273 mild build cam

[RustyRatRod]

I never argued against the E4. Didn't call people idiots either. I am thinkin more and more the best thing to do around here anymore is to quit typin. And with that.....

 

[IQ52]

Sorry I blew up.




There again, sorry I blew up.

tmm

TMM, such a peaceful response deserves to be recognised as a good one in a world that is screwed up as this one is. Thank you for doing so.

Who cares, no shrine here.Anything to offer,useful here?....

I spend much of my time being a critical, arrogant, trouser snake. When I can, I will attempt to follow TMM's excellent lead. If it adds nothing useful, at least I have attempted to do what I think is right. Please forgive my faux pas as I commit them. 95% of my life is building engines now, a very shallow existance, but is what I have chosen as I am not much of a social person.

 

[66fs]

TMM, such a peaceful response deserves to be recognised as a good one in a world that is screwed up as this one is. Thank you for doing so.



I spend much of my time being a critical, arrogant, trouser snake. When I can, I will attempt to follow TMM's excellent lead. If it adds nothing useful, at least I have attempted to do what I think is right. Please forgive my faux pas as I commit them. 95% of my life is building engines now, a very shallow existance, but is what I have chosen as I am not much of a social person.

Wow, This is just about the wisest thing I have read in quite a while. How timely...

 

[RustyRatRod]

TMM, such a peaceful response deserves to be recognised as a good one in a world that is screwed up as this one is. Thank you for doing so.



I spend much of my time being a critical, arrogant, trouser snake. When I can, I will attempt to follow TMM's excellent lead. If it adds nothing useful, at least I have attempted to do what I think is right. Please forgive my faux pas as I commit them. 95% of my life is building engines now, a very shallow existance, but is what I have chosen as I am not much of a social person.

And here I thought you were a professional social butterfly when we met.

 

[toolmanmike]

I'm kind of in the same boat with my 273 build. I have a 67 Barracuda Convertible with a 4 speed that I rebuilt in 1995, basically stock using the Comp HE-252-H and it is VERY stock. I'm in the process of pulling the engine for a performance gain but since I use this car in parades I don't want some crazy lopey cam that will not idle and puffs fumes of unburnt fuel into the marching band behind me.

I have read through Tool Man Mike's build thread probably ten times and wanted to do some of the same performance upgrades, but I'm afraid I might wind up with a killer street machine like Mike has which is not suitable for parades and my wife driving it from time to time. I really like the Isky E-4 cam because I want to stay with the solid lifters but it's just a little too wild for what I want to do.

If there was a way to tame the E-4, get it to idle well and still have all the benefits of a great cam, I'd go that route but for my purposes I believe it to be a little too much. If I had more cubes, could run 340 heads (without notching my block) or a higher compression I could probably use the E-4 but I need to find a compromise in between what I'm running now and the E-4.

I have read on this forum the quality of Comp Cams has slipped since I did my first build in 1995, but will probably have to stick with them because they can offer me a solid grind in almost any cam I select.

Went into the archives and found this post. I know the poster is a long ways past this but for those of you that aren't, the Isky E-4 is a great mild cam you can use in your 273's regardless of stick or automatic (with a stock converter). I think it is well balanced for the compression and small port heads the 273 has to offer. I think mine runs strong but a late model pick-up has beat me off the line. LOL I will still recommend the E-4 for a stock replacement anytime.

 

[mvh]

I'll just throw in another option. This hyd Crower went in my Commando back in the early 90s. Recommended by my machinist as roughly equivalent to the stock mech cam. It actually idles so quiet that people don't get out of my way when cruising slowly through a car show, but it has plenty of growl at WOT.

Crower Cam Spec
Part No. 31914
Application 340 Dodge
Grind No: B.T.
Rocker Ratio 1.5:1
Adv. Duration In. 264
Adv. Duration Ex. 264
In. Lift .427 Clearance (hot) .000
Ex. Lift .427 Clearance (hot) .000
Info for degreeing @ .050 tappet lift:
Intake Opens -2 BTDC
Closes 30 ABDC
Exhaust Opens 38 BBDC
Closes -10 ATDC
Duration @ .050
Intake 208
Exhaust 208
Lobe Center 110
In. Lobe Lift 284
Ex. Lobe Lift 284

IIRC, the pushrod length difference is considerable -- no way the stock ones work. I used cut-to-length ones, but heck if I recall the actual length.