Cams How do you choose one?
Hi , just a little confused which one to choose. I’ve asked the cam company’s got no answer to wild cams. So here goes this is what I have 65 Barracuda #3200 car, A 833 2:66 first gear, 3:55 sure rear 215-60-15 tires, 79 360 stock yes 8:1 with hippo manifolds 2 1/4” exhaust dynomax mufflers, stock 4 bbl intake with carter afb Just a cruiser but fun one. Motor has been rebuilt and heads, since winter is here thinking maybe a cam to have a little more fun.any help on this subject would be appreciated. Can list some cams might be good but don’t know?
The problem with cams is everydoby has there own idea on what would be good. And as you have seen, so do the cam companies. Call them all back and re ask your question just so you’ll see that you’ll more than likely get different answers again even from the same companies.
This is not a scientific way of picking a cam but it will get you really close to what you want without racking your brain out.
Be honest in what you want from your car.
How do you want it to sound rhythm wise?
The lobe separation angle can largely be viewed like this.
116, smooth like melted butter
114 smooth
112 mild idle chop
110 typical muscle car
108 radical muscle car
106 racer
Anything lower, way radical
Pick the rpm you travel in. This is the duration of the cam. As a general guide, the cam companies have listed there basic rpm range. Though this Varys with many other factors that come into play, it is still generally an OK guide line. The cam companies generally list the ranges with the popular engine of what ever make they are. In our case, the 340 is the popular engine. You can raise the rpm band a few hundred RPMs because the engine is smaller. If it were a stroker, you can lower the rpm band down a few hundred because it is a bigger engine. For a driver, error on the smaller one, usually the next one down.
Lift. It helps to know how much the head flows at given lifts. For a street car, yield before max flow and lift.
Rate of lift of the cam lobe. Faster is better but also harder on valve springs. With that said, there is no crime in choosing a cam that doesn’t have the fast ramp rate. You’ll never feel the difference. Long life street cars have slow ramp rates.
Don’t fall for the old cliché bullshit of “That cam has Chevy lobes.”
The engine doesn’t know, you’ll never know, they’ll never know.
The car is a cruiser with fun every once in a while. Worry not!
Many people here will roast you for not following there thoughts and choosing a fast ramp, high lift, low centerline cam because your going to loose power. While they are correct, just what is it your building for YOURSELF!
To this end, if you asked me what you would like after reading your guide that you posted.....
A Hyd. cam from Crane;
1:
Crane Hydraulic Flat Tappet Camshafts 693511
2: (IIRC, I’ll check my cam card, the rpm band doesn’t start where Summit listed it at 2K but at 1500.)
Crane Hydraulic Flat Tappet Camshafts 693941
