Cam ID

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Mr Shine

Mr Shine

At 12 dad said “Tear this 318 apart”.I was hooked.
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South Texas
Pulled a cam from a good running 318, but besides measuring the lobes, I have no way to ID it.
It has 961or 4? 723 stamped in it. Googled the crap out of it, asked Uncle Tony, no luck...any ideas??
 
right in the range of a stock 2 bbl cam or a vintage grind for the valvesprings of the day- long and low
not enough meat to regrind
where do you want to end up
any idea if you have a low comp or high comp 318?
did you ever run a compression test
post up the results
what year and post up the head casting numbers
 
I want to put it in a 1985 diplomat, it’s supposedly has the high swirled heads. I’m looking for a nice lopey idle. Using a Victor intake, Edelbrock 4 bbl and probably the stock exhaust manifolds with a Flowmaster. Not a high hp engine, just want it to sound nice for a driver.
 
ok YOU HAVE
a stock low compression 318
stock converter, stock gears
cam without the matching lifters
so you can get new lifters and run that cam but no advantage over the stock cam that's in it now
Change the timing chain and be happy
or
you could change to the 250 luanti voodoo or 256 Howard that's bout it
both these close the intake at about the same time because the Howard has closer lobe centers than the Lunati and would give you slightly more rump d rump
any more you will have performance around town and mileage that sucks
want noise change your muffler or slow down the idle
I'd think about new springs with either of these two cams or any cam change
you can change them in the car and new stem seals
do a compression test and post back
make sure you are not due for a valve job
 
Wyrmrider said:
ok YOU HAVE
a stock low compression 318
stock converter, stock gears
cam without the matching lifters
so you can get new lifters and run that cam but no advantage over the stock cam that's in it now
Change the timing chain and be happy
or
you could change to the 250 luanti voodoo or 256 Howard that's bout it
both these close the intake at about the same time because the Howard has closer lobe centers than the Lunati and would give you slightly more rump d rump
any more you will have performance around town and mileage that sucks
want noise change your muffler or slow down the idle
I'd think about new springs with either of these two cams or any cam change
you can change them in the car and new stem seals
do a compression test and post back
make sure you are not due for a valve job
Click to expand...
I’m considering doing the springs anyway. Not really concerned with mileage. Have a lead on a .464 lift, but it might be a bit much for stock heads.
 
464 lift you should be thinking about 256 @.006
you do not want a 270 duration cam in that motor
or even a 260
Post up our find and I'll check it against my database
 
Dont suppose you have a cam laying around somewhere near those specs do ya?
 
several
what did you find
if bucks down you might be tempted to modernise he cam you found- regrind
what was it?
but
new pushrods negate any cost savings
run stock or get the 250 lunati
do not even think of a 340 cam; a used 360 cam would work bu the same low lift and more duration than you need- not worth the trouble of a trip to pick a part
 
Wyrmrider said:
several
what did you find
if bucks down you might be tempted to modernise he cam you found- regrind
what was it?
but
new pushrods negate any cost savings
run stock or get the 250 lunati
do not even think of a 340 cam; a used 360 cam would work bu the same low lift and more duration than you need- not worth the trouble of a trip to pick a part
Click to expand...
Wyrmrider said:
several
what did you find
if bucks down you might be tempted to modernise he cam you found- regrind
what was it?
but
new pushrods negate any cost savings
run stock or get the 250 lunati


I havent torn into the engine yet, it seems to run pretty good besides a lifter tick. It hasnt been driven in 6 or 8 years.

