Practical truck cams

[Eagle Kammback]

Well, I've got a sticky lifter in my truck, and if I'm gonna change the lifters, I might as well do the cam too, since I want a better than the RV cam it has now. I still intend on using her for truck things, and I'm moving to Washington later this year and will most llikely be towing a trailer. I know there are tons of articles on this, but I really want some opinions from personal experience. I've already got an Edelbrock Performer air gap intake, and Edelbrock advertises their Performer RPM cam kit to be matched up with it somehow. Think it would be a good choice for my daily? https://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-7102

[fatguyzinc]

thats a 308/319 duration, id NEVER run that in anything i needed to tow with or daily drive.
better off with short duration/high lift/short LC, like this isky 270--its great, run it in several
hot street cars/4x4's and it pulls super hard from 2000-6000+rpm. plus that 108 LC gives it
a raunchy idle. the power is very explosive for a hydro/flat tappet. i might even amp it with
1.6 roller rockers as that will push the lift from .465 to .496...........

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/isk-201271/overview/

[SuperBuickGuy]

you're moving near me? very cool. I'm not sure I know what you're driving now. What is it? what's its rear gear? auto or stick? compression ratio? heads?

personally, I think reasonable is 300 degrees of duration and 3/4" lift .... some, incorrectly, may argue against it but I believe you should build the motor after you buy the cam... so there is that.

[Shep48COE]

I highly recommend calling the tech line at Comp cams. Tell them what you have and they’ll tell you what your options are.

[Eagle Kammback]

350, 4 speed, 4.10 rear (Factory Dana 60)
I never even thought about calling them, didn't even know they'd offer that advice. I will have to call them tomorrow

[cstmwgn]

My experience is that Comp's recommendations are VERY conservative.

[anotheridiot]

well, you are making the right choice since cams and lifters harden together and if you just replace the lifters you will be replacing the cam soon after. I love the over 300 duration in the camaro, sounds like a funny car, but any power range starting at 2000 in a towing application sounds like its a problem. We have gone from carb to carb to e street to sniper and not had much success launching. I know its the overlap that usually gets you top end power, but towing is all about getting the momentum going.

[rightpedal]

What vintage is the motor. Compression? Junkyard vortec heads (64cc verses stock 76cc) would be a great addition to a 70s 8-1 compression motor. Add a cam with relativity mild over lap and 450/460 lift and you would have a great towing motor. I have done this in a few motors. Twice using the comp cams 264 cam and once with the gm roller 383 cam. The 70s/80s motors just feel sluggish until you put a little compression to them. It kind of screws you with the air gap but it would be an easy piece to sell.

Steve

[cstmwgn]

I must have missed the part where he was joining the teamsters!
Yes he is moving but it didn't sound like he was going nomadic.
I use my truck for "truck like activities" which includes pulling car trailers from coast to coast with a 236@50 flat tappet. Now my engine is a little bigger but still - if he wants more than an "RV" cam he might want more that a towing cam as well.

[Deaf Bob]

Best cam in my flatbed was "Blue Racer RV II"
Then for awhile I had a 280H... Must go over 1200rpms to even pull a load, but once over 1200, good night Irene!
Same package as you, basically.
Performer, Holley 600 cfm, headers, cam ,
350/4 speed/ 4:10, 12 foot flatbed.

[SuperBuickGuy]

compression ratio? what heads? stock 350? do you have an airgap on a stock, early 70s truck motor? if so, I'd seriously consider doing an entire Vortec top end, then sell your current air gap to offset the costs. if the compression ratio is early 70s truck (8.5:1) then no cam, intake, headers, or ignition is going to really get you were you should be.

[Shep48COE]

One of my favorites , Vortec build. http://www.compcams.com/information/...CC0902-001.asp

[Eagle Kammback]

Now I would love to do a Vortec head swap, but this is also my daily, and I can't exactly afford to take her off the road for that long, since working on a submarine takes up most of my time (the bureaucracy is what makes it so long) and I'd like to have her done in a week or so. When I get to Washington, I intend on buying a house, then some new heads can come when I have a garage to do it in anyway. As for right now, my mostly stock 1972 350 will keep her heads

[SuperBuickGuy]

Now I would love to do a Vortec head swap, but this is also my daily, and I can't exactly afford to take her off the road for that long, since working on a submarine takes up most of my time (the bureaucracy is what makes it so long) and I'd like to have her done in a week or so. When I get to Washington, I intend on buying a house, then some new heads can come when I have a garage to do it in anyway. As for right now, my mostly stock 1972 350 will keep her heads

I know the base well, it's where my nephew worked when he was in.... trust me, though, not knowing him is a good thing - he didn't leave under friendly terms (or from me for that matter).

That said, I'd make you a heck of a deal on a set... though last time I checked the street price for new was less then $600. If you bandaid it until you get here, it'd take a day to do a top end. Point is it runs now. Sure it'll make a ticking sound but keep the rocker adjusted enough so the pushrod can't escape (treat that hole like a solid cam) and drive the tires of it until the day comes to make the changes - then you can do something that is economical, powerful, and reliable. Be a hoot to drive, too. Even with exhaust, I've done bunches of those swaps and it take 1, easy day.

The one thing I would do is a Chinese HEI - it's amazing how much power you get back with good ignition.

[rightpedal]

Stock lift on your motor should be either 390/410 or 406/410. As smog guidelines increased they screwed around with overlap and duration but it didn't do anything you would feel in the driver seat. Sorry about my original cam suggestion I have been using roller blocks for a while now and autopilot screwed me. With this being a budget deal you could go with the summit [or jegs equivalent] 421/444 sum-k1102 or 444/466 sum-k1103 both have a 112 overlap It should give decent power. Comps xe258h is in the same ballpark 447/454 with a 110 overlap. Any one of them is a improvement over stock and could be used with your existing valves.

To SBGs point ignition will help. I don't have a direction to send you in that department. I never started screwing with timing or advance till I had made a significant change over stock in the compression or chamber design category. What I can tell you is the vortec motors like right around 30-32 total and the lightest spring in the box. I really haven't played with aftermarket ignition. There is a big bin full of hei distributors that pull from. I keep ending up with aftermarket coils that I use but cant really tell a difference with.

Steve