How big is too big for a Cam
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From: Bridgewater,Ma
How big is too big for a Cam 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
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
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.
Originally Posted by EDC
From what I've seen here, most people OVER-CAM their engines...
Ed
Ed
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From: Bridgewater,Ma
Originally Posted by EDC
From what I've seen here, most people OVER-CAM their engines...
Ed
Ed
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From: Dallas
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.
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.
Originally Posted by EDC
From what I've seen here, most people OVER-CAM their engines...
Ed
Ed
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.
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.
Last edited by Cal; Feb 14, 2004 at 01:17 PM.
Originally Posted by Cal
There have been SBC's in the past that ran well at 8000 or even 9000 rpm when built right.
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.
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From: Chicago Heights, IL
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!
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! 
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Originally Posted by 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.
joel
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
Chris
