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Cam Selection

Dstan

Dstan

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I recently spun a few bearing in my 440. I picked up most of a used 383 from a guy about a month ago and I'm now purchasing all the parts to put it together. The bottom end is all together, looks good, and turns over smoothly. I am about to purchase a cam to put in it and I was hoping to get some suggestions from you guys since this is my first car and I don't know everything about cams.
Here are the specs and the cams that I am considering right now.
Vehicle: 1989 D100 Will see maybe 1000 miles a year as it's mainly a toy
Block: 1968 383 bored 30 over
Pistons: Flat top @ zero deck NO valve relifs
Head Gaskets: Steel .020 crush
Heads:1968 250 casting code. Have 2.14/1.81 valves installed and are not shaved.Will be home ported
Intake: Torker 383 with gasket match porting
Carb: Holley 4160 750cfm Vacuum secondary
Gearing: 3.55 posi 9.25"
Stall: 3000 B&M Holeshot in a 727
Weight: About 3800 with me in it
I plan to rev it no higher than 6000
I need something that will give me good power, but not have too large a lift at 50 and cause a piston to strike a valve.
I'll attach the ones I am currently looking at.
Thank you for any suggestions.

Cam_Options.JPG
 
Dstan said:
I recently spun a few bearing in my 440. I picked up most of a used 383 from a guy about a month ago and I'm now purchasing all the parts to put it together. The bottom end is all together, looks good, and turns over smoothly. I am about to purchase a cam to put in it and I was hoping to get some suggestions from you guys since this is my first car and I don't know everything about cams.
Here are the specs and the cams that I am considering right now.
Vehicle: 1989 D100 Will see maybe 1000 miles a year as it's mainly a toy
Block: 1968 383 bored 30 over
Pistons: Flat top @ zero deck NO valve relifs
Head Gaskets: Steel .020 crush
Heads:1968 250 casting code. Have 2.14/1.81 valves installed and are not shaved.Will be home ported
Intake: Torker 383 with gasket match porting
Carb: Holley 4160 750cfm Vacuum secondary
Gearing: 3.55 posi 9.25"
Stall: 3000 B&M Holeshot in a 727
Weight: About 3800 with me in it
I plan to rev it no higher than 6000
I need something that will give me good power, but not have too large a lift at 50 and cause a piston to strike a valve.
I'll attach the ones I am currently looking at.
Thank you for any suggestions.

View attachment 563530
Click to expand...

I had the Crower Compu-Pro 271/284 #32242 in my 383 built alot like yours. It would be OK. Use the dual valve springs or rev-limiter as I over reved my engine with the single valve springs and bent a few valves.
Take a look at the Luniti Voodoo #10230703LK. 226/234 @ 0.050".
http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=2337&gid=362
 
451Mopar said:
I had the Crower Compu-Pro 271/284 #32242 in my 383 built alot like yours. It would be OK. Use the dual valve springs or rev-limiter as I over reved my engine with the single valve springs and bent a few valves.
Take a look at the Luniti Voodoo #10230703LK. 226/234 @ 0.050".
http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=2337&gid=362
Click to expand...

I had actually looked at that one as well, but didn't write it down as it's a 3 bolt style and I already have a single bolt timing chain. If I find a good 3 bolt I wouldn't be opposed to buying another timing chain though.
Also forgot to mention that the springs on the heads are rated for up to 600 lift.
 
Those heads are going to be limiting flow, even with a home port job.
 
The Crower cam just did not impress me in the 383, but I also did not degree it when I installed it so maybe it was a bit off.
I think the 110 LSA would be better than the 112 LSA, in the 383.
If you don't mind the cost difference, the Hughes Engines cams make great power.
 
451Mopar said:
The Crower cam just did not impress me in the 383, but I also did not degree it when I installed it so maybe it was a bit off.
I think the 110 LSA would be better than the 112 LSA, in the 383.
If you don't mind the cost difference, the Hughes Engines cams make great power.
Click to expand...

