Camshafts..
 

Current setup-

-355 4 bolt main stock balanced bottom end KB pistons

-279 Thumpr (comp) double roller timing chain comp pushrods rest of valvetrain stock

-Summit brand (dart) vortec style heads

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-151124/

-3.73 non posi rearend 3 spd on the tree (probably leave it)

Right now the trucks a DD but going to be parked for awhile real soon. Im looking for an upgrade for the thumpr (no power). Looking for something street friendly because I run power brakes. Something that makes power in an rpm range I ccan use. I rarely ever tow anything other than a small trailer with a lawnmower/atv or full of junk.

Been thinking the comp xe268 but heard its noisy and the voodoo is better?

I have summit bucks burning a hole in my pocket lol

Thanks

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$$$$$$$$$$$HEARD$$$$$$$$$$$THAT$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$4


Thats #1. But best bang for my buck I think another flat tappet upgrade. I would say $300 should cover the swap

Still need:
10qts oil
2filters
lucas zinc break in
vortec intake gaskets
cam/lifters

(already have gaskets for fuel pump, timing chain,waterpump,dizzy etc)

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The Comp 268H is a great cam as well.

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John, I had the XE262 in my engine. It's a great cam that makes good all around power. It's a great DD cam as well as a good street bruiser cam with just enough lope at idle to make people wonder what's really lurking under the hood.

If you plan to keep the 3 speed trans, the XE268 will also work fine since you don't have to worry about a stall converter. You will HAVE to upgrade valve springs with the XE268.

If your not too bugged about spending that Summit bucks, I'm pulling the GM290hp cam out of my 350. It only has about 100 miles on it. I'll make you a deal on the cam, lifters, valvesprings, and roller rockers. By the way, the roller rockers are self-aligning, which is what those Vortec style heads should have.

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The Lunati Voddo series cams are great cams.

Gary

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Lunati Voodo 60102 LK, or Comp XE-262. You could step up to a 60103, or XE-268, with the stick & lower gears, but I feel that you will have more USEABLE power on a street DD if you stick with the milder grinds;) I run the XE-268 in my 383, & it has a slight lope @ 800-850 idle,makes good power....but will be a tad "rowdier" in your 355. This cam has very fast ramps, & tends to be a little noisey (from my experience). A couple neighbors have asked me if I was running a flat tappet solid cam? Also as already mentiond, make sure the springs match, & you have the retainer to guide clearance. best of fun,crazyL

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The nice part as mentioned on the 262 is nothing else needed, I have used it before and exceptional bottom end and still has a nice bit rough idle to it the 268 is a real nice all around cam but as mentioned should change springs.

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If I was going with the set up you have...3 speed & 3.73's i would go with the lunati 60102 or something similar to the comp 268xe. go for power at low rpm and not the biggest you can fit. Look for 4x4 cams, they make good power down low.

I have a 355 vortec with 10.5:1 and the voodoo 60103. It has decent power down low, but the magic doesnt happen until you wind it up above 3000. I put a T-56 behind it and am building a 4.10 12bolt with an Eaton trutrac. I'll be able to wind it out in 1st - 4th, but get good mileage in 5th and 6th. Best of both worlds.

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I again would go with the Comps XE268 or Lunati 60102/60103

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My heads are not GM vortecs, there summit/dart heads good for .520 lift out of box (see link) ima make sure my summit bucks are expired tonite

Is the voodoo noisy?

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Matt-I might be interested in the rockers. Shoot me a PM..

Also, performer rpm intake and 1406 600cfm edelbrock carb and ram horns into 2 1/4" dual exhaust.glasspacks

Yup still got the summit bucks $20

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With a low idle (below 900 rpm) the voodoo 60103 sounds wicked! But the XE268, while sounding less lopey, would still make plenty of power. And, If you'd want, since I'm planning a similar build myself, swap the stock 1.5 rockers for some 1.6s. Summit brand, roller tip, less than $100. The perfect cam is one with lower duration and high lift numbers (per David Vizard)

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Im loosing the thumpr. I dont really care about sound. I want performance/economy (IMPORTANT STUFF LOL)

I dont care if its lopy or not really. Just want a good all around cam that pulls hard in usuabe ranges (NOT 7OOORPM lol)

Whats the perfect cam shortbed?

