360 cam upgrade selection

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gliderider06

gliderider06

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I'm in the market to change cams in my motor. I have a stock rebuild bottom end 360, 587 J heads cut .040", standard Felpro head gaskets. 901 Comp springs 3 angle valve job, port matched. It has a cold cranking compression test of 155# cold. Weiand Action Plus intake 670 Holley. Trans is a 727 with a B&M 3000 holeshot converter into a 3.55 SG rear. Currently my cam is a Crane .454" 216*. It runs good, but not enough.
I am toying with the Comp purple plus 280/.474, 284/.484, good 'ol 280/.480 and the Lunati Streetmaster 285/.507
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-20-670-4/overview/make/dodge
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-20-671-4/overview/make/dodge
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/lun-10200302/overview/make/dodge
I am really leaning towards the purple plus grinds. What are your thoughts?
 
Both those are way too big. I think the smallest Thumpr would be a great choice.

Unless you're racing it, I think your 901 springs will be fine.
 
Put a bigger carb on it,, 3310 /750 cfm Holley..

You should be able to pick one up at any swap meet for less than $100,, kit it, and luv it,, no fuss, no mess,, then change cams if your grin isn't big enuff,, jmo..
 
I had the 284 /484 cam. 318 with stock 596 heads. Worked great and sounded awesome!
 
I thin kwith those 901 springs you will want to be careful what you put in. I'd like t osee something smaller - in the 225° @ .050 range. Much more than that and I think you'll have valve control issues. Another possibility might be the XE268 which is another great cam for it's size.
 
Dont overlook Engle. The 4420h and 4422h hydraulics might be right your alley. 226 and 230 on duration, makes a nice street cam with a converter. I llooked at these when I put the xe 268 in.
 
j par said:
I had the 284 /484 cam. 318 with stock 596 heads. Worked great and sounded awesome!
Click to expand...

242 @ .050. I think that may be a bit much but the 284/.528 cam is very docile in my 440. I'm unsure how it will act in a 360?

To the OP can you post the duration and LSA of your existing cam? I think you wrote/meant 216 @ .050 but want to make sure.
 
Here's a good and inexpensive Summit cam that works with your converter and gear. Old school Crane cam grind.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-k50062/overview/make/dodge
[ame="http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/instructions/sum-1798.pdf"]Access Denied[/ame]
Put a 360 together similiar to yours with my brother for his 66 Dart. Car is very driveable on the street with AC on.
First time out 12.7 1/4 mile 85* and humid day.
3000 lb power brake car
Early 904 gear set/3.55 QTP 26" slick
LA 360 9.5:1 static/8.2 dynamic/smog head 596 home ported/1.88 1.6 SS valves/milled to 62cc/180psi static crank/901-16 spring.
Demon 650 DP/Airgap/shorty Sanderson headers with cutouts

Car pulls hard and has a very broad torque range. A 3.91 gear would get the car in the low 12s but it is a street/strip setup. Some more tuning and cooler weather and the car should run 12.5 all day.
 
moper said:
I thin kwith those 901 springs you will want to be careful what you put in. I'd like t osee something smaller - in the 225° @ .050 range. Much more than that and I think you'll have valve control issues. Another possibility might be the XE268 which is another great cam for it's size.
Click to expand...

I agree. XE268H is a good cam and within spec for the springs. The summit cam might work too, I'd install it in the 106-107 range.

The three cams in the first post all recommend running a dual spring IIRC.
 
Thanks all... My current cam is the crane .454/ 272, 216* @.050". Is the biggest holdback with cam selection the Valve springs? I do have a new set of the MP 542, Orange stripe dual springs in the garage. I wasn't really planning on pulling the heads, but if that is my limiting factor in cam selection, I could pull them and have the spring seats machined and re-install the heads with the thin head gaskets.
I have run the Comp 280/480 in my last motor and it ran really well. I was looking for something more than my current cam to take better advantage of my converter. I also thought that the MP .474/ .484 cams ran the equivalant springs as the 901's, which is part of the reason why I thought of using the Purple Plus grinds.
 
Did you degree that cam in? Reason I ask is because it is an excellent grind. If it's degreed properly, I don't think any of the cams suggested would best it for bottom end torque.
 
I agree with Rusty and I don't think the converter would stall the same with the torque moved farther up in the rpm range
I am basically doing the same thing pulled the engine out the duster I picked up an it had been rebuilt not long ago and all looked good except for the knurled guides. I have been looking at cams quite a bit. Everything keeps bringing me back to grinds in the 216-218 @ .050 450ish lift because I'm looking for good midrange torque on whats pretty much bone stock engine. One I looked and still contemplating is the comp 265deh. brings the rpm range up slightly according to comp anyway....
 
moper said:
i thin kwith those 901 springs you will want to be careful what you put in. I'd like t osee something smaller - in the 225° @ .050 range. Much more than that and i think you'll have valve control issues. Another possibility might be the xe268 which is another great cam for it's size.
Click to expand...
x 2
 
So to the OP

Your current cam is the Crane #15005
Duration: [email protected]
Lift: .454/.454
LSA: 110deg

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I'd recommend upgrading to Crane #693801 or Crower #31241

Let me know what you think of those.

The crane specs are
Duration: 222/234 @.050
Lift: 0.467 int./0.494
LSA: 114deg

The crower specs are
Duration: 218/222 @.050
Lift: .474 int/.485
LSA: 112deg
 
Rocco, Yes that is the cam I am running #15005. I do remember in the late 80's using that magic Crane .467/.494 in a 73 340 cuda, with a 3.91 rear, going 12.90-13.1's, using a 2200 converter. Maybe I should consider that one again. As far as my 670 Street avenger carb, it has only been on the motor about a month now. It will have to be used for now. That #15005 crane is a screamer, but I messed up with too high stall converter in the new trans. Thats what got me wanting to change to a larger cam right now, to better utilize it.
 
The problem isn't the stall, it's likely because it's a sloppy converter.

A good converter doesn't feel like stepping in marshmellows off the bottom. I have 8" and 9.5" converters that drive real close to a stock one, tight, until you mat it and go to 4K+ range. I used to sell a lot of B&M products and their converters was one item that never ended up in any of my cars, unless it was a J unit.

The torque converter is probably the single most important piece to good performance in an auto car. It's also the place where people tend to skimp the most!
 
crackedback said:
The problem isn't the stall, it's likely because it's a sloppy converter.
Click to expand...

I'd have to agree with this. A 3000 stall should be holding you back in any way, street or strip. I'd like to know where your engine makes peak torque with the existing cam. Ideally your convertor will stall at or slightly above where you make peak torque.
 
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