318 Camshaft Choice

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70coupe

70coupe

G'day from Downunder!
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Sorry to bore you all with another 318 cam Q.

I have an Australian VG valiant (same as 67-69 US dart)
I have a '69 318 with stock bottom end, 273 closed chamber heads running an edelbrock performer and a 600 vac/sec holley.

Driveline is a 4spd with 2.92 LSD.
I want the car to be a cruiser with most power down low but would like a nice idle.

I'd like to keep as much stock valvetrain as possible but will naturally change out springs and maybe go to 273 adjustable rockers if required.

What cams would people recommend- I'm thinking Comp XE256 or a summit K50052
Being a 4spd can I afford something a little bigger?

I'd love to hear anyone's suggestions or experience.
Thanks Pete
 
70coupe said:
Sorry to bore you all with another 318 cam Q.

I have an Australian VG valiant (same as 67-69 US dart)
I have a '69 318 with stock bottom end, 273 closed chamber heads running an edelbrock performer and a 600 vac/sec holley.

Driveline is a 4spd with 2.92 LSD.
I want the car to be a cruiser with most power down low but would like a nice idle.

I'd like to keep as much stock valvetrain as possible but will naturally change out springs and maybe go to 273 adjustable rockers if required.

What cams would people recommend- I'm thinking Comp XE256 or a summit K50052
Being a 4spd can I afford something a little bigger?

I'd love to hear anyone's suggestions or experience.
Thanks Pete
Click to expand...
I built a 318 with similar requiremens like you listed. I used the compcams xe268 and was very happy. It had strong low and midrange power. It worked well with the stock torque converter so I'm sure it will be fine with a manual transmission.
 
70coupe said:
Sorry to bore you all with another 318 cam Q.

I have an Australian VG valiant (same as 67-69 US dart)
I have a '69 318 with stock bottom end, 273 closed chamber heads running an edelbrock performer and a 600 vac/sec holley.

Driveline is a 4spd with 2.92 LSD.
I want the car to be a cruiser with most power down low but would like a nice idle.

I'd like to keep as much stock valvetrain as possible but will naturally change out springs and maybe go to 273 adjustable rockers if required.

What cams would people recommend- I'm thinking Comp XE256 or a summit K50052
Being a 4spd can I afford something a little bigger?

I'd love to hear anyone's suggestions or experience.
Thanks Pete
Click to expand...
Hey 70, 3:23 rear gear would really help!
 
mopar_muscle said:
I built a 318 with similar requiremens like you listed. I used the compcams xe268 and was very happy. It had strong low and midrange power. It worked well with the stock torque converter so I'm sure it will be fine with a manual transmission.
Click to expand...


Here is a clip of it running. Pardon the cellphone sound quality.
 
mopar_muscle said:


Here is a clip of it running. Pardon the cellphone sound quality.
Click to expand...

Sounds stout :) , I did think of the XE268, I know it is a popular cam. Did you need to change pushrods or rockers? Or was it relatively straightforward?
 
I've got a Lunati hydraulic flat tappet 10200701 cam in my 318 and I have been pretty happy with it. Recently though I have been thinking I may have been just as well served with the 702 cam instead because I am about to switch to 4.10 gearing since my highway driving is limited to about 7 miles. I am currently stuck with a 2.76 pegleg.
 
Ottmundr said:
I've got a Lunati hydraulic flat tappet 10200701 cam in my 318 and I have been pretty happy with it. Recently though I have been thinking I may have been just as well served with the 702 cam instead because I am about to switch to 4.10 gearing since my highway driving is limited to about 7 miles. I am currently stuck with a 2.76 pegleg.
Click to expand...
That 4:10 will wake that 318 up!
 
with a dual plane intake, closed chamber heads, and a 4-speed, I'd run the MP .474/280 cam
 
70coupe said:
Sounds stout :) , I did think of the XE268, I know it is a popular cam. Did you need to change pushrods or rockers? Or was it relatively straightforward?
Click to expand...
To be honest, I didn't change any of the valve terain, not even the valve springs. However, I would recommend you to change the valve springs to compcams suggested springs. (The stock ones valve floated at just over 5000rpm) The stock lifters, pushrods, rockers, and heads works just fine with it. I used a 360 cast 4 barrel intake manifold, (port matched it to the 273/318 heads) with the same 600cfm vac/sec holley you are planning on running, and flow tech headers. I was in love with that 318! And it was relatively stock, and cheap to build. I would recommend the xe268, or cam with similar specs to anyone who wants a cruiser with strong power in the low and midrange. The idle sounds nice and it compliments the power rpm range that all the stock parts are made to operate in.
 
With it floating there, it's missing out on the most HP in the powerband. A 318 should go to about 5500ish with a 268, maybe a bit more, 5800 or so.
 
There has been tons of threads started about 318 cams. I started one a few weeks ago. I had gone through a dozen threads and found cam recommendations from members. Then I put the specs in a desktop dyno program and found almost all the cams performed about the same. A 4 barrel and headers really help but all were very close. I would install the 268, tune it, and rock and roll. You can drive yourself crazy choosing a "magic bullet." Here's the link:
Cam choices for stock 318's
 
My thread was for cams and automatic transmissions with stock converters.
 
Thanks all for your input, I really appreciate it, and sorry for clogging the board with another 318 cam thread.
268 sounds like it will tick my boxes.
 
70coupe said:
Thanks all for your input, I really appreciate it, and sorry for clogging the board with another 318 cam thread.
268 sounds like it will tick my boxes.
Click to expand...
Not a issue around here. Knowledge is power. It's nice to get opinions b/4 you go through all the work and do it wrong or make the wrong choice. Post some pics and videos of your project. I am anxious to hear what it sounds like and how it performs.
 
70coupe said:
Thanks all for your input, I really appreciate it, and sorry for clogging the board with another 318 cam thread.
268 sounds like it will tick my boxes.
Click to expand...

It's no problem with another 318 thread if you look they and 273 get the most help and views. Since 340/360 are pretty straight forward what to do to them.

If you go with the xe268h or similar cam I'd go with Rhoads lifters to try to extend the low end best of both worlds especially since your running 2.96 gears.

If not I'd go with the xe262h or similar
 
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