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I am by NO means an expert, but the XE268 is a bit milder than the voodoo. (Though I maybe shouldn't mention it) Magazines like HR, PHR, CHP, etc. use grinds like the XE268 for their budget, close to 400 hp and 450 tq engine builds and pulls very nicely, especially with vortec heads. My future build is either a 355 or 383 with Patriot Performance (or equivalent) vortec heads with 1.6 rockers, Comps XE268 (XE274 if I go the 383 route). I'm suspecting it will make plenty of tourque, and peaking hp somewhere around 5800-6100 rpm. Camquest dyno says 405 hp @ 5500, 430 tq @ 4000, but that doesnt account for 1.6 rockers. Plan on using Holleys 3310C 750 cfm vacuum sec. with an RPM Airgap dual plane intake from Eddy. And those camquest numbers were for 355. If made to 383 with upgraded cam, numbers go to 420hp/450tq (again, no account for changed rocker ratio; hopefully closer to 450hp/475tq). Both using 9.6 compression. ratio. Also like to add, those are using the stock 062 flow numbers with 2.02/1.6 valves, so it doesnt account for the larger intake runners and 5 angle valve job.

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Seems like I see/read about more folks with the xe than the voodoo (although voodoo sounds cool)

Will I notice any seat of the pants difference going from the thumpr to something more performance orientated?

The voodoo seems to be a few dollars more, whys that? Is it BETTER?

Thanks keep it commming please. I'll try to call summit/cam manufactuers this week/tomorow :)

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Looks like the downside to the xe268 is that its really noisy?..Makes me lean toward the lunati?

Idk goig to bed leave me some info thanks lol

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Noisy? i've never heard that.... You could probably go back to the stock cam and gain more than you did with the thumpr..

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I have used that comp 268. Great cam you'll like it. I agree with 79shortbed.

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John, as I said before, the XE262 is the way to go for more all around "useable" power. The XE268 will be a great performance cam, still with good street manners, but power will come in a bit later.

My dad has the same cam in his 56 that you have. Compared to the XE262 cam I had in my truck, my truck felt like it pulled harder through a wider rpm range. Keep in mind this is in a heavier truck with an auto trans compared to a lighter 4 speed car. My dad is happy with his cam because his car is just a cruiser anyway. He never built the car for performance.

As for the Lunati VooDoo, I wish I could give more info on it, but I just don't know enough about them. What I DO know is that the technology in the VooDoo cams is copied from COMP's Extreme Energy(XE) line of cams. They have dual pattern lobes with longer closing ramps to cut down on excessive valvetrain wear and less valvetrain noise. If that's the noise you're referring to. Compared to the the old High Energy and Magnum line of cams from COMP, then yes the VooDoo line is "less noisy", but COMPs XE line is also "less noisy" as well. I also believe the VooDoo cams have wider lobe seperation angles(LSA) of around 112* giving them "tamer" idle characteristics compared to the lower LSA of 110* of COMPs XE line.

As for picking between the COMP XE series and the Lunati VooDoo, flip a coin. I don't think you'll be disappointed either way, especially compared to your current Thumpr cam. With no personal experience with the VooDoo line myself, though, I'm not sure I can recommend which particular profile to choose from.

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Man....if more people had this attitude, there'd be a lot more better running rigs out there!!! I love it when guys retard the daylights out of their timing to get a good lope to the motor. I can get a mean sound out of my little 270 roller I installed a couple of weeks ago. I'd rather have a slightly milder sound and blow the tires up just off idle.

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:agree:

If you want to stay away from Comp due to the valvetrain noise complaints (this is why i did), find a comparable cam by another manufacturer. You can youtube 355 vortec blah blah blah cam and you will get a several videos to listen to.

Had i put the lunati 60103 in front of my old 3 speed and 3.42's, theres now way i would ever see the power or torque unless i was cookin down the freeway. Dailey driving would be rough and the effort would not be worth it.

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Ill go again....XE-262, or a Lunati 60102, would be compairable. You will be far happier with the smaller cam on the street, & either of the 2 listed will have a little lope in your 355 & still make good power;) The lunati is a degree hotter(intake),& 3 degrees hotter on dur(exhaust) @ .050....may be a little more choppy @ idle than the Comp 262(my guess). At any rate, its a wash on which one makes the most power(you would need to run it on a dyno run to know). best of fun,crazyL

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Its definately apples to apples and almost comes down to a brand preference thing. I like the lunati stuff myself but the comp xe line are great cams too. Anything but that stupid thumpr cam will be a giant improvement in power and driveability. I vote voodoo 60102. Your going to start losing low end power with the 60103.

