Help me pick a cam!

[67chevy_hotrod]

69 longhorn with 410 gears and a th400, newish rebuilt 350 with alum. Intake and a Holley 650, headers and right now a stupid big (valve spring killing) cam. She's my daily and i need something a bit more realistic.. Any suggestions?? I was leaning towards like a comp 260h or something similar... Thoughts? Thanks in advance!

[kwmech]

I'd be looking at a 266-268ish cam

[davepl]

On a 350? To live with it? I'd be down around 214@0.050 and that's on the high end. Remember stock on a big block 396 was 196@.050

Around 204 you feel it, around 214 it gets a little lumpy, around 228 it becomes "a lot of cam", so I said 214 as split the difference.

With headers and a cam you should be alright. Also important that the static compression is decent, as a cam will bleed it off. You don't want a big cam with smog compression, so 9:1 at least, and a little more if you can.

I assume the 260H is 260 advertised? Then it'd be around that 214 actual. It will seriously wake that motor up, I think, at least around town. You could even go a little more with the gear you have, but I wouldn't.

[Mike C]

Originally Posted by davepl

On a 350? To live with it? I'd be down around 214@0.050 and that's on the high end. Remember stock on a big block 396 was 196@.050

Around 204 you feel it, around 214 it gets a little lumpy, around 228 it becomes "a lot of cam", so I said 214 as split the difference.

With headers and a cam you should be alright. Also important that the static compression is decent, as a cam will bleed it off. You don't want a big cam with smog compression, so 9:1 at least, and a little more if you can.

I assume the 260H is 260 advertised? Then it'd be around that 214 actual. It will seriously wake that motor up, I think, at least around town. You could even go a little more with the gear you have, but I wouldn't.

This is good advice. I have the Crane Energizer 266 in the Jimmy. 210 at .050. One of the best mods I've ever done for the motor in the truck. I started life as a street/strip motor in my Camaro with a 284 228@.050 cam and it was WAY wrong for the SM465.

Note that Comp and Crane measure cams differently. Crane at .004 and Comp at .006 so that's why you compare the .050 so you can have apples to apples.

[hugger6933]

I have used the Comp Cams[I'm close to Memphis]268H many times and NEVER been let down by it making good power lots of vacuum and great sound. It even pumps up the gas mileage a good bit if you can keep your foot out of it.

[Coley]

Do you want torque or a whumpity whumpity sound? (....noting that is what most guys want initially)
Usually with a small block in a heavy vehicle, which certainly includes these trucks and definitely includes a 5000lb+ longhorn...the more whumpity whumpity you have the less low end power you have.
When you push up above 4000 rpm's then the whumpity whumpity cams start to lean in.
Unfortunately, most people do most of their driving down below that rpm range.
The great equalizer in this debate is having a big block which will pretty much always make low end torque...but that is not currently your situation.
So this is always a tough one.
The feedback you get on this will be based on what people personally like....and as stated...a lot of people like the whumpity whumpity sound.
The first question is if you are willing to give up some of that 'cam' sound for an increase in low end power....if you want that at all?
What are you doing with the truck? Is low end power vs. high end power more to your liking?
To my understanding a higher lift cam with slightly more duration that average is what will help you produce nice low end power (...AGAIN, if thats what you want)....and I think higher lift has its limits without having to heavily modify the valve train, the valve covers, etc...so you might want to stay in the mid-high 4's in terms of inches of lift.
plus....don't forget, job 1 is to talk to the cam experts who sell and spec these things...they will really help match the cam to you first....the truck second.
My two bits.
Coley

[sawyerrm]

Originally Posted by Coley

Do you want torque or a whumpity whumpity sound? (....noting that is what most guys want initially)
Coley

How much of the whumpity whumpity sound is a factor of engine timing? In other words, can you "dumb down" the cam for a smoother idle by adjusting the timing?

[67chevy_hotrod]

Thanks for the quick reply dudes. And I need low end power she is my workin truck, lumpy lumpy sound is for my other rig. I want somethin with low end power. And I've got an all stock valve train.

[GRX]

The 260H is a very popular cam. Your "Spring Killing" statement is a concern.

Are you having spring trouble with your current cam?

[Fldawg]

mellings makes a torque cam part # mtc1 it will pull water out of the ground, with a good idle or you could go with a 350 HP 327 cam , not sure on the specs right off hand

[72MARIO]

I am using the extreme 4x4 cam works from 600-4500rpm. Its a great cam for a daily running truck .

[Mrturner1]

I've done a TON of reading on cams over the past month as I'm doing my first ever rebuild, and one thing that stands out TO ME, is the Comp High Energy cams. They work very well in Chevy 350's because a few of them have a little more duration on the exhaust side which is perfect for a Chevy 350. The 240H is a perfect example. 240/248 duration, and .455/.455" lift which is going to give you decent power up around 4500rpm (when you get a wild hair and need to floor it) and they make GREAT low end torque and power off idle (PERFECT for daily driver) Also works well with stock valve train

[Mrturner1]

Originally Posted by Mrturner1

I've done a TON of reading on cams over the past month as I'm doing my first ever rebuild, and one thing that stands out TO ME, is the Comp High Energy cams. They work very well in Chevy 350's because a few of them have a little more duration on the exhaust side which is perfect for a Chevy 350. The 240H is a perfect example. 240/248 duration, and .455/.455" lift which is going to give you decent power up around 4500rpm (when you get a wild hair and need to floor it) and they make GREAT low end torque and power off idle (PERFECT for daily driver) Also works well with stock valve train

EDIT: I meant Extreme Energy NOT High Energy sorry about that. The Extreme Energy XE265H is perfect for what you're planning on doing with it

[lovemy71s]

Originally Posted by 72MARIO

I am using the extreme 4x4 cam works from 600-4500rpm. Its a great cam for a daily running truck .

Just used the same one in my rebuild and very very happy with it. Power brakes work good, idles nice. Great cam if you ask me

[Mrturner1]

Comp 265-DEH is another good one for great low end torque and power down low, but also has a little choppy exhaust sound of you like that, and makes a little more up top than the 240H

[67chevy_hotrod]

Yea I didn't have the motor tuned at all and had fired it up about to tune on it(timing/idle/af ratio) and it bust a valve spring but didn't drop the valve! Someone was watching out for me. Replaced that, and decided I was gonna swap cams before i kill myself trying to run some huge cam everyday. I like the idea of a 260h I think. Is that gonna be something that makes decent low end power then?

[HeavyD]

A long time ago I had a 260 in a 305 powered Grand Prix, and it had lots of power everywhere (for what is was). I am sure it would be fine in a 350.

[67chevy_hotrod]

I'm goin with a comp 268 with lifters for a 180 I will roll the dice!

[Sicklajoie]

Originally Posted by 67chevy_hotrod

I'm goin with a comp 268 with lifters for a 180 I will roll the dice!

That's what I have in mine and am happy with it.

[67chevy_hotrod]

Does it have a lumpy sound?

[cleanfreak]

I had the comp 268 in a 410 inch small block , big intake , headers , 342 gears , stock converter , in a 76 many years ago.....worked great , great sound , torque , lost my licence in that truck , but that's another story.....

[67chevy_hotrod]

That's what I wanted to hear!
I guess that made up my mind!

[rcazwillis]

YEARS ago I had the 268 in a 350 bored .030 over. At the time, I thought it was too small of a CAM. However, today it would probably be perfect. Not too lumpy, but still sounded like there was a CAM in it, idled well. Had a Weiand single plane intake that was hurting the bottom end. With 3.73 gears, truck ran 14.7 sec in the quarter. Plenty fast for 1986 and a 17 year old.