As long as I can get it with the lifter kit for about $250 or less the price isn't a huge deal. The cam is definitely not somewhere I want to try and cut costs.
 
exactly which pistons and how can you get away with no valve reliefs?
Isky tool may be your friend
you may want to consider wide lca or late opening early closing- little overlap
you're scaring me
CROWER
Used to sell a bunch of Crower
the Catalog mixes chevy .842 masters with Chrysler only masters- BVVC
I did one that was 218@50 with .525 lift- get a copy of their master grind sheet
I think one of those you mentioned is really long for the lift- and CROWER did not used to use .006 but I don't remember
I know ISKY and ENGLE do not
aside from that the quality is good (but has not been always- true with most) some of the grinds are really old I DK about new R&D
IDK NEW Howards I knew OLD Southern Calif Howards- hard on the valvetrain
 
wyrmrider said:
exactly which pistons and how can you get away with no valve reliefs?
Isky tool may be your friend
you may want to consider wide lca or late opening early closing- little overlap
you're scaring me
CROWER
Used to sell a bunch of Crower
the Catalog mixes chevy .842 masters with Chrysler only masters- BVVC
I did one that was 218@50 with .525 lift- get a copy of their master grind sheet
I think one of those you mentioned is really long for the lift- and CROWER did not used to use .006 but I don't remember
I know ISKY and ENGLE do not
aside from that the quality is good (but has not been always- true with most) some of the grinds are really old I DK about new R&D
IDK NEW Howards I knew OLD Southern Calif Howards- hard on the valvetrain
Click to expand...

The pistons have been in the block for about 10 years according to the previous owner. I will have to get you the number off of the piston tops, but I believe they are probably sealed power slugs. I will try to get a hold of him again and see if I can get the specs of the cam that he ran when it was in his road runner.

Edit: He says he was running a 300 duration and 528 lift cam in it before. I may give up a little compression and use thicker gaskets if I need to.
 
Last edited:
Wait! I’m not the go to guy on big block heads but doesn’t this alarm anyone?

A zero deck slug with a .020 head gasket?
No clearance issues there?

Also no valve reliefs for extra valve lift is of no concern?

Just wondering......
 
The Summit 6401 is probably the best choice for your money.
Break in oil and oil with ZINC in it.
 
just a reminder
do NOT add Zinc to SN OIL
use a Calcium based EP additive instead
or get a break in oil
you could clay or measure the clearance you have now at TDC B4 buying a cam
did you say what you think the compression will be?
Torquer?
big tires?
 
wyrmrider said:
just a reminder
do NOT add Zinc to SN OIL
use a Calcium based EP additive instead
or get a break in oil
you could clay or measure the clearance you have now at TDC B4 buying a cam
did you say what you think the compression will be?
Torquer?
big tires?
Click to expand...

How do I measure the clearance without a cam?
Compression should be about 9.5 to one give or take .1
Tires are 275/60/15 at 29" tall
 
OK so no monster tires and reasonable gears
just set the heads on the block with valves in "1 with some light springs or held up with a rubber band
let them drop down on the piston at tdc and measure with a machinist rule
I'm not familiar with that casting number
early true wedge? They work OK ported- just watch the short side- no more than a clean up
When you put in the big valves did they open the bowls with a 70 degree cutter so you just have to blend or do you have a lot of dust to make?
 
wyrmrider said:
OK so no monster tires and reasonable gears
just set the heads on the block with valves in "1 with some light springs or held up with a rubber band
let them drop down on the piston at tdc and measure with a machinist rule
I'm not familiar with that casting number
early true wedge? They work OK ported- just watch the short side- no more than a clean up
When you put in the big valves did they open the bowls with a 70 degree cutter so you just have to blend or do you have a lot of dust to make?
Click to expand...

All the head work was done when I got them. I was told they had no port work done, but they do have hardened seats. They are assembled right now, so I would need to get a tool to pull the springs.
The 250 casting numbers were only on 1968 383's and I can't find much more than that online.
 
well you can find some cam, any cam and stack on several head gaskets with some clay and roll the engine over slowly with no head bolts and repeat removing one gasket at at time, watching the pattern in the clay
I do not see how they got 0 deck with the usual cast pistons but then were not some 383 HP motors with positive deck?
 
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