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This ^^^

What do you mean by the XE cam being "noisy"? All cams are "oisy". :lol:

And the "perfect" cam... is the cam you like the best! :)

Gary

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Some of the xe268's tend to sound like a solid lifter cam. Its because of how aggressive the ramps are on the cam lobes. Some are quiet and some arent. I wouldnt worry too much about the noise. You shouldnt be able to hear it over the exhaust anyhow.

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Lunati tech suggested the voodoo 60101 OR 60102

Comp just babbbled about that I needed a bigger thumpr lol. Finally got my point across that im NOT interested in a bigger thumpr :lol: he said XE268. I said something about it being noisy and he said the ramps do close faster and shut the lifters down thats why I would hear the tick at idle.

So..

1-Xe268 (1st choice till I started to research...?)
2-Voodoo 60101
3-Voodoo 60102
4-Xe262

Keep the opinons going..

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http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-1417-16/

Would these work with my setup? Would it help/free up HP? Benefits?..

Thanks

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IM not a huge fan of roller tip rockers. The main friction point isnt at the valve stem its at the trunion where the rocker bolts down. Personally I would run either a full roller rocker or just stick with stock. Even with full roller rockers hp gains are minimal and wont be noticed without an engine dyno.

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Right now im leaning toward the voodoo 60102 or the xe268.

Seems like the 262XE is a little small :lol:

The noisy valvetrain scares me too..(does it HURT) anything?

And the voodoo just sounds cool lol

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Go to ya hoo, & type in Illinois longhorn....when you get to 47- present truck board, there are a couple U tube clips on the old longhorn. On the walk around, you get to hear the exhaust @ idle (XE-268, in a 383). Bear in mind that the bigger the motor, the tamer the cam sounds! That XE 268 will be rowdy in your 355....my bet is you will get about the same sound out of the XE 262 , or Lunati 60102 in your 355? have fun, play hard...crazyL

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Here's some listening for ya.......

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1 more ?

How important is it to know my compresssion ratio? Im going to call the machinest tomorow hopefully and ask a few ?'s

NEVER been decked. 67cc combustion chambers (SUMMIT/DART VORTECS). KB 120 .0308

Paperwork says 150# 9.0:1

Thinkin the lunati 60102 right now but gonna sleep on it awhile EDIT: Whats your opinion capt fab? I always thought I wanted the Xe268 but the noisy valvetrain sares me a little bit. Now I dunno what I think I need :lol:

(DANG SUMMIT BUCKS BURNIN A HOLE IN MY POCKET!)

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I've got the XE268 in my 454. The valvetrain is a little noisey, but I have over 50,000 miles on that cam and no issues yet.

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I've run both the 268 High Energy by Comp as well as the 268 Extreme Energy in a 355 in my Nova. Both were great cams but the Extreme 268 is definitely a bigger cam. Duration at .050 is 218 and lift is .454 with the High Energy same intake and exhaust. While the Extreme is 224 intake by 230 exhaust on duration with lift at .477 and .480 respectively. The Extreme grind likes to pull to 6k while the HE only liked 5500. If you are looking for mileage and off idle power I would keep duration under 218 @.050. in a 350. Personally I like split duration cams better than a single pattern as they flow more on the exhaust where SBC need it most.

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I see alot of builds were the xe268 is used. Just got scared because of the noise? Would you reccommend the xe268 capt fab?

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Captain: Does your cam sound like those in the vids you posted? I had a 272H .515 in my Camaro that didn't sound anything like that. I'm suspicous of some of those. That truck sounded like it was loading up super bad. I think there are a lot of guy out there that actually set their timing to the sound of their cam!! Maybe it's just the ramps on the XE that give it that sound but those don't sound like what I would think that typical grind would produce. That's why I'm asking if your truck sounds like that cuz I'd like to learn something.

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The EX268 is a good cam IMO, but with it I think a guy is giving up a little bottom end TQ. From what I have read, all of the XE line of Comp's cams produce slightly noisey valvetrain. I don't think it is going to hurt anything, especially if you run the correct valve springs. If you want to have a strong bottom end, you might consider the XE262, or a comparable Lunati cam


You know, my Burb has never really had a 'lope' to it per say. I have heard other YouTube videos of XE268's that did and thought I just must not have mine tuned just right. Mine will lope when it is still cold, but once it warms up good, it smooths out. I do think my engine does have a couple issues that I need to address. Hopefully I will be able to get to those this spring.

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You know it seems that I heard somewhere that the same grind in a SBC will sound meaner than in a BBC. Guess that would make sense. .550 lift is a lot more to a sbc than bbc (just making up that lift number).