cam "sounds" / idle
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 74
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From: Reno, NV
cam "sounds" / idle hey!
this may seem like I am not thinking things through properly, but I do have good reasons...
I'm looking for a cam for 350 chevy that will be the most radical, rough-idle, meanest sounding cam made. (that will still run on the street)
I like to go way "overboard" with everything, for example, I like loud, so I am going with headers, going right to a 1' long pipe, into 1-chamber flowmasters, then turndown to the ground. I've had discussions with people before regarding "loud" and they say 2-chambers are loud, to me, 2-chambers sound good, but not loud enough. so with all my babbling, I am getting at is:
when I say "rough idle" and mean sounding, I don't want a performance street sound, I want it to sound like a out-and-out drag car...
forgive my ignorance, but how can I learn what cam will fit this bill!!!!?????
thanks in advance for any help!!!!
this may seem like I am not thinking things through properly, but I do have good reasons...
I'm looking for a cam for 350 chevy that will be the most radical, rough-idle, meanest sounding cam made. (that will still run on the street)
I like to go way "overboard" with everything, for example, I like loud, so I am going with headers, going right to a 1' long pipe, into 1-chamber flowmasters, then turndown to the ground. I've had discussions with people before regarding "loud" and they say 2-chambers are loud, to me, 2-chambers sound good, but not loud enough. so with all my babbling, I am getting at is:
when I say "rough idle" and mean sounding, I don't want a performance street sound, I want it to sound like a out-and-out drag car...
forgive my ignorance, but how can I learn what cam will fit this bill!!!!?????
thanks in advance for any help!!!!
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Midland. Texas
The biggest cam i would recommend for a stock 350 is a 480 lift, and if its vortech heads even less! Decent manifold, headers and 750 holley! But u have to understand that if u want to go real big, theres alot more stuff to be involved! Get rid of the flowmasters and just run some bullets! Anyways u cant shove a 600 plus lift in a stock 350, theres a lot more involved!
lurch
lurch
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
From: Reno, NV
Originally Posted by Lurch84
The biggest cam i would recommend for a stock 350 is a 480 lift, and if its vortech heads even less! Decent manifold, headers and 750 holley! But u have to understand that if u want to go real big, theres alot more stuff to be involved! Get rid of the flowmasters and just run some bullets! Anyways u cant shove a 600 plus lift in a stock 350, theres a lot more involved!
lurch
lurch
now, about the mufflers, do tell...
as far as my experience has gone, the flowmasters are the "deepest" sounding mufflers I've heard, is there something comparable in "loudness" to the 1-chamber flow, that would be "deeper" sounding?????thanks!!!
Mufflers...
-Dynomax Bullets
-Sweet Thunder Chambered
-Moroso Spiral Flow
If you want some idea of the sound go to www.ls1sounds.com and check them out. Granted 99% of the clips there are LS1 but at least you'll get the idea.
As for cams, I've had some friends with Gen I SBCs that ran the Lunati Bracket Master cams. They sounded pretty damn mean. Especially through open exhaust. Comp makes some nasty sounding cams as well.
-Dynomax Bullets
-Sweet Thunder Chambered
-Moroso Spiral Flow
If you want some idea of the sound go to www.ls1sounds.com and check them out. Granted 99% of the clips there are LS1 but at least you'll get the idea.
As for cams, I've had some friends with Gen I SBCs that ran the Lunati Bracket Master cams. They sounded pretty damn mean. Especially through open exhaust. Comp makes some nasty sounding cams as well.
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Midland. Texas
Yeah i run a lunati bracket master 480 lift! Is lopey! But iam really takin a liking to comp cams! They are a top flight group there! Well 480 is about the max with stock head, u can do a little here and there and get a little more! But ultimetly it would be better to get some machine work done or even better get some afr s! Get all ur motor specs, call comp cams and see what they recommend! What kinda cam are u runnin right now! One other important thing is if ur runnin power brakes, dont forget to get a canister or pump otherwise after cam install u wont have much for brakes and sometimes it does get scary!
Flowmaster r good if u wanna sound "good", if u wanna sound mean and get alot better flow choose something above! Spiral flows are pretty ****** loud, friend of mine has them on his 454 and u cant hear my flowshitties when he gets on it! Sadly enough flowshitties are the worst muffler on the market, and i let a friend talk me into gettin them! Wasted money!
If u wanna keep ur stock heads and free up some power and get some lope get same cam i have! Just depends on how much money u have or how much room is left on that mastercharge!
By the way they dont produce my cam anymore, the only .480 they have now is mechanical mine is hydraulic! I think they have a .485 thou! I would go with comp cams thou, give them a ring! Reason why is several of me and my buddies have tried lunati i know of three of them that lost lobes rather quikly, mine just happens to be one that made it! Guess it was all that wasted assembly lube!
lurch
Flowmaster r good if u wanna sound "good", if u wanna sound mean and get alot better flow choose something above! Spiral flows are pretty ****** loud, friend of mine has them on his 454 and u cant hear my flowshitties when he gets on it! Sadly enough flowshitties are the worst muffler on the market, and i let a friend talk me into gettin them! Wasted money!
