stock 77,400 with 25K miles on it.
The converter and gear are staying the same.

 

[gtxrt]

Well really I am changing a few things in addition to cam. The only thing that is staying the same are the rear gears and converter. The motor is a low mileage and in perfect shape.
I am also considering how I use this car now. I doubt there will be any stop light to stop light and sure wont be any drag racing. Mostly highway driving speed limit 75 and above. The gears and converter both benefit here.

yes go small cam size, a bigger cam will even feel soft even when cruising trying to lightly accelerate, don't change the converter like you said it will never lock up with 2.45 gears. even the rpm performer might be over kill.

 

[casey henson]

yes go small cam size, a bigger cam will even feel soft even when cruising trying to lightly accelerate, don't change the converter like you said it will never lock up with 2.45 gears. even the rpm performer might be over kill.

yes the RPM intake is overkill. It is just so clean looking though and I dont think it will hurt.

 

[casey henson]

the energizer is a single pattern one is 216-216, 450-450 lift, 272 advertise on a 110 LSA

Yeah I like this one too.
or a comp 268H almost identical
218/218
454/454
110

At first I though these might be too much but the more I think about my intended use I think they will work.