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Another cam selection thread.

kjalltrac

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I'm having a hard time selecting a solid flat tappet cam. Anyone has any good real life experience they want to share?
My engine feel sluggish after 5000rpm and I have my mind set swaping my hydraulic cam for a solid instead.
Want to get down to 11s at the quarter without nitrous.
This car is 90% weekend driven, no powerbrakes.
Current combo
L2355f stock bore pistons
Edelbrock E-street heads (cleand up and back cut valves)
Headman 1 3/4 headers
3" exhaust
Edelbrock rpm dual plane intake
Quickfuel 850 dp with electric choke
Comp cam hydraulic 284h cam
10.1 comp

8 3/4 with 3.73 gears
Tf727 manual revers pattern
Hughes 3000 stall converter (4000rpm flash)
Ss springs
10/90 front shocks
26" x 9" hoosier slicks
Stock weight 64 belvedere

Best n/a so far 12.24s 108mph 1.74s 60'

I have the trigger on this lunati.

Solid Flat Tappet. Pro Street/bracket race cam with good mid range to high end torque and horse- power. Needs 3200 RPM stall converter, headers, 11:1+ compression ratio and 3.90+ gearing. Rough idle.; Advertised Duration (Int/Exh): 280/288; Duration @ .050 (Int/Exh): 251/259; Gross Valve Lift (Int/Exh): .566"/.586"; LSA/ICL: 110/106; Valve Lash (Int/Exh): .016"/.016"; RPM Range: 2800-7000; Includes
 
That's a big cam and with such I think you'll need a least a single plane and probably more gear like 4:10's. Honestly I think you can go faster with less duration..
 
That's a big cam and with such I think you'll need a least a single plane and probably more gear like 4:10's. Honestly I think you can go faster with less duration..
Thanks for your input.
I think this lunati is somewhat near the mp. 557 cam and not so much bigger than my current cam when lash is subtracted.
If I'm correct, you can add 10 deg of duration when going from a hydraulic to a solid.
 
Someone with a similar setup may post.
Only thing I see is the L2355 pistons have pretty shallow valve reliefs, so you will need to check Piston to valve clearance.
A friend is running a Hughes Engines SEH4652BL cam, 246/252 @ 0.050", 0.573"/0.590" lift with 1.5:1 rockers. It seems pretty healthy?
 
The cam looks like pretty good cam. You are getting at the edge of 1 3/4 headers & dual plane intake. Pay attention to your fuel system, 3/8 minimum fuel line(I prefer 1/2") & real good fuel pump( something like the Mallory 140 or equivalent). Poor fuel delivery makes the motor "nose over" above 5000 RPM. If you are going solid & need to have adjustable rockers, consider going to a 1.6. Also be sure to do a proper piston to valve clearance check.

Should have mentioned good valve springs, good pressure.
 
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That's a big cam and with such I think you'll need a least a single plane and probably more gear like 4:10's. Honestly I think you can go faster with less duration..
i agree with 2quick change the gear and the intake to a single plain and use a 1 in wood spacer. test your valve spring pressure[ week springs float at higher r.p.m's ] then see what e.t. you get . changing to much stuff at one time can get you lost.
 
i agree with 2quick change the gear and the intake to a single plain and use a 1 in wood spacer. test your valve spring pressure[ week springs float at higher r.p.m's ] then see what e.t. you get . changing to much stuff at one time can get you lost.
Already tested 2 sets of springs with no change in et, the engine still feel sluggish after 5000rpm.
Im pretty much done with this hydraulic cam and therfore want to try a solid cam.
Changing to a single plane seems lika a waste due to the fact that the performer rpm should be able to handle rpm above 5000rpm with no problem at all. Seen alot of combos in the 11s and 10s with that intake.
I totaly agree with you that steeper gearing will help my et, but it will not help the fact that the engine still performs bad over 5k.

I really appreciate all the input you all are giving me, maybe I have overlooked something.
But my mind is set on a solid cam and I really want to hear some input on good solid flat tappet cams.
I know many had good luck with the mp 557, but maby there is better suited cams out there for my engine combo.

FYI, cranking pressure with my hydraulic is 175psi.
(Advertised Intake Duration:284
Advertised Exhaust Duration:296
Intake Duration at .050 Inch Lift:240
Exhaust Duration at .050 Inch Lift:246
Intake Valve Lift:0.507
Exhaust Valve Lift:0.51
Lobe Separation:110)
 
The cam looks like pretty good cam. You are getting at the edge of 1 3/4 headers & dual plane intake. Pay attention to your fuel system, 3/8 minimum fuel line(I prefer 1/2") & real good fuel pump( something like the Mallory 140 or equivalent). Poor fuel delivery makes the motor "nose over" above 5000 RPM. If you are going solid & need to have adjustable rockers, consider going to a 1.6. Also be sure to do a proper piston to valve clearance check.
Built a new fuel system last winter, 3/8 lines and 110 edelbrock pump.
Afr and plugs dont show any signs of lean condition.
Got adjustible rockers.
 
