New in here need some advice SB 360 Cam selection

-
BooW

BooW

Active Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2017
Messages
33
Reaction score
9
Location
Sweden
Hi there My name is Robert i´m from Sweden and i´m new here, happy to find a forum like this.

This is my first American and v8 powered car, so I’m new at this. It´s a (A Body) Dodge dart 1971, weights about 1500kg


Hope you guys can help me out with this. I have Power brakes so a good vacuum i needed.
I need a cam that’s fits my stock heads. without to have cut the valve guides.

I want it to be a red-light killer.

speeds are often 0-90 mph WOT and kick downs just to scare some Volvo's and some cruising.

Not a daily driven, it´s a "summer car"

have been looking at hughes , Engle and lunati and Mopar performance

Is it that big difference to get a cam that takes advantage of the .904 lifter diameter?

Specs:

Nearly stock sb LA 360 5,9L i think is 71-73modell, i don’t know the comp ratio, i don’t know if the engine has been bored or honed, but what i know that is that the engine had been restored for 10 years ago.

@ Stock bottom, the crank has been "Cut" i don’t know how much sorry
@ The Old CAM is a 340 version i don’t know which one.

@ stock heads they have been milled down 1mm (0.040) , what i know, casting-nr: 3671587 Valve size 1.88 / 1.60

@ Carb is eddy 1405 /600cfm performer, plan to get a 750 Holley vacuum

@ Intake is a copy version of a dual plane air gap, fits Magnum and LA heads 1500-6500RPM
maybe crosswind

@ Ignition is Mopar orange box with stock dist, premium coil, accel sparkplug wires. plugs gapped to 0.38
Have plans to order Rev N ator.

@ Stock exhaust manifolds with dual exhaust 2,5” with raptor mufflers, have plan to get
headers in future.



Trans. 727 with modified "valve house"

I think is stock converter. seems to be (1800-2500) Brake stall i´m not sure.

8 ¼ axle with 3:21 gear, cone diff

Wheels:

14" in front 195/60-14

15" in the back 235/50-15

Some questions?, just ask me, i will do my best to answer them.



Take care

Best Regards
Rob
 
8 1/4? Or 8 3/4? Why are you changing cams? The stock 340 cam is a good cam, especially if you can't improve your valve train. When you increase valve lift or increase duration ect. You need valve train tailor to the changes.
 
headers might be a better first step, not to underestimate the power you can get out of exhaust manifolds.
 
furrystump said:
8 1/4? Or 8 3/4? Why are you changing cams? The stock 340 cam is a good cam, especially if you can't improve your valve train. When you increase valve lift or increase duration ect. You need valve train tailor to the changes.
Click to expand...


Its 8 1/4 rear end with 3:21 cone diff,

first of all I want more power. My point is if i cant hang up with Saab Turbo ,something is need to be done :D

and i want to get my mechanical skills to higher levels and try something new.

so you mean that the heads doesn't flow better then the 340 camshaft can give? or you mean that the heads cant take much more lift then a 340 cam?

just wonder i´m novice

//Rob
 
I'm not sure how much more lift the stock springs/guides will take. You can increase duration but that can hurt your vac for the power brakes and usually means a faster ramp rate on the cam, which needs more valve spring to control the valve.
 
furrystump said:
I'm not sure how much more lift the stock springs/guides will take. You can increase duration but that can hurt your vac for the power brakes and usually means a faster ramp rate on the cam, which needs more valve spring to control the valve.
Click to expand...

hmm Ok, I will get new springs at the time i can find a better camshaft. Spring with damper max lift around .500" hughes(Pac racing) or MP springs
 
IIRC the "stock 340 cam" only came in two ways. Manual and automatic in 1968, but it doesn't really matter which at this point you have. The 340 heads had 2.02 intake valves so the your head has smaller valves than what the 340 cam was designed to be used with. I'm pretty sure my original stock,automatic 340 1968 barracuda would walk away from any Saab, but it had a little better head and was advertised at 10.5 to 1 compression. You have a better intake. If it's in the budget a set of edelbrock aluminum heads would be a great foundation to build around.
 
Welcome -- From Pa., in The USA. -- You'll find lots of help, here.
 
