Hello I'm looking for advice on an engine I'm building, for my 67 barracuda. It's a 440 out of a motorhome. I've had the block bored .030 over and have 2355 speed pro pistons for it, these pistons advertise 7cc valve reliefs and a compression height of 2.061. I have seen reports of these pistons being .010 - .020 in the hole, I will measure when I get them installed after I get the rotating assembly back from balancing, I dont mind to get the block shaved to achieve a certain deck height if needed. Right now my plan is to use a set of aluminum 440 source heads, these have an advertised 80cc closed chamber. With a .027 cometic head gasket summits static compression ratio calculator is showing 10.29:1-10.5:1 compression ratio. This would also put piston to head clearance at .037-.047, for quench. Plan on running a Holley SD, or Edlebrock performer intake (I want to run a Thermoquad with a stock choke set up), and Schumacher tri y headers. I am now looking to decide on a camshaft (plan is a hydraulic flat tappet). I also plan to use factory style stamped rockers. I want this to be a very street able daily driver type build. The car will see mostly 55 mph roads and city driving. I have 93 octane fuel available anywhere in my area. This is the first engine like this I've built so I wouldn't mind a lope that you can tell is there. I called Oregon Cam grinders and was recommended his 1176 grind. The specs on this look very similar to a comp XE274h cam. I have attached photos of the provided specs on the cam. I plan on running an A833 non overdrive manual trans. Oregon Cam grinders recommended 3.55- 3.73 gears. Looking for any suggestion on cam before I pull the trigger and any suggestions on any part of the build are welcome and appreciated. Thank you for any help.
440 Cam selection help
- Thread starter Fish22
- Start date
-
You may as well run stock heads with that cam.
Rusty
Was planning on running aluminum heads, intake, water pump and housing for weight. Also aluminum heads for compression ratio. Stock heads that I have are 452 casting number have not been gone through by the machine shop.
Do you think I won’t benefit from the heads because the cam is too small? Flow numbers on 440 source heads seem to slow down around .500 lift.
Was planning on running aluminum heads, intake, water pump and housing for weight. Also aluminum heads for compression ratio. Stock heads that I have are 452 casting number have not been gone through by the machine shop.
Do you think I won’t benefit from the heads because the cam is too small? Flow numbers on 440 source heads seem to slow down around .500 lift.
Last edited:
For a pure street engine, you won't be spending much time at higher RPM's so don't worry about the flow numbers falling off. You're going to benefit from lighter heads and new intake components. The rear gearing is entirely your choice, but remember, the big block 440 does not need a ton of RPMs to make power! My preference is the 3.23, which is a good all around gearing for highway & city. You have a pretty light car too which means you would not necessarily need 3.55 or more gearing to get moving quickly. The other consideration is your transmission. A higher than stock converter will help you get moving without the lower gears killing your fuel economy.
OldmanRick
Well-Known Member
With shelf cam availability the way it is today, i'd just order the Oregon grind and use some good lifters. With using stock rockers and single springs, that should fit your application just fine.
Yea plan is to use an old core for the cam and resurface my factory lifters, since he could do a custom grind from what I understand, I was wondering if there might be a better grind before I pull the trigger on this one.
Mopar 528
That's what I was gettin at.
BSB67
Well-Known Member
Put on the better flowing heads. It will make meaningfully more power even at your level. Consider a good valve job before install. It will pick up the low flow numbers.
I like the MP 528 cam too. I would not put a new HFT in anything today, especially a fast rate HFT.
Better check that you can have the cam you want ground on the core you have.
I like the MP 528 cam too. I would not put a new HFT in anything today, especially a fast rate HFT.
Better check that you can have the cam you want ground on the core you have.
Not sure if I want to go solid, the idea would be regrind the old cam and lifters hopefully not run into the break in issues with the new cams and lifters people have been having. Not sure how it will work out but I have a little more faith in the cam and lifters from the 70s.
What's your reasoning?
If I go solid lifter I’d need to use adjustable rockers. At least $300-400 for the cheapest 440 source set I’ve found. I also like the idea of getting the old lifters resurfaced instead of buying new lifters, with all of the cam wipe out stories.
I feel like the best bet to keep from wiping a cam may be to use resurfaced lifters and a reground cam from the 70s.
Also a roller cam seems to come with its own possible issues, not to mention price.
You need adjustable rocker regardless with a cam the size of what you have chosen. So let's clear that right on up.
You can’t use the stamped steel rockers with a different length pushrod? What is the limit of the factory setup?
You "can" but you'll never get the lifter preload where it needs to be. As camshafts get "bigger" the need for optimum lifter preload becomes much more important. How much is this going to cost to build? And you're afraid of another $400? If there's anyone here who works on a budget (or lack thereof) it's me, but even I couldn't skimp on that. I'd find a way.
You know how to make a guy feel cheap huh? lol
It’s a snowball if you let other people spend your money.
I appreciate your help, but you come off as a jerk.