What is the AFR at 5000? With your current combo you should not be nosing over at that RPM. IMO a cam change will not solve that problem! Something is wrong....What's the total timing? Was the old cam degreed? Maybe Installed retarded. Is the timing mark on the balancer accurate?
 
What is the AFR at 5000? With your current combo you should not be nosing over at that RPM. IMO a cam change will not solve that problem! Something is wrong....What's the total timing? Was the old cam degreed? Maybe Installed retarded. Is the timing mark on the balancer accurate?
Afr around 12.8
Total timing 35 deg
Old cam degreed
Timing mark I check every now and then. (old damper)
I have a feeling that the lifters don't t keep up.
Tried different preloads as well.
 
Already tested 2 sets of springs with no change in et, the engine still feel sluggish after 5000rpm.
Im pretty much done with this hydraulic cam and therfore want to try a solid cam.
Changing to a single plane seems lika a waste due to the fact that the performer rpm should be able to handle rpm above 5000rpm with no problem at all. Seen alot of combos in the 11s and 10s with that intake.
I totaly agree with you that steeper gearing will help my et, but it will not help the fact that the engine still performs bad over 5k.

I really appreciate all the input you all are giving me, maybe I have overlooked something.
But my mind is set on a solid cam and I really want to hear some input on good solid flat tappet cams.
I know many had good luck with the mp 557, but maby there is better suited cams out there for my engine combo.

FYI, cranking pressure with my hydraulic is 175psi.
(Advertised Intake Duration:284
Advertised Exhaust Duration:296
Intake Duration at .050 Inch Lift:240
Exhaust Duration at .050 Inch Lift:246
Intake Valve Lift:0.507
Exhaust Valve Lift:0.51
Lobe Separation:110)
i ran 11:40's with a hyd cam and only went to 5500 rpms . recenter line your cam and test the valve spring pressure to the cam spec, set timing at 38 deg full advanced
 
What is the AFR at 5000? With your current combo you should not be nosing over at that RPM. IMO a cam change will not solve that problem! Something is wrong....What's the total timing? Was the old cam degreed? Maybe Installed retarded. Is the timing mark on the balancer accurate?
yes what is your fuel pressure and volume that is a big problem some people over look
 
Afr around 12.8
Total timing 35 deg
Old cam degreed
Timing mark I check every now and then. (old damper)
I have a feeling that the lifters don't t keep up.
Tried different preloads as well.
preloads ? on a hyd cam it is 0-lash but snug sounds like valve float.
 
i ran 11:40's with a hyd cam and only went to 5500 rpms . recenter line your cam and test the valve spring pressure to the cam spec, set timing at 38 deg full advanced
Thats awsome, curious on your engine and chassie specs for 11.4s
 
Thats awsome, curious on your engine and chassie specs for 11.4s
see the pic. 1969 road runner 440 10.5 to 1 / .525 -.305 comp cam. single plain intake 850 d/p ran 10 p.s.i fuel at idel and 5-6 top end 11:45 117 mph 4.11 rear gear 3500 stall foot brake 4-wheel drums super stock springs with a snuber 1 in from body 29.5 10.5 mickey 11 to 12 psi 1.54 60 foot
 
Have one custom ground.
I have a custom crower solid flat tappet cam with their EDM lifters.

I’d ditch the dual plane intake as well.

I’m using a Holley street dominator single plane.
 
You can get a custom ground cam for about the same price as over the counter cam from Dwayne Porter. I run one of his sloid flat tappets in my 63 that is 264 & 270 @ .050 with .585 & .592 lift on o 110 LSA and I also use EDM lifters. And I love it in my 440/493 combo. As for ditching the dual plane...…..to me it depends allot on how you use the car. I run the Indy dual plane and I like it since I do mostly street driving and my street car has run 10.70's @ 125 mph. We can all recommend a cam for you and many on here are very good but guys like Dwayne Porter do it everyday for a living and he dyno's the engines to see what works and what does not. You can call Dwayne if you like at 802-951-5074 and just tell him 383man told you to call. He is a very nice guy to work with and he knows cams as good as anyone I know of. I am very happy with the flat tappet solid he speced for my combo. Ron

413957239.jpg
 
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I think what you're planning is almost exactly what Ron (383Man) did with his previous motor. I think it went 11.50s at 116 regularly, or something like that.

Hope he posts.
 
Looks like he beat me by 2 minutes
 
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