Dyno testing a stock(?) 1972 440

Taken out of Mopar Performance BB 'B-RB' Engines: part#P4876825....1998 edition.

Mechanical Camshaft Testing

"To illustrate potential performance improvements, three mechanical camshaft designs were installed in our 400 cubic inch 'B' engine Duster bracket test car. The test car's engine featured an 8.5:1 compression ratio (stock pistons), Mopar performance parts headers, stage IV heads, 850cfm 4Bbl. Mopar performance parts carburetor and a mopar performance parts chrome box ignition (P4120534). Other equipment included an A-727 torqueflite transmission, a 4.30 8-1/4" rear-end, and 10-1/2" slicks. The car weighed in at 3,200 lbs. (less driver). The results are shown on the following chart (a popular hydraulic camshaft was used as the baseline).

Each camshaft was installed at a camshaft centerline 2degree less than the centerline listed on the chart; for example, the .590" lift camshaft ground on 106degree centers was installed at a 104degree centerline. The valve springs (P2806077) remained the same in all tests..."


camshaft
part # Duration lift Centerline E.T. MPH

P4120237 Hyd 292degrees .509" 108degrees 11.77 114.89
(baseline)

P4120659 Mech 284degrees .528" 112degrees 11.69 115.90

P4120661 Mech 296degrees .557" 110degrees 11.55 117.05

P4120663 Mech 312degrees .590" 106degrees 11.45 118.00


This is a 400 cast crank stock 8.5 comp piston engine,old school cams[not that there's anything wrong with these] just substitute a 440 smogger,with todays modern grind camshaft of your chosing, more intake choices,better convertors of today,better electronics etc,you get the picture? and a real good set of heads...low comp and on the cheap....and pump gas.....so I would say ole Rustyratrod was right ..'flow trumps compression' and here's the proof...so my perception of this is head flow and mods is where the power is derived..take it for what it's worth in HP ratings which I'm sure somebody will figure and post...just thought I'd pass it on,good stuff and 'aint nothing new' for some but new to many....so break out those smoggers fellas....you may not be 1st but you can be next...oohrah