cam too big for a 273?

-
C

coffeedart67

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 9, 2010
Messages
1,200
Reaction score
64
Location
Southeast South Dakota
Got the replacement cam from my engine builder, first cam had .536 lift, this cam has .468 lift. Here is the comp cams page on it.
http://www.compcams.com/Cam_Specs/CamDetails.aspx?csid=665&sb=2
The engine is stock rebuilt, bored .030, stock heads rebuilt, stock everything. Auto tranny with stock convertor, 2.67 rear gears(I think, or somewhere around there), 2 barrel intake with stock carb. Would like to find a STOCK solid cam but haven't had much luck. One auto parts said they used to be able to get them, but they recently rebuilt a 66 273 and had to have Comp Cams do a custom grind. If I go with a custom grind will they have all of the specs, because all I have been able to find is in a direct connection book stating that the 2 barrel 273s had a .400 lift sold cam(up to mid year 67).
Thanks
Coffee
 
I would say it is too much for all stock. Here's a solid lifter cam that is close to stock. Isky E-4. #390144 toolman
 
That Comp Solid (270 duration) would be a nice stout street performer in a 273. And a bit big for what your doing. Most cam manufactures will grind you a cam custom for pennies more than a on the shelf cam they have.
 
The saga continues, my brother was over and looked up the elgin part number on the egge cam and by elgins website it is hydraulic (elgin part # is E-577-S, egge part number is VMDO15NEW), got the cam from my engine builder (comp cams part number 20-246-4).468 lift solid. So it looks like a call to Egge to see what can be done there, then? Makes me wonder if hydraulic might be the way to go, but that brings up a question, are there any modifications that need to be done to go to hydraulic? Brother has a 340 that he had to do some oil mods to to go with a solid cam.
Me and dad cleaned up the rockers and shafts last night and he asked me if we should put the cam in, and as we were both kind of tired and hungry, I said no lets wait, good thing we did.
And the comp cam website says that stronger than stock springs are needed with their cam and my heads have stock replacement springs.
 
I went with a Lunati matched hydraulic lifter & spring set. Cant remember the exact specs but it was about .460 lift and 270 duration @ 112 CL, something like that. The lifters were built to match the cam and the springs were 120# seat presure closed and 260# open as I recall. With this setup I get the tuning of the adjustable rockers without losing cam spec because of lash. Should be good for 5500 RPM easy. Good luck with yours!
DR
 
Now I'm getting upset, called Egge and was rudely told "that is a solid cam, all we sell are solid cams." Funny their catalog shows hydraulic cams. Think they won't be getting anymore business from me. So now I suppose try to get hold of Elgin and see what their take is on this. No cam card or spec sheet was included with the Egge/Elgin cam, they did look up the valve lash for a stock 273.
 
Called Egge to get a rga and they told me they found a misprint somewhere and it was a hydraulic cam, and they were still looking for a solid, called them back today and they are sending me a reground cam at no additional charge and sending the paperwork to send back the hydraulic cam. So it sounds like they are a stand up company after all. What exactly is a reground cam anyway?
Thanks
 
Got reground cam from Egge today, but still no spec sheet or cam card, is this the norm for a regorund cam? Just leary of installing a cam without any specs on it. This is getting beyond frustrating. What should I do? Do most cam companies have specs for stock cams or is that something I would have to come up with myself? I'm about to the point of eating the price of the Egge cam and going on my own and getting a cam custom ground.
 
coffeedart67 said:
Got reground cam from Egge today, but still no spec sheet or cam card, is this the norm for a regorund cam? Just leary of installing a cam without any specs on it. This is getting beyond frustrating. What should I do? Do most cam companies have specs for stock cams or is that something I would have to come up with myself? I'm about to the point of eating the price of the Egge cam and going on my own and getting a cam custom ground.
Click to expand...

Its most likely a stock regrind. Low lift maybe 400 and on a 115 cl for a smooth idle.
 
coffeedart67 said:
Called Egge to get a rga and they told me they found a misprint somewhere and it was a hydraulic cam, and they were still looking for a solid, called them back today and they are sending me a reground cam at no additional charge and sending the paperwork to send back the hydraulic cam. So it sounds like they are a stand up company after all. What exactly is a reground cam anyway?
Thanks
Click to expand...

a reground cam is a cam ground off a stock or aftermarket core usually with a smaller base circle to get a higher lift and duration. Or it could have been ground off a larger cam to be smaller.

Probably going to want to check pushrod length with it.
 
Man, just call Hughes Engines and talk to Dave. They will grind you up whatever you want. Do you know the specs you want? Dave is DA MAN. Call him.
 
I'm sure Hughes would have a good idea. Plus its 45 years later, camshafts profiles have came a long ways. Yeah I'm sure the factory grind would still be ok today.

Everybody is going to say to go hotter but if you want stock keep saying that and maybe Hughes can hook you up. I would keep it mechanical if you don't mind adjusting the valves. It will run different and sound different
 
I think I remember seeing somewhere that you can go to about a .444 lift cam on a fairly otherwise stock 273. I have a slightly hotter than stock cam in my Barracuda, but I don't remember the specs. I can dig the card out in the next couple days to check, but it seems like it's got .414 with a low duration.
 
Called Comp Cams, Hughes and finally Isky, Isky is grinding me a custom cam, but it is 4 barrel specs. The question I have is will my 2 barrel engine run ok with the 4 barrel cam. Was getting frustrated and just decided what the hey. Comp suggested a bigger cam than the comp cam I have or the one I already have. Nobody else would grind a cam without the specs and I haven't been able to find the specs.
 
The heck with it think I will just drop a 355 Chevy in the Dart, just kidding! Got my Isky cam and the tech sheet says .481 lift, called them and they said that the spec sheet was wrong that it is a .425 lift. Think I will install this one and degree the cam, to double check the specs. They are supposed to email me the correct sheet. I am going to open up a museum displaying my small block Chrysler cam collection.
 
That .425 cam is the exact one I got here somewhere collecting dust. I ran a Summit .447 cam for awhile in the lil 273 and it did really well.
 
Stock mech cam for 273 2bbl:

240 duration, 16 overlap, lift int .395, exh .404

4bbl:

248, 26, .415, .425
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top