cam selection for my stroker!

[MikeyT]

Hi guys

I am wondering what would be a good street strip cam for my new stroker build 508 CI total with 9.9:1 compression, 440source heads, Eddy RPM dual plane intake, 1 7/8" TTI headers with cut outs 1.6 Crane gold rockers. Car has power brakes and steering

3800 lb road runner with 4.10 gears and 727 with PTC 9.5 3600 stall converter.

Thanks guys!

Mike

 

[radical rob]

try extreme energy comp cam 23-7111-9

 

[Meep-Meep]

The gears and converter suggest something that will run toward the top end.

 

[Kern Dog]

The Comp Cams XE284 is a great cam. I'm not sure of the limits of valve lift with the Stealth heads though. Edelbrock heads are supposed to clear .600 lift with the stock springs and oil seals. The 1.6 rockers may limit you. Hughes makes quality cams but they seem to be high on lift compared to the duration. Your 1.6 ratio would stop you from using their cams that make the most top end.
All cam companies are capable of making a custom grind.
I have the Lunati 316/326 Solid flat tappet in my 493, 10.07 CR, Ported Edelbrock head, edelbrock RPM intake, 2" TTI header mill. The Lunati has 261/271 degree @ .050 INT/EXH with .556/.578 lift with my 1.6 rocker arms, 108 LSA installed at 4 degree advanced. The cam seems roudy on paper but the car makes power at all rpm ranges and does NOT detonate.

 

[Garys1969RR]

IQ 52 has had good results with the XE 285 HL. But he likes to use the solid lifters on it with .005" hot valve lash. I have been considering this one for my 451. Currently using the 509 cam, which has 292 in/ex duration at .509 lift. The 285 has 285/297 int/ex duration. I think this one would work for you. Good flowing heads are always the highest priority no matter what cam you have.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh yea, the 285 has .545" lift, int/ex

 

[Propwash]

Do you plan on using vacuum for power brakes, or installing a pump and/or canister?

 

[Kern Dog]

IQ 52 has had good results with the XE 285 HL. But he likes to use the solid lifters on it with .005" hot valve lash. I have been considering this one for my 451. Currently using the 509 cam, which has 292 in/ex duration at .509 lift. The 285 has 285/297 int/ex duration. I think this one would work for you. Good flowing heads are always the highest priority no matter what cam you have.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh yea, the 285 has .545" lift, int/ex

I ran 2 of those cams back when there was a huge rash of cam and lifter failures! Great power until they crapped out. I didn't mention this one only because he already has 1.6 rockers and I wasn't sure of the lift being too much or not.

 

[MT_Mopar]

IQ 52 has had good results with the XE 285 HL. But he likes to use the solid lifters on it with .005" hot valve lash. I have been considering this one for my 451. Currently using the 509 cam, which has 292 in/ex duration at .509 lift. The 285 has 285/297 int/ex duration. I think this one would work for you. Good flowing heads are always the highest priority no matter what cam you have.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh yea, the 285 has .545" lift, int/ex

I ran 2 of those cams back when there was a huge rash of cam and lifter failures! Great power until they crapped out. I didn't mention this one only because he already has 1.6 rockers and I wasn't sure of the lift being too much or not.

What was the main root cause of the "huge rash of cam and lifter failures"

A certain combination of cam and lifter?
Improper application of components?
Manufacturing specs?

Didn't want to side track the thread, just trying to understand.

 

[Kern Dog]

Last year I talked with reputed head porting and camshaft guru Dwayne Porter. He said that several years ago when the American car companies still used flat tappet cams, there were plenty of companies making hydraulic lifters HERE in America. Once the OEMs went to roller lifters, the majority of the companies making lifters went out of business and sold their tooling to offshore companies. These NON American companies used inferior materials that had a high failure rate.
In short, it took a few years of dealing with the crappy lifters to motivate the big cam companies to demand better lifters from their suppliers. Since the early to mid 2000s when the cam failures became so common, there has been a lot of helpful info come to light. Better oil, better camshaft break-in procedures, closer attention to valvespring pressures.....It all helps improve your chances. There are both solid and hydraulic lifters now that have small holes drilled in them with lasers to shoot oil directly onto the cam lobes.

 

[451Mopar]

Flat tappet or roller?
Hydraulic or Solid?
What size carb?

If this is more for race than street, I would go with a solid roller cam with street lobes, with 0.050 duration around 250ish. I think that is about as large you can go and still have decent vacuum. You can go larger on the cam if you get a vacuum canister, or pump for the brakes (but the heads may need some work for the larger cam too.)

For a street car, you can still run a good sized cam because of your stroker engine size, converter and gear ratio.
The Comp Cams XE285HL, 285/297 advertised, 241/247 @ 0.050", 0.545"/0.545" lift or the
Lunati Voodoo 10230705LK, 284/292 advertised, 242/252 @ 0.050", 0.533"/0.552" lift would work good for a flat tappet hydraulic cam.

 

[Kern Dog]

I did like the Comp 285. I HAD a 'MP 509 in the 493 and while it made decent power, the Comp 285 made more while idling better. My power brakes were still marginal with either cam.
Currently I am running a vacuum pump. The cam I have now is still too much for me and I'd never suggest it for a street engine. Its a Lunati Solid 316/326. It was suggested as a means to make the 11.0 compression liveable on pump gas. It did not accomplish that goal, I had to lower the compression to get there. I may swap a 285 back in this summer.