Are my expectations too high?
A half inch lift roller seems a little anemic as well. Opinions? Is the combo to keep costs down? (cam, springs, valve to piston clearance)?
A lot depends on goals, hp output sought, $$$ is always an issue so a low lift cam is easy on the spring for long life. If you already have the roller equipped block w/lifters, it’s just a cam and spring expense.
If the cylinder head stalls at or shortly after the max lift of the cam, the head is doing the best it cam. Bowl porting would be fine but not full expensive port only to have a way under large & utilized port. To me that makes no sense. Same as lifting the valve to .750 on a stock OE port.
Often you’ll see me recommending a large lift cam or say to start looking for one yourself for a street beast or racer as to take advantage of the fully ported high air moving head.
Street machines/Hot Rods do not need this and they can and will still turn in good times at the track. In the case quoted, that was my opinion for the engine and it’s power output and what would make it better. The factor only offers what they make. Not always the best thing for street driving unless your car is super light with high gears to allow that single plane work in a otherwise (IMO) low compression, small headed motor.
The cam is a tweener, in between a good street driving cam and a good general bracket cam. It needs a RPM intake. Not a M1 single. Give it a nice bowl porting. It’ll wake up some.
