Cam combo

[BullittStangV8]

ive been digging around the information that was passed on to me about my 65, and finally found the cam spec sheet. right now my intake side of things is a holley street deamon carb, with an eldelbrock rpm performer intake. stock heads and stock pistons. the cam spec sheet is as followsThis is a Competion Cams Cam)
Grind number FS 268H-10, High energy.
intake exaust
gross valve lift: .456 .456
durration at
.006 tappet lift: 268* 268*
Valve timming: Open Close
at .006 intake: 28* 60*
exaust: 68* 20*
this is for the cam installed at 106* intake centerline.
Duration at .050 : 218* 218*
lobe lift: .2853 .2853
lobe separation: 110*

what do you guys think of this cam with the combo. it was installed on the car prior to my purchasing of it. Is it a decent combo for what i have? Is it a good cam for making hp and Trq? it sounds like my engine has a lot of loop in it, and it really has the "cammed" sound. I dont really know much about cam specs tho. btw my exaust set up right now is hooker long tube headers with flowmaster mid and aftercat all the way out from the headers. the heads to have Competition Cams Magnum roller rockers.
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Mike

 

[D.Hearne]

Wow, that's a really small cam!!! I'd go for something a little bigger.

 

[brianj5600]

Too small for an rpm intake. I would look at an xtreme hydraulic from comp. What ever you do get one with about 10deg more duration and more lift on the exhaust. To match the intake the power range on the cam should be 1500 to 6500 or there about. Springs will need to be replaced as well.

 

[BullittStangV8]

well im glad to find the truth about the cam. at least now i know that i need a new one. what specs would you guys suggest? also what springs would be best with the new cam?finally, how much of a hp and trq difference do you guys think there will be?
Mike

 

[brianj5600]

http://compcams.com/Technical/Catalogs/106-03/HTML/68-75.asp
xe274h or the next bigger one. Scroll over for the correct springs. I think they have kits with cam lifters and springs.

 

[Blown4.6]

Yep, too small a cam for high rev hp. That cam is good up to about 4500 rpm. That's not exactly what you want out a 289 that has to spin like crazy to build any power. I'd start with some head work. Next, go to Summit and order part #cca-k31-226-3. This is a kit that contains everything you'll need (lifters, springs, retainers, locks, timing chain, lube, etc.) for a high reving machine. Specs @ .050 are 230 intake and 230 exhaust with .512 gross valve lift. This combo should produce a good deal of lope and power up to 6000 rpm. $359.00 for the package. You have to be running headers with this setup or else you're wasting your money though.

 

[BullittStangV8]

thanks for the recs so far. what cam does everyone think is a good match? i dont think head work is in the near future for me. ideally it would be a cam would work with what i have already. (meaning i cant get new heads to match the cam, port and polish intake, head work) Basically what cam would be best that would only require new lifters and springs?
Mike
p.s blown4.6 i already have hooker headers.

 

[PoliceInterceptor]

If you are not doing head work, go with a dual pattern like the XE line. The 274 would be a nice choice. just find the part number and add a "K" to it to get the kit with springs and all.

You were not clear as to whether you like the idle or not. if you want it to idle smoother, go for a cam with a wider separation angle like a Crane Part Number 363801

http://www.cranecams.com/motorsports/ford/363801.htm

 

[BullittStangV8]

i personally like the loop in the idle. has that "cammed" sound to it. i just dont want so much loop that the engine cant hold an idle. so by adding a K to the part number, i should get everything that i need for the cam change? also, does the 274 allow for growth in my engine combo? like if in the future i want to add heads, or do some work on them? i dont think i will be changing heads, i was j/w.
anyone else have any cam suggestions?
Mike

 

[12sec67]

if you start getting into a bigger cam you need a stall converter. not only that but you can't rev a stock engine or basic rebuild past 5500 without the right parts internally(bolt's stretch). i won't go over a .500 lift cam with rpm range of 1500 -5500.

 

[BullittStangV8]

12sec67, what size cam would would you suggest? (im not interested into going into a cam that needs a stall converter)does the 274 cam require a stall converter? im not looking to rev the hell outta the engine, just to get the most hp that i can with my combo safely.
Mike
p.s my car is a manual, if that has any effect on this.

 

[PoliceInterceptor]

Browser Glitch, see below!

 

[PoliceInterceptor]

It would help to have the total specs on the engine, compression, internal modifications ECT. It the bottom end is assembled with due diligence and good rod bolts, it should stand 6-6500 burst RPM with no problems at all though.

With any cam larger than you have you will need to check your piston to valve clearance.

In the Comp cams like, adding a “K” to the part number gets you a “K” kit. Will include a timing chain, cam, lifters, retainers, springs, locks, lube and you will have to buy a gasket kit. I would not go bigger than a 274 for your stated purpose. Might even back down to an XE268, which is a bit hotter than the H268 you have.