I havent torn the engine apart yet, so I dont know whats inside. It runs
do not even think of a 340 cam; a used 360 cam would work bu the same low lift and more duration than you need- not worth the trouble of a trip to pick a part
Click to expand...
Wyrmrider said:
several
what did you find
if bucks down you might be tempted to modernise he cam you found- regrind
what was it?
but
new pushrods negate any cost savings
run stock or get the 250 lunati
do not even think of a 340 cam; a used 360 cam would work bu the same low lift and more duration than you need- not worth the trouble of a trip to pick a part
Click to expand...
 
did that really post three times?
It's well known that the 5.9 cam is smaller than the early 5.2 cam that I have in my 92 Dakota
I have 3:54 gears and cam works fine towing the boat or horse trailer
I would not go bigger unless I had the 3.91 gears
but that's me
You might find out which years have the early 5.2 cam and try it or use it for a regrind core- it has more meat to work with
No way can I justify $$$ for my application
 
It’s been a bit, but I have to resurrect this thread.
Pulled the intake on the Diplomat and it turns out it’s a roller cam engine. I ordered a cam and lifters from Summit in the neighborhood of .450 lift., but it’s for a FT engine. The research I’ve done says I can actually use the cam and lifters in the block if I change the pushrods....have a set so no biggie.
So I got to thinking, I could get a roller cam....$325.....so NOPE.
So my question is....drum roll please.....can the Summit cam be reground to use as a roller? Or for that matter, can any cam be reground to use as a roller? I can always return the Summit cam kit and get just a cam. Thoughts? Experiences?

Just in case, I can buy another cam for about $90, and if I’m seeing it correctly, I can get a reground for about $125...still better than $325...
 
Call Jim at Racer Brown and have your stock roller cam reground. Putting a Summit FT cam in that block is taking 3 steps in the wrong direction.
Be completely honest with him and he will grind you a can much better than anything off the shelf you can get.
 
what gliderrider said x2
and lets talk about that Victor
keep the HR
regrind & pushrods or just leave it stock in a heavy diplomat, stock gears and converter
headers?
tell Jim & racer brown all the details
 
Got part of my answer from a local machinist, a FT cam cannot be ground to use as a roller. FTs are cast...rollers are billet.
Depending on how far I need the can reground will determine if I need to go with adjustable pushrods or rockers...neither of which I can afford.
Looks like I might have to bite the bullet and buy a lousy $325 cam.
 
Mr Shine said:
Got part of my answer from a local machinist, a FT cam cannot be ground to use as a roller. FTs are cast...rollers are billet.
Depending on how far I need the can reground will determine if I need to go with adjustable pushrods or rockers...neither of which I can afford.
Looks like I might have to bite the bullet and buy a lousy $325 cam.
Click to expand...


That's "somewhat" incorrect. Hydraulic rollers are not all billet. I would agree that a FT cannot be reground as a roller, unless it's a REAL BIG FT. LOL
 
Still did your donor 318 have Flt tappet Hyd or Hyd roller lifters
hyd roller cams can be reground into restricted limits of the hardening
usually reground as a Mopar Performance RT grind or a slightly bigger cam called the Sausage grind
you will just need new pushrods to account for the reduced base circle
or just run the stock cam for awhile (If you have stock gears and converter I would not touch it)
put your scarce dollars (they are always scarce) into a new timing chain and practice degreeing it in as you WILL have to degree in ANY regrind if you make ANY changes in the Lobe Separation Angles abbreviated LSA or LCA
as said once you pick a rpm range goal call Jim at Racer Brown late afternoons work best
 
Wyrmrider said:
Still did your donor 318 have Flt tappet Hyd or Hyd roller lifters
hyd roller cams can be reground into restricted limits of the hardening
usually reground as a Mopar Performance RT grind or a slightly bigger cam called the Sausage grind
you will just need new pushrods to account for the reduced base circle
or just run the stock cam for awhile (If you have stock gears and converter I would not touch it)
put your scarce dollars (they are always scarce) into a new timing chain and practice degreeing it in as you WILL have to degree in ANY regrind if you make ANY changes in the Lobe Separation Angles abbreviated LSA or LCA
as said once you pick a rpm range goal call Jim at Racer Brown late afternoons work best
Click to expand...
It’s a roller, thus the discussion. I’d rather have a more aggressive cam than an RT. Looking to get upwards of .450 lift. Don’t think a regrind will do. Probably gong to have to buy one, just trying to save some $
 
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