I'd look at a voodoo 02 cam or a Comp XE262 or 268H. Those cams should work ok with the stock rockers and a mild spring upgrade.Valve size on your deal isn't a power killer, it'll run just fine with a 1.88 intake valve.

Get the ignition initial timing, total and curve right. There is a lot of power there right off idle that is lost because of a crappy idle tune up.

Pass on hooker headers and buy either Dougs D453 or tti. The fit on these two headers is superior to the hooker and any hooker copies out there. Yes they cost more, but are worth the expense. Not sure if autozone is still running the 20% off code via online purchases, great place to start.
 
BooW, ask the guys on here to tell you how important having adequate quench is with a motor like that in order to prevent excessive detonation. I'm not an expert on it (I learned the hard way), so I won't presume to advise you about it, but some of the guys on here are experts on quench. Obtain as much information as you can from them, or read old threads on the subject. Good luck.
 
Never going to get quench with that engine, oem or aftermarket heads and stock pistons without a complete tear down and major machining expense.

If the OP can pocket port the bowl and open the runners on the heads, that would make a big difference in performance, The heads he has are stock 73+ 340-360 heads.
 
Best bang for the buck is throw a set of 4.11 gears in it.
 
Bill Crowell said:
BooW, ask the guys on here to tell you how important having adequate quench is with a motor like that in order to prevent excessive detonation. I'm not an expert on it (I learned the hard way), so I won't presume to advise you about it, but some of the guys on here are experts on quench. Obtain as much information as you can from them, or read old threads on the subject. Good luck.
Click to expand...


quench? dont really understand that meaning , something like a bottleneck, , or you mean to have a good balance between the parts in the engine :/
 
Hi again , greatly thanks for all the respond, but i´m still confused about the cam selection in the future for my setup

the voodoo series seems to be good.

camshaft that works with my setup.

i have a hard time to get some answers from the lunati support, that is why i want to hear from people that have experience in here.
 
OP.... this is all based upon the idea that the stock type pistons were put into the engine when it was rebuilt. The recommendations will change if this is not true. Please take some cranking compression readings ASAP and let us know what they are; we can make a guess on the piston types from the compression readings and the recommendations will be better.

If the stock type pistons were used in the engine rebuild, then I agree with the recommendation of the VooDoo cam; this is a low compression engine and higher lift and less duration are good to keep the dynamic compression ratio as high as you can.

OP, when you change cams, I would pull the heads and put in Mr Gakset 1121G head gaskets. These are thinner and will help the compression ratio. This will be good for the stock torque converter. If your engine has the standard Felpro head gaskets, these are thick and the engine is losing some compression. The fact that your heads have been milled 1 mm is good.

I would second the recommendation of a Voodoo cam; I would go with the 10200702. And some new valve springs. With the higher lift, the OP is going to have to look at the clearance between the valve retainers and the tops of the valve guides and seals.

I would also install this cam with an ICL of 106 degrees. This will put the dynamic compression ratio at around 7.25, with the Mr Gasket 1121G head gaskets. Higher would better, but that would require some engine mods.

But we really need the cranking compression readings first.
 
The main problem I see is your goal of a stop light street killer. Up to a comp xe268h under 5000 rpm the power band will be similar you might gain 40-50hp up top but with 3.21 your not gonna spend to much time up there especially at street speeds and anything larger is gonna soften the under 2500 rpm making it lazy out of the hole.

Not saying don't swap but stall and lower first gear probably would help a lot especially since you don't want deeper rear gears.
 
nm9stheham said:
OP.... this is all based upon the idea that the stock type pistons were put into the engine when it was rebuilt. The recommendations will change if this is not true. Please take some cranking compression readings ASAP and let us know what they are; we can make a guess on the piston types from the compression readings and the recommendations will be better.

If the stock type pistons were used in the engine rebuild, then I agree with the recommendation of the VooDoo cam; this is a low compression engine and higher lift and less duration are good to keep the dynamic compression ratio as high as you can.

OP, when you change cams, I would pull the heads and put in Mr Gakset 1121G head gaskets. These are thinner and will help the compression ratio. This will be good for the stock torque converter. If your engine has the standard Felpro head gaskets, these are thick and the engine is losing some compression. The fact that your heads have been milled 1 mm is good.