If u wanna keep ur stock heads and free up some power and get some lope get same cam i have! Just depends on how much money u have or how much room is left on that mastercharge!
By the way they dont produce my cam anymore, the only .480 they have now is mechanical mine is hydraulic! I think they have a .485 thou! I would go with comp cams thou, give them a ring! Reason why is several of me and my buddies have tried lunati i know of three of them that lost lobes rather quikly, mine just happens to be one that made it! Guess it was all that wasted assembly lube!
lurch
Last edited by Lurch84; Nov 18, 2005 at 03:34 PM.
It's is likely the most radical cam will not the best performing cam for your engine combo. But if your more interested in the sound rather than getting the most performance from the engine, than I solute you. 
I too love the sound of a radical cam. Remember, the larger the exhaust pipe the louder it will be. I had 3.5 pipe with 2 chamber delta 40's and dumps, but had to change. Tooooo loud! 
lol
I too love the sound of a radical cam. Remember, the larger the exhaust pipe the louder it will be. I had 3.5 pipe with 2 chamber delta 40's and dumps, but had to change. Tooooo loud! lol 
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 676
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From: In a cave
I would have to say go with a hydraulic cam if you want it to sound better. But if you want it to sound like an all-out drag car, I would consider just doing a roller set-up. Good luck with it.
As for lunati, i heard the cams are pretty good but not to go with the lifters they recommend for the cams or any of the lifters in particular. I was told the lifters push on the lobes and just start to tear them up.
Just my 2 cents
As for lunati, i heard the cams are pretty good but not to go with the lifters they recommend for the cams or any of the lifters in particular. I was told the lifters push on the lobes and just start to tear them up.
Just my 2 cents
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Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
From: Reno, NV
Originally Posted by Firechikn
It's is likely the most radical cam will not the best performing cam for your engine combo. But if your more interested in the sound rather than getting the most performance from the engine, than I solute you. I too love the sound of a radical cam. Remember, the larger the exhaust pipe the louder it will be. I had 3.5 pipe with 2 chamber delta 40's and dumps, but had to change. Tooooo loud! lol
I too love the sound of a radical cam. Remember, the larger the exhaust pipe the louder it will be. I had 3.5 pipe with 2 chamber delta 40's and dumps, but had to change. Tooooo loud! lolMy biggest fear is to go to the work of a cam change, and have noone be able to notice that it's a perf. cam.
now, on the mufflers, I was gonna come from the headers into like a 3.5" pipe, for about 1 or 2 feet, then one chamber flowmasters, (I really like the flowmaster tone) but I am stuck, trying to decide, I think 2-chambers are probably a bit "deeper" sounding, but the 1-chambers are louder, and I want loud... so I'm stuck!!!! you would happen to have a sound clip of that setup you described???
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Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 74
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From: Reno, NV
I'm reading the specs, and I see lot of talk bout lift/duration, but nothing on lobe separation, does anyone know if the lobe separation affects the idle sound? (I would think it would) and secondly, is a lower number like 108 better or higher like 110 or 112????? (by "better" I mean lopey idle.)
Sorry no sound clip. The 3.5 pipe and 2 chambers I had were on a big block, but I think the general sound volume would be the same. To me it was too loud, but not at idle, whick I could listen to open headers, but at driving speed. The exhaust resonated so much it was difficult to talk in the car while driving. I would think the 1 chambers would be more like staight pipe. Maybe someone has some that could chime in? As far as the lobe seperation, I don't know if it affects the sound. I'm not fimiliar enough with small block cams to know what is radical and what sounds stock. Hope this helps.
I am currently buying up parts for my 350 build and am going with the comp xtreme energy 274H. The cam is .487/.490, 230/236 on a 110 LSA with 1.5 rockers but i'm going to run 1.6s so it will push it to around .519/.522. I am going to run vortec heads with upgraded springs, screw in studs, and guide plates. I've heard this cam in person and it sounded pretty agressive through an 80 series crossflowmuffler on a second gen camaro, but I will run the single chambers dumped with an h-pipe so I know it will sound nasty. I have a sound clip of a similar built 350 with the comp xe 268 cam with 2 chamber flows. If your going to run 10.5:1 compression you would have enough compression for the comp xtreme energy 284H comp cam. What heads are you going to use? Keep in mind that a big cam will kill your low end torque as well as your engine vacuum. Do you have power brakes? A big cam will affect your stopping ability greatly if enough vacuum isn't produced. You could get a vacuum pump for that though. Also, to get the power out of a big cam you will have to spin the motor pretty high. Will you be running a 4-speed or an automatic? If you have an automatic, you'll have to run a big stall, 3500-4000 and that wouldn't be fun on the street. With the 4 speed you wouldn't have any problems, just make sure you have a low enough gear, preferably 3.73s or 4.10s. If you don't have a low gear, you will get cam surge at low rpms. To answer your LSA question, a cam ground on a 108 LSA will have a more agressive idle than one ground on a 112 LSA for instance. Hope this helps. 
sound clip
sound clip
Last edited by 67SS&99Z28; Nov 29, 2005 at 09:01 PM.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
From: Reno, NV
thanks 67SS&99Z28, that is very helful info!
so for example, the comp cam: CS 270AH-8 might be good for a lopey idle, and decent performance!? it has a lobe separation of 108.
