Slowhawk

iTrader: (12)

I love all the new Cam's coming out just get bigger and bigger

My question is,how big is too big for a 422 stroker?My #'s keep going up on duration on what I plan on buying.Right now I'm at 246/250 area with .600 lift.

How much Cam can you go with until it just doesn't work within a reasonable rev range?Also keep in mind that stock lifter's and not outragest spring pressures will be used

01_SuperSlow

iTrader: (7)

I think a cam is too big if it is too much trouble to drive around town with it. For some, anything over a 224 duration in a LS1 is too big. For others, its only too big if the valves hit the pistons.

chief455

iTrader: (21)

I've run 271/278 duration at .050 but that was 474 cubes.
Best is talk to cam manufacturers. The grind them - they know why !

Bink

271/278 duration at .050- Very nice numbers
joel

Ed Curtis

From what I've seen here, most people OVER-CAM their engines...

Ed

chief455

iTrader: (21)

I agree. I believe some guys "think" the big dyno numbers they get are from a great cam pick - but if analyzed might find a smaller duration or lift might be better

marco383

I'm running a 236/242, .610 lift, 112 LSA in a 427 and I'd call it marginal as a street cam. The power is great, but even at 1000 rpm, the idle hunts and there is an occasional stumble.

Slowhawk

iTrader: (12)

That's why I'll be seeing you when the choice come closer to ordering

kumar75150

I dont really know if you can overcam an LS1 right now.

Some of the biggest numbers I have seen are from huge cams, especially on heads/cam packages. The one main exception I can think of is Cartek and even they are starting to use bigger cams in their newer setups.

Unusual T/A

I have a huge cam but its not quite big enough. 232/240 here.

critter

iTrader: (9)

I assume you mean something like "based on best power for the application" or something like that. That is how I would do it. A strip only car can have more cam that a steet/strip car, which can have more cam than a grocery getter. The thing that boggles me is the guys you see on here buying a cam for sound. Reminds me of the kid whose dad bought him a new 57 Chevy for graduation. He pulled a plug wire off trying to make it sound like it had a hot cam at the local drivein. Of course he washed the cylinder and trashed the engine before it actually was broken in

dug

iTrader: (10)

Overcamming is bullshit. Overcamming means the cam makes peak torque after the engines redline.

Cal

iTrader: (1)

The bigger the cam, the more power you can make, but at higher rpm than before. Running higher rpm is the only way you can consume more fuel to make more power, assuming NA on gas. But at some point you exceed the rpm that a stock low end can withstand; I think that is somewhere around 7000 rpm. I think something in between 230 and 240 degrees is optimum for a stock shortblock.

But with forged rods and pistons, ARP rod bolts, you should be able to exceed 7000 rpm and make use of a 270 duration cam. There have been SBC's in the past that ran well at 8000 or even 9000 rpm when built right.

The other thing you can do is stay with a medium sized cam and run forced induction at a lower rpm.

critter

iTrader: (9)

Yeah. I know a guy with a tube frame 3rd gen Firebird with 262 CI SBC. Runs E/A. He launches at 12000 and shifts at 11000. Got a Liberty in it I think. Hell, I worked on a 55 out of Blair's in Pasadena back in the 60's that ran like D/G with a small SBC. They launched and shifted at 10000 with a T-10 or Muncie.

Time2Kill

iTrader: (49)

i'm running a 240/244 .608/.612 112 lsa cam in my 409. Makes peak power (444.5hp) at 6200rpm on a mustang dyno. On a different mustang dyno, it did 445 at 6000rpm. and peak torque at 4750 rpm. Idles pretty good. Takes about 30 seconds to find idle on a cold start, other than that it normally idles just fine at 950rpm even with the huge lope. Drives perfectly fine in any gear at 1200rpms and up. I really wished I would of went with a tad bigger cam. Something more like what you wanted.

kumar75150

I dont think I have ever heard someone say: "I wish I had gone with a smaller cam."

Bink

Constrictor 98TA

Whats too big? 360/360! I am still in amazement that we can just keep increasing the durations on these cams and keep making power. Its like a new revelation or something, why didnt people think of this earlier!

Bink

You can eliminate this with Edit/tuning.
joel

Cstraub

iTrader: (1)

I've have designed and sold cams smaller then what was in the motor and picked up power, big power. As the heads get better and better the cams should get smaller. A hydraulic lifter is not designed for sustained rpm and although it will get to 7000 rpm and beyond, when if blows you will have nothing left. If rpm is what you want then you need to go solid roller stuff.

Chris