1983 dodge truck 1 ton truck cam

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David Musselwhite

David Musselwhite

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Does anyone know what the cam specs are on a 1983 dodge 1 ton truck 360? Did the 1 ton trucks get a different cam then the 1/2 ton trucks, is it just a automatic 340 camshaft?
 
By the 80’s manufacturers were trying to streamline parts production and interchangeability. I would imagine the only SB that might get a hotter cam would be the E58 360.
 
David Musselwhite said:
I was going to rebuild it and install a set of 318 heads and I wanted really good low end torque with plenty of vacuum.
Click to expand...

The 360 2bbl cam, like Rusty alluded to is a great cam.
The only thing a 360 "needs" is a lil more compression. With the stock 360/252* cam, she'll like ~9.4 Scr at your elevation.

Or a 318 2bb, cam. which is a great compliment to 318 heads. With that 318 cam and stock compression ratio, you will get great vacuum. Jump the compression up to about 9/1 and you'll get a very stout bottom end as well.

At the Stock compression ratio;
Do not install a cam with an advertised duration over about 252 degrees; especially with a manual trans; the bottom end torque will fall away rapidly. At 252* and 8/1, your 360 is already a bit of a slug.

I couldn't find specs on the Erson cams
 
292/292/114 advertised? .....at what tappet rise?
214/[email protected]
292 less 214= 78degree ramps, so Ima thinking 292 is SAE. And if it is, I have no way to compare that cam to anything else.
BUT
If 292 is at the typical ..008/006 , forget that thing for this application. The already low cylinder pressure will fall to intolerably low.

Typically, Erson ramps to .008 are like 46ish degrees, so 214 + 46=260 If that is close, then the 360 will want an Scr near 9.88.....

But I still wouldn't install a single pattern 114 cam of this size, into a 360 with iron logs, for this application.
 
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I've pulled a 86 360/4 camper special and it mic'd as a 340 auto. IIRC a larger CID will tame the same cam from a smaller displacement motor. ie. a radical 383 cam will be quite different in a 440.
 
I actually was looking at a elgin 1789 it's a single pattern .454 gross lift 216 at .050 duration lobe center at 110. I was thinking about adding headers. Or possibly going with the elgin 935 with .480 gross lift 230 at .050 duration and 109 of lobe speration. I think the 935 maybe a little to much cam.
 
I used to have a 85 HD D350 with a 360 and automatic. I bought it well used, it had been a wrecker in it's younger days. That thing was a torque monster. It would outrun both of my friends chevy 454 duallys towing enclosed trailers up the grapevine.
 
This truck I had not seen it run before and it had a wire harness fire. Paid 250 for it I thought it would be a great tow truck. Good interior missing all the air conditioning parts though.
 
No advice here, but a little story-Years ago, at one of our local swapmeets, a vender had a new 284-484 cam and lifters for a $100.00. I asked him what the deal was-he replied that he was going to use it in his 3/4 ton work van with a 360. I'm here in Nebraska where it gets cold in the winter. He wasn't really a car guy. I bought it and told him he would have been sorely disappointed if he had put that cam in his van, especially in the winter. He thanked me.
 
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