Now about the other stuff I'm planning on going with 4.10's and maybe a 70r4 to keep some freeway ability, I didnt really think about the stall converter thou. what would the negative effect be of not going with the stall????
thanks again for all the info!!!
so for example, the comp cam: CS 270AH-8 might be good for a lopey idle, and decent performance!? it has a lobe separation of 108.
Now about the other stuff I'm planning on going with 4.10's and maybe a 70r4 to keep some freeway ability, I didnt really think about the stall converter thou. what would the negative effect be of not going with the stall????
thanks again for all the info!!!
are you going for performance or sound? If your going for just a badass sounding car, i would run some flowmaster 40 series, their loud and great sounding. We have a 78 firebird with a 305 with headers, aluminum intake,650 cfm carb, and comp cams 292 cam. It has about .501 lift and sounds great! no one believes it when i say its just a turd 305.
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From: In a cave
Originally Posted by bill9000
thanks 67SS&99Z28, that is very helful info!
so for example, the comp cam: CS 270AH-8 might be good for a lopey idle, and decent performance!? it has a lobe separation of 108.
Now about the other stuff I'm planning on going with 4.10's and maybe a 70r4 to keep some freeway ability, I didnt really think about the stall converter thou. what would the negative effect be of not going with the stall????
thanks again for all the info!!!
so for example, the comp cam: CS 270AH-8 might be good for a lopey idle, and decent performance!? it has a lobe separation of 108.
Now about the other stuff I'm planning on going with 4.10's and maybe a 70r4 to keep some freeway ability, I didnt really think about the stall converter thou. what would the negative effect be of not going with the stall????
thanks again for all the info!!!
The crappy part about my converter is that it's real loose from a dead stop, let's say at a stop sign or stop light. Then it gets going after the stall point. Other than that, it's pretty cool.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
From: Reno, NV
Originally Posted by Camaro396
are you going for performance or sound? If your going for just a badass sounding car, i would run some flowmaster 40 series, their loud and great sounding. We have a 78 firebird with a 305 with headers, aluminum intake,650 cfm carb, and comp cams 292 cam. It has about .501 lift and sounds great! no one believes it when i say its just a turd 305.
I built a 350 several years ago, and trused someone who told me a certain cam to buy, because I wanted the "parking lot sound effects" and the cam I ended up with had a 114 lobe separation, and sounded 100% STOCK!!!! I was so angry, but only at myself for not doing my homework.
now after learning those lessions, I'm doing things a bit different. However, the one thing about me (be it dumb or not) I like everything to an "extreme" for example, when I like loud car, I mean loud, open headers don't bother me... but for the street I'm planning on 1 chamber 10 series flowmasters, my father has a 427 big block with 40 series, and 2.5" pipe, and it's WAY too quiet for my taste, although it sounds really healthy and nice, jsut not enough "volume"!!!
so in my looking for a cam here, I want one that lopes so much it'll sound like it's a drag car, but I don't necessarily need the radical performance, just want it to run decent. I'm just having a very difficult time figuring out precisely which cam that might be.
you have a comp 292, would you happen to have a sound clip of that! I actually have the very same car, 'cept a 350!!!!
I really dont mean to sound immature in wanting the sound effects, and I do appreciate eveyrone's help!!!!
if someone can tell me how to get a soundclip on the net id be happy to do it. as of right now im computer stupid and have no idea how to do that. but it does sound good with the flowmasters and sounds even better with open headers, im the same way, half the time i drive my big block car on the street with open headers, cops are pretty cool with the muscle guys here as long as nothing stupid is beeing done, so theres not many worrys, and it gets alot of good attention.
Originally Posted by bill9000
thanks 67SS&99Z28, that is very helful info!
so for example, the comp cam: CS 270AH-8 might be good for a lopey idle, and decent performance!? it has a lobe separation of 108.
Now about the other stuff I'm planning on going with 4.10's and maybe a 70r4 to keep some freeway ability, I didnt really think about the stall converter thou. what would the negative effect be of not going with the stall????
thanks again for all the info!!!
so for example, the comp cam: CS 270AH-8 might be good for a lopey idle, and decent performance!? it has a lobe separation of 108.
Now about the other stuff I'm planning on going with 4.10's and maybe a 70r4 to keep some freeway ability, I didnt really think about the stall converter thou. what would the negative effect be of not going with the stall????
thanks again for all the info!!!
