Engine help with cam

bigblocksnake

I love gummy worms!
Nov 29, 1999
6
0
1
Linwood Ontario
im putting together coasthigh's 521 streetfighter kit, trickflow heads, performer rpm intake 10.5 cr and not sure what to do about cam. i have and old cam that is new, is it worth putting in? what is my hp/tq gonna be around and at what rpm?what would you reccomend? its going in a 72 fastback, 27" tires, 4speed, 3.50 gears. speed pro cs197R duration at .050 230/230, at.006 308/308 valve lift int.522 exh.522 lobe centerline 110 over lap 88. the car will be driven around 5000 kms a year with a couple trips to the track. thanks
 
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Hydraulic rollers are not recommended for 385 series engines due to valve train geometry issues. The length of the hydraulic roller results in very short pushrods which create severe angles. If you must use a hydraulic roller cam, bolt down adjustable rocker arms can help mitigate some of the issues but still result in some funky angles. A solid flat tappet cam will perform as well or better than the hydraulic roller without the pushrod drama. The single advantage the hydraulic roller has over the flat tappet is cam break in. This is easily overcome using the correct procedure and proper break in oil.

I recommend you call someone like Randy Malik or Scott Johnston for a custom cam. It only costs a few dollars more than an off the shelf cam and there will be no disappointments.

http://www.rmcompetition.com/

http://reincarnation-automotive.com/
 
I agree with woodsnake, the cam you have will "work" but you are leaving a lot on the table. For a hydraulic flat tappet the Lunati 61605 would be better:

http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=1683&gid=287

With 521 cubes and good flowing heads like the TFS streets (which is what I assume you have) this would make good power and not be that radical.

Custom is better because a lot has to do with how you intend to use the car and the rest of your combination i.e. trans, gear etc...
 
the heads are trick flow power port 290cc ok i have narrowed it down to what im looking for. I want a real lumpy sound like the solid cams had ill probably never take it past 5500 rpm.just want it to sound real mean and pull hard till atleast 5500rpm im aiming for 500hp and 500 plus tq do you think i can achieve this with the combo i have but with the 61605 voodoo cam as i dont really know what all of the cam spec numbers mean. I may look into a custom cam.
 
The problem here, is that the rear gears need to match the camshaft. With out an overdrive gear, what ever monster you build, you are going to limit yourself by the gears required to take advantage of the camshaft.
Now, if you are open to more aggressive gearing, then you can do an awful lot more with those cubes. A ginormous motor is one thing, but it all has to work together. And if you are looking for ANY actual performance, then you are going to have to look into a new ring and pinion..
 
Well I think no matter what I'll have to go to a bigger tire so I can keep some rubber on the rim. As far as gears I have 3.00, 3.50,3.91 and 4.11 it my garage so I can change them out if needed. Wow 600 hp properly tuned coast high figured I would be around 450-470 hp at the flywheel depending on the cam. Would you start with the tire/gear combo then figure what cam to use or figure the cam out first
 
Well, again, it depends on how much and where you are planning on driving the car.
On many camshaft web sites, they have links to each cam's "cam card", that recommends the minimum gear ratio, and the power band that the cam will produce. I'd read a few of those, in the specs that you are looking at, in order for you to get a better idea of what to shop for. If you already have the ring and pinion's available, that saves a lot of cash..
However, with a 500 plus inch motor, I'd seriously look into a custom cam as well.