Ordered a new cam today for the W2 408

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cpearce

cpearce

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Well today I ordered a new cam for my W2 408.

W2 408 build

The engine has treated me very well, but I always felt I had left quite a bit on the table. The engine pulls very hard, but I was limiting the RPM to 6200 max for safety due to the hydraulic roller setup. I have decided pull the juice roller out, and simplify things, with a solid flat tappet cam. I spoke with several grinders and decided upon a custom grind from Bullet Cams.

The new stick is single pattern, with the following lobes.

280 advertised, 251@ 0.050, .371 lobe lift (1.6 rockers), 106LSA, .013 lash.

Having a good idea of what I was after, I had Chris, at Bullet Cams help me with the details. I asked for lobes with a degree of intensity that would take advantage of performance, but not beat up the valve train, as the car does see a lot of street miles. Although the idea was to allow me to run the RPM up a little more on the top end, Chris feels this cam will make more power all over. (@Rat Bastid) I took your advice on mentioning I may put a tunnel ram on in the future, Chris indicated this shorter duration cam would be a great compromise for either single plane or tunnel ram. The single pattern, combined with 106LSA should prevent me from having to RPM like mad to make the tunnel ram work. I figured you may like the single pattern also, LOL. Cam is 10 weeks out, likely will be a winter swap out. I'll post the current cam card for comparison.

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Sounds like a winner Chris. The new cam will work well with the W2 setup.
Looking forward to hearing how it compares.
 
The cams look fairly similar after you take into consideration lash am I missing something. It should be more stable on top but not much bigger?
 
K.O. SWINGER said:
The cams look fairly similar after you take into consideration lash am I missing something. It should be more stable on top but not much bigger?
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Exactly what I was after, just allowing it to rpm out a little higher. I have always liked how the cam pulled through the entire range, pulls like a freight train right until I shift. I just want to allow the engine to run to about 66-6700 rpm without fear of a hydraulic roller lifter issue.
 
cpearce said:
Exactly what I was after, just allowing it to rpm out a little higher. I have always liked how the cam pulled through the entire range, pulls like a freight train right until I shift. I just want to allow the engine to run to about 66-6700 rpm without fear of a hydraulic roller lifter issue.
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Gotcha, will be very interesting to see the results, keep us posted :popcorn:I think you're on the right track. There's just not that many head-to-head solid flat tappet /roller hydraulic comparison out there at least I haven't read too much.
 
cpearce said:
The single pattern, combined with 106LSA should prevent me from having to RPM like mad to make the tunnel ram work.
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What makes you think that you have to RPM like mad to make a tunnel ram work?
 
Bakerlite said:
What makes you think that you have to RPM like mad to make a tunnel ram work?
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I have NO experience myself with tunnel rams. After several conversations with various cam grinders, the council I was given was to keep duration a little lower on the cam than one would if using specifically a single plane intake, as the tunnel ram will allow the engine to rpm more with any given cam.
 
Bakerlite said:
What makes you think that you have to RPM like mad to make a tunnel ram work?
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I don’t think that’s the issue or what he thinks he must do in order to get it to work. I think he is attempting to use a bigger cam for a higher rpm band for higher rpm abilities since he said he likes to run up the rpm’s where he can take more advantage of the intake for more power out of the combo.
 
Knowing that a tunnel ram improves pretty much everything everywhere, it’s just add in the cam for its rpm band that one would select and go.

Of course add in a set of bitchen heads on a killer short block! Displacement is your call.
 
bullet cams are local to me. i have one in my 318. they treated me well when i went to their shop and they fixed me right up. i have a 340ish grind on my cam. my 318 responds well with it.
 
That’s a fairly quick lobe. But with just under .600 lift with your rockers it will be easy on stuff. What do your W2s flow do you know?

Edited to add;
Nevermind I found it in your other thread. 293 @ .600
 
Yea man! Beast iron head for sure. All the flow through a nice large oval port. Oh yea! Heavy hammer time.
 
Sorry but I am cant see how this cam will allow you to rev out more . Other than the 106 lobes ...the duration is really short for a high reving motor.
I run a 246/250 on a 108 and my peak power is 6200. (W2 as you know)
I am no cam expert but would get a few more opinions. Try Jones cams etc...
And let them know you run W2s.
 
Is he not going from the split Hughes cam @237/241 to the bullet 251/251?
 
mbaird said:
Sorry but I am cant see how this cam will allow you to rev out more . Other than the 106 lobes ...the duration is really short for a high reving motor.
I run a 246/250 on a 108 and my peak power is 6200. (W2 as you know)
I am no cam expert but would get a few more opinions. Try Jones cams etc...
And let them know you run W2s.
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He is purposely short shifting it now with a hyd roller to save parts. Just the switch to a similar flat tappet would gain him some comfort in running it out more. That’s my understanding. And he stepped up a little in duration and lift AND he’s planning a tunnel ram, which will carry the power out a little. I dont think he’s trying to set the world on fire nor shift at 8600. Just how I interpreted it.
 
Cpearce,
I think you have made a good choice. Cams are always a compromise & you have sensibly chosen the middle road & I believe the specs will deliver what you are after.
 
first of all, i love the pro dominator Tunnel ram, will be a great combination! I´m also thinking about switching cams from hyd. roller to solid, but never felt the hyd. roller are rpm-limited so bad. I run mine to 6700 rpm regularly (end of track in 3rd gear, shifting at 6500 rpm) without any problems, been accidentally at 7000 rpm. I like the 106° LSA you´re using....thanks for sharing your experience!

Michael
 
Going from a roller cam to a flat tappet I would be worried about the lifter bores. The roller only goes up and down but the flat tappet lifters must rotate in the bores and if you have wear scratches in the bores that do not let the lifters turn you could flatten that cam in a very short time. So pay very good attention to those lifter bores!
 
TT5.9mag said:
He is purposely short shifting it now with a hyd roller to save parts. Just the switch to a similar flat tappet would gain him some comfort in running it out more. That’s my understanding. And he stepped up a little in duration and lift AND he’s planning a tunnel ram, which will carry the power out a little. I dont think he’s trying to set the world on fire nor shift at 8600. Just how I interpreted it.
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Exactly my rationale.
 
mbaird said:
Sorry but I am cant see how this cam will allow you to rev out more . Other than the 106 lobes ...the duration is really short for a high reving motor.
I run a 246/250 on a 108 and my peak power is 6200. (W2 as you know)
I am no cam expert but would get a few more opinions. Try Jones cams etc...
And let them know you run W2s.
Click to expand...
I did check with others including whom you mentioned, this was what I liked best. Not looking for a much "bigger" cam, I like how it currently performs, just want to be able to run out the back end as I have always been nervous of the hydraulic roller and rpm. Consider it a piece of mind venture. I am confident it will net great results. Considering the results of this engine already, I'm not worried about not having enough power.
 
cpearce said:
I have NO experience myself with tunnel rams. After several conversations with various cam grinders, the council I was given was to keep duration a little lower on the cam than one would if using specifically a single plane intake, as the tunnel ram will allow the engine to rpm more with any given cam.
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Not true at all. Quite the opposite most times. J.Rob
 
I look forward to the results since we have near identical builds .
 
RAMM said:
Not true at all. Quite the opposite most times. J.Rob
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J.Rob, fair, I know you have run quite a few tunnel rams on various engines. You don't agree they increase the rpm capability due to increased air flow? Not a pointed question, wishing to learn from your experience. I am curious, what are your thoughts on my cam choice?
 
If this does work my assumption is the 106 offsets the duration and then some .
Cpearce are you running Holleys ?
I rigged up a few 1405 Eddies for mine .
 
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