If it was me and I was using stock'ish heads, I’d probably go for the Crane 363801. In the Crane line changing the last number to a “2” gets you the cam and lifter kit, the springs and retainers come in a kit 36308-1 and the locks come in 99097-1, timing chain you can get from Crane or just get a nice Coyles double roller. Nice thing about this cam for stock'ish heads is that it has quite a bit more exhaust lift and duration, which is where stock small block heads need help.

Unless you know you are going to change heads I would absolutely not consider a single pattern cam at all.

I might add that both Comp and Crane offer cam recommendation forms. I’ve used them for both companies and they are both very helpful.

Either of these cams should work O.K. with a stock converter. They would work better with a mild stall, but....................EDIT: doesn't matter since your car is a stick

 

[D.Hearne]

if you start getting into a bigger cam you need a stall converter. not only that but you can't rev a stock engine or basic rebuild past 5500 without the right parts internally(bolt's stretch). i won't go over a .500 lift cam with rpm range of 1500 -5500.

You may want to rethink that statement about not being able to rev past 5500 with stock parts. The 400 horse roller 5.0 motor I built was assembled with a $340 short block, the only change being ARP rod bolts. The rods held up nicely to occasional trips to 7500 rpms, I can't say as much for the block though, it cracked the cylinder wall in #4. The XE274 should work OK with a stock converter, but I wouldn't go bigger without a stall or a 4 or 5 speed manual. The 274 with the right heads, will push the HP to 400 with a 302.

 

[BullittStangV8]

police interceptor: the botom end of the engine is stock. It does have magnumRoller rockers, and flat top pistons. would the crane cam you mentioned match up with a basically stock internally engine? the intake side is mentioned above.

"With any cam larger than you have you will need to check your piston to valve clearance." wont the kit supply everything to adjust the clearance if it is off?

Sorry to be asking so many questions, im just not as knowledgable on the old 289's as i am with the modulars. i just want to make sure i get the right cam for what i have.
Mike

 

[PoliceInterceptor]

The kit or matched components will give you everything to account for things like coil bind and spring pressures. I would still check the P/V clearance especially if it has unknown pistons. It *should* be o.k. but better to check and be safe than to punch a hold in a piston. With stock sized valves I would expect it t be fine, the bigger the valve and larger the lift, the more chance of trouble.

Do you know the compression ratio? Generally the XE line will build higher cylinder pressure, which might run into pinging problems with higher than normal compression.

The Crane should work fine for you with a "stock" bottom end. They quote a 5800 RPM top end rev range for it.

 

[12sec67]

You may want to rethink that statement about not being able to rev past 5500 with stock parts. The 400 horse roller 5.0 motor I built was assembled with a $340 short block, the only change being ARP rod bolts. The rods held up nicely to occasional trips to 7500 rpms, I can't say as much for the block though, it cracked the cylinder wall in #4. The XE274 should work OK with a stock converter, but I wouldn't go bigger without a stall or a 4 or 5 speed manual. The 274 with the right heads, will push the HP to 400 with a 302.

did you read what i said? with the right internals!!! yes bolts!
- he never said he had a roller 302 with arp bolts,he said stock/rebuilt 289.

roller engines with stock roller lifters can't rev past 7000 without floating the lifters-hydro rollers are too heavy.if you want to rev higher than you need after markets roller lifters.you may have done it a few times but already but it won't last very long.also stock balancers can't take more than 5500 rpm revs very long.

 

[D.Hearne]

As far as having a roller motor, that's got nothing to do with being able to rev to 7500 rpms and having the motor stay together. Yes, I read what you said, but it sounded like you were implying that a stock, internal parts motor ( i.e: rods, crank, pistons, not just the bolts) wouldn't handle more than 5500 rpms. In my case, I took an "el cheapo" short block, the kind that's mass produced, and with only the change of rod bolts, spun it repeatedly to 7500 rpms. The block ended up failing before the rods did.

 

[12sec67]

As far as having a roller motor, that's got nothing to do with being able to rev to 7500 rpms and having the motor stay together. Yes, I read what you said, but it sounded like you were implying that a stock, internal parts motor ( i.e: rods, crank, pistons, not just the bolts) wouldn't handle more than 5500 rpms. In my case, I took an "el cheapo" short block, the kind that's mass produced, and with only the change of rod bolts, spun it repeatedly to 7500 rpms. The block ended up failing before the rods did.

you might of rev'd to 7500 but your power prbably started dropping after 6200rpms.

i have what you call an el cheapo roller short block...30 over rebuild with arp's and and stock internals with 10.1 flat top hyperutectic pistons and a re-ground cam from the stock roller. had the rpm heads milled to 55cc's but otherwise box stock with a stock older rpm intake with a edelbrock carb pushin through and AOD with a 2500 stall and putting 310 at the wheels rev to a max of 6500rpms.see sig for the rest.


any questions bullitt just pm me

 

[D.Hearne]

Mine pulled all the way to 7500 and would have gone further, but the lifters wouldn't stay with the cam. Mine had Canfield heads and a B303 roller. Good thing the lifters started jumping, any more than 7500, and it probably would have shed a few rods.