Cascade Crew

83Z28BlackBetty · Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 11:37 pm Post subject: bump stick

So yeah, i am a total n00b when it comes to cams. I have read the write up on summit a few times and am beginning to figure things out.

I am wondering if anyone has an old cam lying around that would be an upgrade from my pretty much flat stick i have now. I honestly have no idea what is in my motor right now but it lacks balls for a 350, Dewey can attest to that.

I figure i will spend some serious money on heads and cam eventually, but that is way out due to school, so if anyone has something they aren't using let me know!

~JAKE

rjmcgee · The Hammer Joined: 08 Jan 2004 Posts: 2328

Kind of risky to reuse some body's used flat tapet cam Jake.

Schultzy89GTA · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 8:40 am Post subject:

What, realistically, are you wanting the car to do? If you post that up I am sure you will get some good recommendations. A flat tappet cam/lifter setup brand new is not very expensive (~3-4 tanks of gas Wink

).

-Schultzy

blue89 · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 8:49 am Post subject:

Is it difficult to convert a flat tappet 350 to roller? I just looked at my tahoe (roller) and it looks like all you need is the roller locks? Nothing else?

Schultzy89GTA · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:01 am Post subject:

As I understand it, not difficult per se. A bit on the expensive side though. The hydraulic roller cam will be the same money (more $ than flat tappet) but the real expense is in the retro roller lifters. So it is more of a budget consideration than difficulty of changing over.

-Schultzy

Quasi-Traction · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:59 am Post subject:

As everyone's sort of indicated Jake, Once a Flat tappet cam is broken in it married to its lifters. Trying to use old lifters on a new cam is not a good idea.

I can't remember if you have headers on your car or not, but that might be a good place to start to help the engine breathe better. Doing a cam won't benefit you much if you have those "clog-log" manifolds on there. If that's already done, here's a few Cam suggestions, I went on the assumption that you have basically stock internals and stock-ish cast pistons:

Comp:
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=CCA%2DCL12%2D232%2D3&autoview=sku

Lunati:
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=LUN%2D60101LK&autoview=sku

Crane (you'd have to buy lifters if you got this one):
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=CRN%2D113501&autoview=sku

What happened to doing the 9 bolt rear while on winter break?

I'd focus on getting that done. Then you can install it on Spring Break!

blue89 · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 10:22 am Post subject:

If you don't have a decent exhaust, kurfbird is selling a decent set. Its shorty headers with 2.5" single out to dual 2.5". I think its full welded too. 150 isn't bad.

83Z28BlackBetty · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 10:29 am Post subject:

yeah yeah, the 9 bolt is happening over break. I want to have that done by dyno Confused

but we all know the curses associated with that.
Thanks for the advice about cams, i'll keep that tucked away for when the time comes. Like i said, i know nothing and was looking for some advice. Seems like a good cam is fairly cheap and using a used one would not be good. I can wait. Very Happy

Unfortunately i am still running the stock exhaust clogafolds. I've been planning and scheming, but that will probably be a summer project.

~JAKE

Twilightoptics · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:51 pm Post subject:

Get some exhaust then get a cam a step up from any of the ones Chris listed. He listed 256/262 cams. Go with the 262intake cam from lunati. On a 110LSA. :O)

You'll be happy camper.

chevymad · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 7:49 pm Post subject:

I'm runnin the 262 voodoo in my trucks 350. Have 1.6 rockers on it as well. It seems to outperform the 262 comp I used to have in the same motor by far. I can even make the auto slip the band now over 3/4 throttle(time for a bigger servo!) There's actually very little lope to this cam, I'd even consider going to the 268 now. The cam is very noisey though, even worse then the comp xe before.

STEEL · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:29 am Post subject:

Dude, the cam suggested above are all very good cams, BUT. When you say inexpensive, this is what I think you want. These should all work without modifying your heads at all, but I believe you want to replace your stock valve springs at the same time. I have listed them in order of aggressiveness.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=SUM%2DK1102&autoview=sku

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=SUM%2DK1103&autoview=sku

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=SUM%2DK1104&autoview=sku

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=SUM%2DK1105&autoview=sku

Dont get me wrong, you get what you pay for, so these aint the best, but that 4th one would get you alot more top end power, with the sacrifice of torque. That is the cam that is going into my 383. The second one is decent to.

Then some valve springs,

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=CRN%2D99848%2D16&view=1&N=700+150+

there you go, $150 later, your car has an aggressive idle and a bit more power.

Twilightoptics · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 7:14 am Post subject:

Just my .02... I love Summit. I use alot of their brand name parts.... with oiling problems and so forth these days..... and their lack of design that goes into their cams.... I'd never run a summit cam.

I leave the cam grinding to the professionals.

It's kind of like buying generic potatoe chips. They just don't have the full munchie flavor of Doritos.

rjmcgee · The Hammer Joined: 08 Jan 2004 Posts: 2328

That 4th cam listed isn't a very big cam in a 383. I would say my Comp 274 cam is a little bigger when you compare .050" numbers and is is pretty mild in my 350.

STEEL · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 9:37 am Post subject:

Dewey316 · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 9:55 am Post subject:

Besides, Alloy is looking at roller cams, none of those are really on his radar. Wink

John-- A big fan of Harold B cams.

Quasi-Traction · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:03 pm Post subject:

ya know, I think I"m going to have to re-evaluate the cam I had picked out, since I too will be building a 383.

This was the cam I wanted:

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=LUN%2D60102LK&autoview=sku

This is the cam I should probably go for:

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=LUN%2D60104LK&autoview=sku

Probably going to go with the large port GM Vortec's with the 3/8" screw in studs. Likely buy em bare, since I'm gonna have to change out the valvesprings anyway.

Alphius · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 6:14 pm Post subject:

I have one of the above-mentioned Summit brand cams in my 350. The K1105, the 4th one down in the post above.

Altogether, it seems to be pretty decent for the price, got about 6000 miles on it now, and it's still as good as new. Now that I know a bit more than I did before, I probly would have gone a little smaller, since I seem to be a little lacking in torque down low, but it does pick up and go pretty good above 2500-3000 or so, up to 5700ish that I've taken it and still pulling. Not a bad choice for a mild 350 IMHO. Keep in mind I am just an engine newb though... Laughing

The 4.11's, 5-speed and headers probly don't hurt that get-up-and-go feeling either though, so I can't really say... Very Happy