I would second the recommendation of a Voodoo cam; I would go with the 10200702. And some new valve springs. With the higher lift, the OP is going to have to look at the clearance between the valve retainers and the tops of the valve guides and seals.

I would also install this cam with an ICL of 106 degrees. This will put the dynamic compression ratio at around 7.25, with the Mr Gasket 1121G head gaskets. Higher would better, but that would require some engine mods.

But we really need the cranking compression readings first.
Click to expand...


Hi thanks for the time you take, i'm not really there yet, i'm new at this, so it will take a time, but i will fix the Compr.... reading before i buy any camshaft, should i get readings with engine warmed up?
Maybe dry and wet readings?

Take care
 
273 said:
The main problem I see is your goal of a stop light street killer. Up to a comp xe268h under 5000 rpm the power band will be similar you might gain 40-50hp up top but with 3.21 your not gonna spend to much time up there especially at street speeds and anything larger is gonna soften the under 2500 rpm making it lazy out of the hole.

Not saying don't swap but stall and lower first gear probably would help a lot especially since you don't want deeper rear gears.
Click to expand...


Hi,
Yea i do read alot , that you say seems to be just right, My toughts going for new gear maybe 3:71 max not steeper becouse the high rpm at Highway/innerstate use

My shifting gonna see max 6000rpm

New cam in future that duration at 0.50 Max/ around
are 224 intake/ exhaust
Max lift .500"



But i'm curious about the grinds that take advantage of the .904 lifter

Is it so some much better?

Take care
//Rob
 
Thanks again for all replys and answers, is something on your mind just tell me.
I want to learn new things

//Rob
 
BooW said:
Hi thanks for the time you take, i'm not really there yet, i'm new at this, so it will take a time, but i will fix the Compr.... reading before i buy any camshaft, should i get readings with engine warmed up?
Maybe dry and wet readings?

Take care
Click to expand...
You can take the compression readings with the engine either warm or cold, and dry. If you can get the readings in psi, that would be easiest for us to understand (but we can convert from metric if needed). We just need to see if your readings are 100 psi or 125 psi or 150 psi, to get an idea of the existing pistons. Take readings on all 8 cylinders. Thanks.
 
Okay I'd like to join the party here and give my two cents. First of all the ignition don't touch it you're going to completely waste your money up grading that. Only give you my experience on things here so I went from a bone stock ignition to a full-blown MSD 6al distributor wires box coil the whole nine yards and didn't gain anything at the dragstrip whatsoever. In mind you I mostly drag race my car and only sometimes take it on the street for fun and it is street legal. Barely. And in my opinion it's a complete waste of money to buy Doug's headers or some kind of spendy header at your power level just some cheap Summit headers will be fine. I have personally ran a 484 lift with stock Springs and such which is probably about close to the max you want to go with any stock stuff. That was the old school purple performance cam and I don't think it had much vacuum and alternative to that is maybe an electric vacuum pump to run your vacuum assisted brakes it's an option to have a much more duration in your cam. All this High Cam and high gears all works at high RPMs which most Mopar don't mind much. Compromises have to be made it's very hard to get a car too do light to light and then also be great on the freeway to. But if you're planning to beat people from light to light you are in need of a gear change. Don't forget suspension and tires either! That's what I did I've got tons of motor and power and all kinds of stuff and I'm having a lot of trouble getting it to the ground. So don't overlook some good crossovers like Street strip tires to get whatever you got to get you going? And some good adjustable shocks. Or you can skip all this stuff and put a $400 nitrous kit on it and have the power when you want it. But of course I've got to remember you're in Sweden and parts aren't growing on trees then probably nitrous isn't either LOL
 
Oh yeah and just take your time just do one thing at a time and don't overwhelm yourself everything's fine...
 
Oh yeah and let me give you a little Forum experience too. There's a crap ton of people out here with opinions! Repeat things they've heard from other people with no experience whatsoever. They'll cyber spend your money like it wasn't their own! Then there's others with great advice I may not be one of them but I guarantee everything I tell you there's something I did before and it either work for me or didn't work for me. Well except for the nitrous thing but I'm going to try that soon LOL. Lot of really nice people out here and I learned so much from this forum and had gotten so much help and appreciate it but again everything needs a grain of salt and needs to be confirmed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top