Stangnetter in Iraq

To select the appropriate cam we need a LOT more info. Before i go any further though...THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE


Anyhow, among the key things to consider when choosing a cam:

• Gross vehicle weight
• Vacuum needed at idle
• Automatic or manual transmission
• Stall rating of your TC if an auto
• Tire and wheel height
• Rear end ratio
• Driving style
• Intended RPM range for common operation

You get the idea...

Which cam you choose will depend on the COMBINATION of all of these things. You cannot just say you know a guy with the XYZ cam and his car is as heavy as mine so I got the same one.

[flamesuit]
But overall ranges can be summed up in this way (we can argue about the boundaries all day long). A cam with duration in the 200-215 range is warmed up from stock, the 215-225 are low-end performance, 225-235 are moerate to high performance, 235-245 are high performance and anything up from that is getting into race territory. List is also a key factor, anything over a half inch may cause piston-to-valve clearance issues even if the profile is not radical, but they sell cams every day that are almost 0.6 inches of lift for street cars. General rule of thumb is 0.475 or less is an "RV" grind, from there to 0.510 is moderate to mid performance, and anything over 0.530 or so is radical lift.
[/flamesuit]

Hope this helps and hope you can fill in some of those blanks for us.

thank you! kick sum azz! bring your mags empty back to base!

stangdriva67 said:

well its a basically stock weighted 67 Ford mustang with a V8 . SO if you could guesstimate that. Since I want to eventually put in a PB booster. I'm gonna need enough vaccum to run that. I love th sound of a lopy cam but I would like to keep it subtle. ITs an automatic trans with a stall around
Dont know what size tires yet but its gonna 15x7 size wheels. Rear end ratio is 3.55 as it says in the signature and my driving style is mostly cruising but would like the extra horses to be there when I want it. I want the max rpm around 6.5k-8K but common op to be around 2.5K-4K. Thanks for the info Edbert.

Click to expand...

There's a bit of reality you gotta accept my friend. If you want to have power up to 8,000RPM you are going to have a high idle speed and most likely not enough vacuum at idle to run the PBs.

3.55:1 is a good ratio for cars without overdrive. Assuming a 25 inch tall tire/wheel combo you will be around 2,863RPM at 60MPH. Also assume your car weighs about 3,000 pounds.

There's a typo in your stall speed but you want your motor to be making much of its power just about where your converter will lockup.

My personal taste sounds pretty close to what you are looking for. Smooth and mellow idle, easy cruising, durability, and more power on tap than your tires can handle if you feel like usin it

I'd get a cam with about as much lift as mine (see sig) and maybe a little less duration (your heads will flow less than mine and you have less displacement). I expect to be on the edge as far as running my Power brakes, and I plan on idling at about 800-900RPM. Cams in those ranges are usually labeled as performance cams that run well in 1,500-6,500RPM ranges. They have a flat torque curve and a broad HP curve, yet they don't post the big numbers that the spikey cams do. If you get anything too radical you lose what is often called "driveability", of course many on this list use cams that are pure race and drive them daily, so take those terms with a grain of salt.

To be honest, do what I did. Call the manufacturer and ask them for recommendations.

Don't know if it will work, but you might look into a roller cam.

also, I have 286deg/.540 lift (solid lifter) and run a PB booster, I have never had a problem....yet.

Keep up the good work and keep your head down.

I have also been looking into a cam and heads for the somewhat near future of my car. Perhaps someone can answer these basic questions that I have not been able to find in a dozen or so cam articles: What are the advantages of hydraulic over (mechanical?)? How 'bout pros of a roller cam? I've got the basics of lift, duration and such but haven't really found anything on the advantages of hyrdaulic or roller cams. Thanks!

--Jason

Roller cams have better open and close ramps, they open and close the valve faster allowing more crankshaft angle while being fully open. They flow better without having to have longer duration.

Thanks and keep the bad guys/girls over there. We do not need to be fighting them on Highway 66.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com

67GTA-FB429 said:

Don't know if it will work, but you might look into a roller cam.

also, I have 286deg/.540 lift (solid lifter) and run a PB booster, I have never had a problem....yet.

Click to expand...

You can get away with more of a radical profile by using a standard. The 286 is a "total duration" figure. Do you know what is your vacuum is at idle?

I run about 12" of vaccum.

I found my grind sheet....

0.588 lift
286 duration

I have a C6, too. With a stock converter...go figure. I don't know what I was thnking except that it is very streetable, the idle is pretty lump and the engine is really hard to tune. I am thinking about going back to a hydraulic system, but I am not sure what all that would entail.

Were are you in Iraq? I settled down in Bagdaad, and the UN building, and the Ciggerette factory before moving south to the power plant at Al-Hilla After the War part. THat was with 1/4. I'm back in the states now, just got out, kind of wish I was back over there.