1 bolt or 3 bolt?

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txstang84

txstang84

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Aside from the obvious need to make sure the timing set matches the cam, is there any significance here? Are their certain year models that need a particular type? Are there any drawbacks to running one or the other? Any experiences good bad or indifferent?

I read an older thread on here somewhere about someone's 440 sheared the dowel pin on a 1 bolt cam, or it recessed into the cam and tore up the timing gear (looked pretty nasty), but I can't seem to recall what I used as a search term. Is this something common or an isolated incident? My experience building/assembling engines is limited to small blocks, and I've never really run into any issues one way or another as SBFs all use a 1 bolt cam to include 4.6s (12mm bolts torqued to 95ft/lbs!), so any help or advice is greatly appreciated.
 
Not to be a pest, but since some folks' definition of slightly modified differs from others, could you elaborate on that? Is there a certain spring pressure, duration, lift, or RPM that shouldn't be exceeded with a 1 bolt?
 
OK, perhaps I'm not understanding your guys' definitions. I've gone through at least 100 cam grinds by the following: COMP, Lunati, Hughes, and MP...there's no specific correlation to the type vs duration/lift. Unless you're talking about duration beyond 300* (or 250* @ 050) and lift beyond .575"...or perhaps, solid roller max effort cams.

From COMP cams I viewed in their online catalog, the entire sampling of hydraulic flat tappet cams to include hi-lift extreme energy lines were all ground on a 1 bolt core. Hughes makes both variants on all of the cams I looked up on their site, Lunati will grind them both ways...and MP was really no different-to include their 292 purple shaft, which to me is not a small cam unless you're used to running a .600" solid roller.

While I appreciate the replies, the questions weren't really answered.

Is there any significance between selection of the two?
Are their certain year models that need a particular type?
Are there any drawbacks to running one or the other?
Any experiences good bad or indifferent?
Are incidents like the one mentioned in the original post isolated occurences, or something I'd need to be wary of?
Is there a certain spring pressure, duration, lift, or RPM that shouldn't be exceeded with a 1 bolt? This means, should I not exceed X lift, Y duration, or Z spring pressure with a 1 bolt?

And perhaps a more relevant question-is this a frivolous pursuit? Is it anything to really be concerned about?
 
txstang84 said:
OK, perhaps I'm not understanding your guys' definitions. I've gone through at least 100 cam grinds by the following: COMP, Lunati, Hughes, and MP...there's no specific correlation to the type vs duration/lift. Unless you're talking about duration beyond 300* (or 250* @ 050) and lift beyond .575"...or perhaps, solid roller max effort cams.

From COMP cams I viewed in their online catalog, the entire sampling of hydraulic flat tappet cams to include hi-lift extreme energy lines were all ground on a 1 bolt core. Hughes makes both variants on all of the cams I looked up on their site, Lunati will grind them both ways...and MP was really no different-to include their 292 purple shaft, which to me is not a small cam unless you're used to running a .600" solid roller.

While I appreciate the replies, the questions weren't really answered.

Is there any significance between selection of the two?
Are their certain year models that need a particular type?
Are there any drawbacks to running one or the other?
Any experiences good bad or indifferent?
Are incidents like the one mentioned in the original post isolated occurences, or something I'd need to be wary of?
Is there a certain spring pressure, duration, lift, or RPM that shouldn't be exceeded with a 1 bolt? This means, should I not exceed X lift, Y duration, or Z spring pressure with a 1 bolt?

And perhaps a more relevant question-is this a frivolous pursuit? Is it anything to really be concerned about?
Click to expand...


Is there any significance between selection of the two?
Yes, the three bolt will stand more abuse/stress.
Are their certain year models that need a particular type?
No, but 440 six packs used them from the factory.
Are there any drawbacks to running one or the other?
Yes, the one bolt will not stand up to the abuse that a three bolt will.
Any experiences good bad or indifferent?
Nope, never had a really high HP car or one that I really abused.
Are incidents like the one mentioned in the original post isolated occurences, or something I'd need to be wary of?
I have no idea.
Is there a certain spring pressure, duration, lift, or RPM that shouldn't be exceeded with a 1 bolt? This means, should I not exceed X lift, Y duration, or Z spring pressure with a 1 bolt?
Probably, but I don't knwo what that is. If I were buildign something for extreme duty, I'd probably choose the three bolt just for peace of mind.

And perhaps a more relevant question-is this a frivolous pursuit? Is it anything to really be concerned about?
Nope, not frivolous at all. If you're gonna abuse it buy the three bolt. Last I checked they cost the same.
 
Guess that about covers it. Unless you feel like telling us just what it is you want to do.
 
Well, I don't intend to build anything beastly-just a street driven 383 with enough cam to make a nice lope and require a 2400ish stall and probably 3.55 gears out back. Granted that doesn't really say much, other than probably nothing bigger than 285* total duration and no more than about 235* @ 050 with low .500s lift. I asked for the info so I could make my own determination based on the answers given by people on here that have any experience either way.

I've never been in a situation where the single bolt was a detriment to reliability or longevity, this is why I asked-maybe there's something about BBM that I need to be aware of...
 
My son's old 383 had a 230 @ .050 cam around .490" lift, single bolt cam. Nice mild lope and the car was abused autocrossing. Never a failure related to the camshaft...
 
I ran across the tread you referred to somewhere awhile back too. Rather bizarre. For a street/strip car and relatively mild cam you described, the single bolt version will be fine. Don't sweat it.
 
If you use a single bolt cam make sure you use red lock tight on the bolt. I can tell you from experience you will not like the results of that bolt backing off even a little bit.
 
Many thanks y'all! That's all I needed...was looking at using the MP 272, Lunati 268/276 Voodoo, or one of the COMP XE 270ish grinds...figured for street use, any one of those would be fun in a small big block.
 
If you dont see it listed in a 3 bolt call them. Im sure they have it. I wouldnt even hesitate go for the 3 bolt regardless.
 
I was thinking about going hydraulic roller too...COMP and Lunati both have some nice grinds...and I know I saw some 3 bolt varieties in there. Anyone have any experience with Howards cams?
 
NO matter which one you go with use red lock tight on the bolts. I use red on just about everything that moves and some that don't.
 
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