I don’t like to spend money if I don’t see a reason to that was the point.
If it’s needed I will get it, I was told it wasn’t.
Oh. And here I thought by comparing my lack of budget (SS is my only income) I would be coming off as nice. Well you have a nice day and good luck.
Maybe I took you wrong man, I don’t know, I apologize if I did.
Fish,
It sounds like you just want a good all round performance engine. Some of your ideas are veeeeeeeeeeeeery sensible: like having your factory lifters re-faced.
I would not use a re-ground factory cam on a tight LSA. The factory cams were ground on wide LSAs. To tighten the LSA [ a veeeeeeeeeeeery good idea, find the 128 rule on the web ], & get more lift requires a loooooot of metal removable resulting in small lobes; longevity will suffer. You will also likely need longer p'rods with a the above cam whether you use stock or roller rockers.
Use the Source heads. Since you are at 10.5:1 CR, I would use the Isky 280 HL Hyd cam #160128. It is a compromise & cams are always a compromise.....
Beware of excessive cam duration with the 440. The 440 has the second highest rod/stroke ratio of all the popular big blocks [ only the 350-400 Chrys is higher ]. This means they do not tolerate too much duration & idle quality/low speed tq will suffer.....
It sounds like you just want a good all round performance engine. Some of your ideas are veeeeeeeeeeeeery sensible: like having your factory lifters re-faced.
I would not use a re-ground factory cam on a tight LSA. The factory cams were ground on wide LSAs. To tighten the LSA [ a veeeeeeeeeeeery good idea, find the 128 rule on the web ], & get more lift requires a loooooot of metal removable resulting in small lobes; longevity will suffer. You will also likely need longer p'rods with a the above cam whether you use stock or roller rockers.
Use the Source heads. Since you are at 10.5:1 CR, I would use the Isky 280 HL Hyd cam #160128. It is a compromise & cams are always a compromise.....
Beware of excessive cam duration with the 440. The 440 has the second highest rod/stroke ratio of all the popular big blocks [ only the 350-400 Chrys is higher ]. This means they do not tolerate too much duration & idle quality/low speed tq will suffer.....
Nah, you're not cheap, man. You're thrifty... which is what you want. No need to spend unnecessary $$ when doin' it right the first time!!
Get hold of the Mopar Performance Engine book and stick with the Direct Connection Cam specs.
You can have a cam manufacturer, such as Bullet Cams make you an exact cam to their specs. There are other custom cam manufacturers out there besides Bullet.
You will be thanking me for a long time, if you do this. They have mild street all the way to all out Race Cams and these Cams are made specifically for Mopars A,B,C,E and F bodies.
Signed, First Edition & Collectible copies of Mopar Engines - Speed Secrets & Racing Modifications For Chrysler V-8 & 6 Cylinder Engines | ThriftBooks
You can have a cam manufacturer, such as Bullet Cams make you an exact cam to their specs. There are other custom cam manufacturers out there besides Bullet.
You will be thanking me for a long time, if you do this. They have mild street all the way to all out Race Cams and these Cams are made specifically for Mopars A,B,C,E and F bodies.
Signed, First Edition & Collectible copies of Mopar Engines - Speed Secrets & Racing Modifications For Chrysler V-8 & 6 Cylinder Engines | ThriftBooks
1968rt
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2008
- Messages
- 139
- Reaction score
- 198
The Mopar .528 will make 30-40HP over the XE274H. Its a very nice cam for the street. I run one in my 440 now. You can run stock rockers with the XE274H. I have run two motors with the XE275HL with no problems. .525 lift 231-237 @.050
I'm sure Rusty has built more engines than me but I've run the HD Mopar stamped steel rockers, prod push rods, and the old purple DC 292/.509 hydraulic cam in my 440 without issue in regards to compatibility, shifting at 6200 rpm. Car ran mid-12's in my 4200# Charger. Maybe I got lucky with the tolerances? Dunno.
I believe that 292/.509 is more cam than you are looking for as the idle is pretty rough (like I like!). The old DC 284/.484 cam in a 440 would be more tame at idle and still be a good performer. I used it in my 383 that was in the Charger prior to the 440. It went 13.0's but never got a 12-sec timeslip from it. The idle in it was not as rowdy as the 292 cam but still rough in the smaller displacement and short-stroke 383. It would be quite a bit more tame in the longer stroke, bigger displacement 440.
You can look up the specs on those DC cams and find something comparable from some of the other cam companies. I'm personally a big fan of Bullet Cams simply due to my satisfaction with the custom SFT I got from them for the avatar and the plethora of lobes they have available.
Good luck!
Thank you. Glad to know some has used that setup with success. I've heard the XE275HL is a Mopar specific grind while the xe274 is a chevy grind, would you say the xe275 is the better of the two?
I've seen a lot of guys like the .509 cam, I do worry it may be too rowdy for a driver but I have very little experience with a car that has a very rough idle. I will check out Bullet Cams thank you.
-
