stock 318 cam specs

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pishta

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I just pulled a cam out of a '78 318 and the lift at valve was a whopping .315..that is some weak sauce! No markings on the end from a cam maker, assuming it is a stocker? The difference between base and lobe was .210...a real powerhouse!
 
Larry Shepards book says stock lift for a teen cam is .373/.400 (240/248 duration)
Base being .210 X 1.5 rocker ratio lifting power = .315. This could very well be a OE cam, worn out?
 
Yeah, I would tend to believe this motor was worn out. It had about an inch of slop in the timing chain. I could rotate the cam sprocket almost a full link! I got a new cam. lifters and double roller timing set for it anyways and there is no ridge in the cylinders (still see the crosshatch) so I should be good to go.
 
Are there different cams for different years?
Does it list the LA roller specs?
Were they using a split profile in 78? Earlier?
I know they had a pretty wide range of compression ratios through the years.
I actually thought that split profile WAS the roller cam spec.
 
My motor is a stock 88 318. I would love to put a cam in it, but for a $1,000 it is a bit out of the budget. From what I am seeing, a performance regrind on a roller does not exist?
As a kid I worked at a machine shop and could get flat tappet regrinds for like $60 shop cost.it would sure be nice to drop a $200 cam into this, but that is just not an option it seems?
 
My motor is a stock 88 318. I would love to put a cam in it, but for a $1,000 it is a bit out of the budget. From what I am seeing, a performance regrind on a roller does not exist?
As a kid I worked at a machine shop and could get flat tappet regrinds for like $60 shop cost.it would sure be nice to drop a $200 cam into this, but that is just not an option it seems?
I got a regrind on my 318 roller cam through Oregon cams
 
There were a few different grinds for the 318 over the years...
 
My motor is a stock 88 318. I would love to put a cam in it, but for a $1,000 it is a bit out of the budget. From what I am seeing, a performance regrind on a roller does not exist?
As a kid I worked at a machine shop and could get flat tappet regrinds for like $60 shop cost.it would sure be nice to drop a $200 cam into this, but that is just not an option it seems?

I imagine your '88 318 is TBI. Can swap it over to a Edelbrock 1406 4 bbl and give it some more fuel, and you will have the secondaries to play with that adds to the performance too, even on the stock grind roller cam and the high rise factory TBI intake manifold. Works Good, probably even better with an LD4B intake if you can find one.

Did the 4 bbl swap on to my '91 318 with stock roller cam, glad I did. Does not float out, just keeps taking in more fuel the more it starts to breathe.

Always opening up the secondaries when I am out and about running around . .

There are a few hoops to jump through to do the 4 bbl conversion to your TBI setup:

1. Install Manual Fuel Pump and figure out some type of adapter to drive you fuel pump eccentric. (you may be lucky to have the fuel pump eccentric already in there but I am doubting it. Roller cams have a short end snout compared to flat tappet cams.) Will let you figure out your gas tank and send unit for the manual fuel pump. Won't be needing the in the tank electric fuel pump anymore.

2. Redrill and tap your TBI intake manifold for the 4 bbl adapter, or put on an LD4B 318 intake manifold.

3. The usual line up your throttle cable and kick down linkage properly to your new 4 bbl carb.

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Just a few examples here of things that have worked for me. Lucky for me, mine was going into the Old School '76 Truck so my gas tank and send unit was already set up for the manual fuel pump and sending unit.

Use your own discretion on how you would like to go about getting some more performance out of your stock setup without changing the roller camshaft.

Yes, Roller Camshaft performance grinds are not easy to come by. I actually like the stock grind with the 4 bbl on my daily driver Truck.
,
 
Thanks George! I am with you there. This is why I am looking for a cam, as I have a 4bbl a Performer intake and dual exhaust.
I am keeping the exhaust manifolds For a near future mild turbo install. It just makes sense to get a cam in it, while I have the intake off and am throwing a new timing chain in.
We will see, I may need to learn to love the cam
 
I got a regrind on my 318 roller cam through Oregon cams

Hey Man, thanks again!
Ken at Oregon cams says they have a couple grinds that put me into the .500 lift and a decent duration as well for $169 for a re-grind
Because this is a TBI cam, the lobe centers are 112-114, which can be pretty soft in general, but great for my future turbo plans
 
My motor is a stock 88 318. I would love to put a cam in it, but for a $1,000 it is a bit out of the budget. From what I am seeing, a performance regrind on a roller does not exist?
As a kid I worked at a machine shop and could get flat tappet regrinds for like $60 shop cost.it would sure be nice to drop a $200 cam into this, but that is just not an option it seems?
Just install a 2800TC and if you need yet more, go 3.55s or as much as you dare depending on your hi-way useage. The 2800 works really well with 4.30s in a low-compression 318...... but 3.91s are pretty good too. I can almost guarantee you will forget all about camming it. I would do these two, (2800 and 3.91s) before I would do anything else. Oh wait, I already did do it. lol. No regrets.

OOps I see I am late to the party,lol, enjoy yur new cam.
 
Just install a 2800TC and if you need yet more, go 3.55s or as much as you dare depending on your hi-way useage. The 2800 works really well with 4.30s in a low-compression 318...... but 3.91s are pretty good too. I can almost guarantee you will forget all about camming it. I would do these two, (2800 and 3.91s) before I would do anything else. Oh wait, I already did do it. lol. No regrets.
I hear you, but I am already in there changing timing chain, intake, carb and distributor, so a cam is a small step, and how tiny this cam is, it is bound to be a decent improvement
 
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These are the two cam profiles they suggested for me. Considering the OEM is not even .400 lift as I understand, this looks pretty good! both are about 112-114 lobe separation as that is the stock center, but for my mild turbo install this should be perfect.
 
I hear you, but I am already in there changing timing chain, intake, carb and distributor, so a cam is a small step, and how tiny this cam is, it is bound to be a decent improvement
Yes it may make more power, but you first got to rev to where the power is. So if your tires don't spin, then you play the waiting game. If you have 2.45s or 2.20 rear gears, that's gonna be a long wait.
 
View attachment 1715579892 These are the two cam profiles they suggested for me. Considering the OEM is not even .400 lift as I understand, this looks pretty good! both are about 112-114 lobe separation as that is the stock center, but for my mild turbo install this should be perfect.
that is a nice grind i went with the 260/264 453/435 lift i think
 
that is a nice grind i went with the 260/264 453/435 lift i think
That might be a better grind for what I am doing. This is for my truck, and staying on the torquier side of things might make sense?
That and the probability I would need to change valve springs, rockers and pushrods with the larger cam
 
That might be a better grind for what I am doing. This is for my truck, and staying on the torquier side of things might make sense?
That and the probability I would need to change valve springs, rockers and pushrods with the larger cam
yup that is a torque grind real good bottom end!
 
Slant
is he not going to hae to change pushrods
op do not forget stem seals

i actually just used the roller cam ford 302 push rods straight forward bolt and go!
part number mpr281

Here's the full camshaft specs , 260Intake/264exhaust duration .437/.453 lift duration @.050 203/208 lobe center 108/112
Grind Number #1006

cam card.jpg
 
BadaBoom!
21* from .006 to .001,
and 56*, from .050 to .006.
Sad that there is no industry standard. Everybody has their own weird shaped lobes that aren't even close to being similar. They all work in one way or another. No magic bullet lobes.
 
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