Camshaft brand selection

[73challenger]

Hello.
This is my first post...I have a 440, about 15+plus years ago I installed a comp extreme cam xe274H.. I bought my car with an installed 3000stall converter, previous owner had a 3500 stall but said it. Was to much.. with that in my memory I selected the xe274. Well. That didn't go well I bent I think it was 4 push rods..I don't know if that cam was to big, or perhaps I made a error on the install.. but it's been some time and and I want to replace the cam and lifters, but I want a trusted brand that some of you guys may have used. I would like to get the 214/222 dur 444/466 lift... the added pic is when my dad painted it. Drove it less than 100 miles since. I got it my senior year of high school

 

[Jerry Hall]

The cam specs you posted, should not have caused any unnecessary strain on a stock valve train. I have heard so many horror stories about Comp cams, that I chose a Lunati for my 383 build, but have yet to fire the engine.

 

[lewtot184]

The specs you posted are like a summit 6400. That cam is nearly the same as a stock magnum cam. It will idle very smooth, good vacuum and could use stock magnum valve springs and rockers.

 

[Don67Satellite]

Comp gets dragged through the mud a lot these days. However, if you go flat tappet, brand will not matter if you do not 100% follow proper break in procedures. Make sure you know what you are doing.

Nice looking car BTW, maybe introduce yourself with some photos of it in the Welcome Wagon!

 

[4speed68rt]

Bent pushrods probably means valves hitting pistons. Check the timing chain for too much stretch and maybe try some thicker head gaskets. Not the cams fault. The cam that you have is probably a good cam for that car. Something else is going on. Flat top pistons with no valve relief can only take about .480 lift or so.(maybe less) If the heads are milled a little that all adds up. Some things to think about, depending on what your engine has in it.

 

[73challenger]

When I bought the car, the owner said the engine was built locally to give them a call, to find out what was done to the engine, I was young didn't bother to do so as the engine was done several years prior, I didn't think the builder would beable to recall. But now I know there are records kept.. I am going to put a cam that has less than 470 lift, and try to get a hold of some light springs for cam breakin. I am going to be very careful this time around,..

 

[BSB67]

Do I understand correctly, you installed the 274 Comp cam and bent the push rods over 15 years ago?

Probably need to determine exactly what caused the bent push rods.

 

[73challenger]

Do I understand correctly, you installed the 274 Comp cam and bent the push rods over 15 years ago?

Probably need to determine exactly what caused the bent push rods.

That's correct.. I am sure when I tear into it I will know a lot more.... I was thinking the cam I put in had a bit to much lift.. just speculation.

 

[Geoff 2]

Several things can cause bent prods. You need to find out the cause before installing another cam. Also, the cam actually be ok, as it looks like the prods were the circuit breaker.

Causes of bent prods: coil bind, insufficient retainer to guide clearance, soft/broken valve springs that allow lifter pump up, excessive rpm/missed shift [ causes pump up ].

The 274 is a mild cam & I do not see a problem with valve to piston contact unless a lifter pumped up.

 

[73challenger]

Wish I knew what caused it, I been thinking could it be possible those bent pushrods be caused by not seating them in the lifter bore? I remember having a difficult time keeping the pushrods on the rockers cause it's all one assembly, seemed like I get a few on and one would pop out. It's been a long time since I done this..I heard to keep it under 470 lift, the cam I put In is .488/.491 I would think if the lift was to high then all should be bent.... I am so determined to get on it, but its 25 degrees out, and my body is saying no..
When I bought the car the owner stated it was rebuilt engine had approximately 3,500 miles on it, I know I put about a 1,000 before my Dad painted it, and maybe 100 after that.

 

[lewtot184]

It's possible coil bind bent them , but it may be more likely they were bent when the rockers and shaft were installed.

 

[moparedtn]

With any cam, proper pushrod length should be determined and then utilized.

 

[Darter6]

I ran a Chrysler .509 cam in a 69 Charger R/T with stock rockers/valve springs with no issues.
You will need to pull the heads to see just what is going on.
Another little tip is a straightened out coat hanger or even use the dip stick to keep the pushrods aligned while installing the rocker assembly.

 

[33 IMP]

If I were to make a guess....
That cam is mild enough, you should not have had a problem. Since you did, you need to find a cause.
I would look at the timing chain carefully. If the cam is off one tooth, that could cause valve to piston interference.
Did you bend all intake pushrods, exhaust, or a mix?

 

[73challenger]

I don't exactly recall which ones, but I am willing to bet it was both exhaust and intake, now that I am thinking about it. It could possibly be off a tooth, I put on a new timing chain and gear.. I remember it took a bit to get started and when it did it sounded sick. Got some back fires and I shut it down..

 

[dbc105]

I ran a Chrysler .509 cam in a 69 Charger R/T with stock rockers/valve springs with no issues.
You will need to pull the heads to see just what is going on.
Another little tip is a straightened out coat hanger or even use the dip stick to keep the pushrods aligned while installing the rocker assembly.

You dip stick will work perfect for this.

 

[dbc105]

I've seen people run .500 lift without an issue on no relief flat tops but it does have to be in time. The Crower 271HDP was one of the most popular cams to run in a stock or near stock BBM and the lifts are both aproaching .500 and I've never heard of anyone bending a push rod due to a valve hitting a piston. Cam timing may well be an issue here.
Good luck with it. Let us know what you find.

 

[threewood]

Lunati and Hughes are two that I would consider. Comp Cams rep has fallen hard enough that I won't consider them for a build.

 

[33 IMP]

But comp owns Lunati, and edelbrock owns both comp and Lunati. (I do like lunati's voodoo grinds, hope comp doesn't mess em up!)

 

[73challenger]

I talked to howards, I was directed to go through there website and submit my engine info.. waiting to hear back.. I am willing to bet timing could be part of the problem, cause I know I was trying to get the dots lined up, perfectly, I may have failed at that as well. But I am going HR.. I just dont want to worry about going through this and having the risk of a cam going bad during breakin.... looking back at this, I made alot of mistakes.. I won't repeat.