Ignored the obvious: Cam

[streetstang67]

I have posted several questions asking for advice on a cam choice for my 289. The main cams I was considering were the XE262H and the XE256H. I was putting a bunch of cams, including these in the engine analyzer, and the XE256H made way more torque than the XE262H, especially down low, and the XE262H only made about 2 more hp than the XE256H. After all this trial, error, and research I tested the edelbrock performer-plus cam (matches my intake manifold) and it kicked @$$ on low end torque and made about the same hp as the XE256H. Not only that, but it has less lift than any of the other cams, so I can keep my stock valve springs, right? So, I heard several opinions on the XE256H vs. the XE262H, but no opinions on the performer-plus cam. What do you think about it?

 

[brianj5600]

Different engines on different dyno's = bad comparison. W/o those conditions it is a tough call for anyone. Anything w/o doccumentation is an opinion. I think anything you get here or anywhere is a guess. The only way to find out is test each one. Didn't comp cams recomend one for you? I think the performer cam is 20 years old, I'd be suprised if technology has not improved since it was developed. I'd go with what a cam company recomends and not what an assembly line worker (me), insurance salesman, store manager or anyone else says. I am not trying to be a pain, just my opinion.

 

[jcp123]

OTOH the edelbrock cams have some really nice grinds. they're also manufactured by crane, so the quality's there too...

 

[SuperDave]

I'm always pleased to see reasoned advice such as given above. Too much "advice" given here is based on speculation and uninformed opinion. A cam, ANY cam, is a compromise between streetability and performance. Selection is largely a matter of which one will be sacrificed to benefit the other.

 

[mustang70]

I have the XE262H in my 351W. I stepped up from the Edelbrock Perfromer. The cam doesn't lope at idle, but it's not a stock idle either. The motor revs a lot faster now as well. As for the horsepower difference, I couldn't tell you. The seat of the pants meter shows a noticable increase. And my springs are actually set up for a Performer RPM. And I don't have any problem with bind or anything like that.

Hope this helps.