408 stroker rpm questions

Many times there can be problems in how someone perceives what’s happening, and then trying to describe that to someone else.

My interpretation of “falls on it face” is not what would typically be experienced by a motor combo just having a small cam and carb, and a mild dual plane intake(not including stuff like the sp2p or offy dual port 360).
The combos where the cam, carb, intake, etc are just “small” feel like they just “flatten out” when you start to get beyond the normal operating range of the combination.

I used to be involved with some 360 oval track motors that had to use unported stock heads(1.88/1.50 valve rule), stock 2bbl intake manifolds, and a 2bbl carb.
Granted they didn’t have small cams in them....... but the stock heads and 2bbl intake and carb were still making reasonable power at 7k, which is how high the motors were run in the car.

“Runs into a wall” is usually indicative of a “problem”.

I just did a little work on a 360...... that had the “runs into a wall” condition.
Owner said it just wouldn’t go over 5100.
Even had it on a chassis dyno...... power dropped off a cliff at 5100.

Hyd cam..... unhappy lifters.
Had plenty of spring.

I put in a solid cam..... peak hp now around 6100...... power hangs on good to 6700....... same springs and rockers, intake, carb, etc.