Did I Screw Up?

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bobscuda67

bobscuda67

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I went through my engine this year checking out the short block. I had .015 milled off the deck so I could use a MLS gasket and replaced the rod bearings. I've been assembling it and I installed the old Hughes cam, an HEH 219/228, and I noticed that the nose had little pits in it on the #8 exhaust lobe. With closer inspection some of the other lobes were just starting to show very small pitting also. So now I need a cam. Called Comp and talked to Brian. He said the XE274H would be a good fit for my engine, but I'm having second thoughts. I was thinking the 268 would have been better.
What do you think.
Its a 340 with a 3.58 stroke, 373 ci. Zero deck with a 9.90 comp ratio. Magnum heads with 1.6 rockers, bowel blend and gasket matched, 57 cc chambers. Hughes 110 valve springs with 120# on the seat.
Exhaust manifolds and duals out the back. Has a 650 Eddy avs with a Mopar M1 dual plane.
A 904 with a low gear set and a 2600 converter and a 3:55 axle.
I ordered this cam tonight but it takes 5 days to manufacture and I might be able to
change it. Anyone thoughts on this good or bad? Thanks
 
I am a long ways from a cam expert but with your combo I think you could put almost any cam in there and it would like it. I would stay with the 274. tmm
 
I have a similar build, 360 40 over 650 thunder performer rpm, 9.5 etc with 3.73 gears and the xe 268. Wish I had gone with the 274.
 
With the split pattern, it should run pretty well IMO...maybe not a fire breather, but I doubt you'll be disappointed-I know this goes without saying, but make sure you degree it in with a quality timing set...
 
Call up another couple cam companies and ask for advice, a 274ish is fine. Really, you want to pick the cam that has the most duration @ .200, it's called 'power under the curve'.
 
That's the same cam I had in a 360 built very similar to yours and it ran great. With the 268 you might have problems with the dynamic compression being too high for pump gas
 
Hey, thanks for reassurance. I was worried but I'll give it a try.
I am pissed that the Hughes cam started to go bad. I had it in my car for 5 years I think, and it ran really well.
I know there are better cams out there but the 274 is inexpensive and I can get it fast. I'm not trying to get every last horsepower out of it anyway.
 
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