need some imput on cam for a 327

[darthwall]

ok well went out to fix a vavle cover gasket today and found a roller rocker sitting to low and the posi lock way to loose so after more inspection I believe I have an intake lobe gone so since I am going to have to replace the cam what should I go with? I am running 461 heads that have been ported 3/8th studs guide plates hardend push rods comp cams roller rockers the old torquer intake 650 double pumper speed pro hyper 2 valve relief pistons sits right around 10 to 1 pink rods large journal crank. everthing has been balanced I had a comp cams xe 284 h in it the engine has no miles everything is new my valve springs will take up to a .500 lift cam so im trying to work around that the trany has a 2800 rpm stall in it. Im just thinking what would be the best cam for this combo

[wheatlandbrawler]

the largest thing to take into consideration is your RPM range and weight of the vehicle. the cam is the heart of the engine, you want to try to match your rpm range as well this is crucial or giving up horsepower. comp cams has a free program called camquest u can get it on their website check it out. no body can really tell you what cam to run. alot of info is needed to properly choose your cam. just my 2 since.

[darthwall]

I understand im just trying to get some input from ofther peoples experience with a set up around the same motor the 284 h sounded nice but just for the hell of it as well see what kind of power is out there

[Marv D]

I'm not a fan of the noisy XE grinds, but if your looking for a flat tappet hydraulic that suits a driver 327,, I think I would step down one series into the 274xe range. I feel the 327 doesn't gobble up duration like the 350, 383 and 400's, BUT it can gobble up RPM potential like no small block other than the 302. The 4" bore, short stroke makes for something that just loves rpm's. (Unfortunately RPM's are a lot harder on the assembly than brute HP)

So what's the goal is more of the question than anything.
If your really looking for power, and keep the heads / springs you have now.... a low lift rule flat tappet solid would require a spring change. So that's out. There just isn't enough head there to warrant a roller, solid or hydraulic, so that's out.

Were stuck with hydraulic, and lift under .500 (which may be the issue why you lost a lobe,,, the XE284 is .507 / .510, were you flat stacking the springs??? What spring and installed height do you have there??? It's common practice to set the springs up 0.050" off coil bind. If someone was less critical with the install you could be in for one ruined cam after another till the springs are set up right. Just a thought)

Back to the 'where to go'....
Depending on deck, gasket and a few other things you should have in the ~9.2 to ~9.7:1 compression range. With the smaller cubes, but RPM potential,, I'd use something in the 220-225 @ 0.050 range. for a street driver in a heavy vehicle that honestly will never see the high side of 6000rpm,,

Crowers 'street beast' series is my choice there.

If you really are in the mood to use the RPM potential of the 3.25" stroke,,, and 6800-7000rpm doesn't scare you..... the issue is the low lift. Finding good duration to help support the RPM's and keep life under .5 to avoid a spring change,,,, that's a challenge. One of the few I found on a quick search is Comps speciality line 12-328-4 with 236-244 @ 0.050 and .490ish lift. That would get you some clearance to the .500 spring limit and give you a little more RPM potential.

BUT,,, limiting your cam to the springs you have,,, I sure would look at a cam as a complete package WITH the springs suggested / required by the cam grinder. It sounds to me like this may be exactly why you lost the lobe in the first place.

[darthwall]

the heads I bought with the springs installed they had a fresh valve job so I thought why not leave them alone and the previous owner was running the same cam and engine combo. the cam isnt flat stacking the springs the reason the lobe went out was because the posi lock wasn't tightened down properly I built this motor 2-3 years ago and after the cam was broke in it has basicly just sat out in the truck with the occasional once every couple months fire up to make shure nothing has gone wrong.

as for the use the truck is a 68 stepside so its really not to bad on the weight factor im putting this together as a cruiser with maybe a couple times take it to the track for the fun of it so milage isnt a big issue. also the rear end has 3.73,s in it rpm wise in not to scared to take it up around the 7000 range everything is tight and fresh when I got these heads I wasn't planning on doing anything to radical but now I keep finding myself looking at roller cams and I just don't think the heads would work out as good as a set of 2.02,s would

[Marv D]

I have never seem a cam lobe go flat because the adjustment was too loose! Especially if it was barely driven. In fact I'd bet THAT was the cause of the demise! It takes RPM to splash oil on the cam. that's it's only lubricant (sling off the rods) and the reason for the 20 minutes of 2000+rpm breakin. I would really suspect dry startup (from sitting for months) and not getting it out and driving the crap out of it after you do start it as most likely the cause for the lobe going away. Not to mention the CRAP oil we have now days,, but I won't go there on that rant again. So were the springs the right springs for the Comp XE284? Did you check seat / open pressure, or do you KNOW they previous owner ordered the K kit (with the required 986 springs for the XE 284 and 294). That's a pretty stiff spring to keep the lifter seated on the lobe. Pretty hard on the components with oil loosing wear additives like it has.

You will have a hard time finding a roller with that little lift I think. And honestly,, unless you spend a small fortune on those heads I really don't see the sense. In today's economy you can by really good used aftermarket heads for less than what it will take to refurbish any stock performance casting. Then a nice lumpy roller would be warranted.

again,, just my 2¢

[darthwall]

ya I hear you on the not driving it part that is what I figured but at the same time of all of the engine work I was doing suspension and then the wood bed and so on and so on I used delo 15/40 for the break in nothing like some good old diesel oil to get everything lubed up ya it kinda sounds like I should figure out what I am goingto put in there and leave everything loose until I get all the parts lined up and installed the springs are the right springs for the cam I wouldn't put a larger lift cam on top of a spring that cant handle it thats just asking for trouble why cheap out on a part like that.

and I don't plan on doing the roller setup it's one of those things I should of thought about back when I was putting things together

[wheatlandbrawler]

marv never fails to amaze with info... that guy knows his S#!+ !

[darthwall]

yes it seams like he does thanks for the imput

[Captainfab]

I would suggest changing to a different oil next time around. IMO that may have contributed to your cam going flat. Did you use one of the breakin additives that has ZDDP in it? Delo doesn't have enough ZDDP anymore. Check out Tickers oil thread as a sticky at the top of this section.

[darthwall]

I went with delo because of the fact that the majority of oils out there dont have what it takes anymore I am definitely going to use an additive this time around just for the insurance of it I wiped out one cam dont want to do it again