thanks Rumblefish. Probably freashin the heads and see what the spring pressures are, but they are old. not reuseable. if i find some eddys used i'll snag them. Question ;-0 Is there an issue with 360 cams being soft and coming apart ? or is this the no zinc in the oil situation like the 78-83 vets soft cams ? If i could post pictures it would show the lobe edges flaking and some chunks missing. is there a preferred additive for the oil currently ?
I have not seen a soft cam issue in a long time. It is also not limited to a "360" but it is more of a problem of the cam blanks the manufacturers get from there suppliers. This where you see in my sig below, I quoted a fellow member in saying to go with a roller cam. No worries about zinc or lack there off. But, if a Hyd/solid cam is what you want, use the break in oil and use a quart with every change or what the manufacturer recommends.
The sides of a cam lobe can and do flak/break off. This is more due to the ruff edge of the unmachined lobe. It should never come off as a chunk.
Comp Cams, and other cam grinders often have there own special break in oil or as in some cases, use a well know and respected companies oil like "Brad Penn" oil.
Depending on the power output you seek, the stock head maybe worthless. Used Edel. heads may not be cost effective. A lot depends on what you want and/or need which may not be the same.
There's nothing wrong with ported iron heads. Since you all ready own them, porting them to a certain level is still the current Edel. Head price ahead of the total cost of or vs. an Edel. head vs. an allready owned stock head. (Did that make sense to you) Will the stock head need to flow as much as an Edel.Head (?), are you going to use all of the Edel. heads flow abilty to its fullest advantage?
If the cam lift is only .500, the everything above (in the heads flow abilty) is wasted and left on the table. It is great to have room to grow. But that's your choice.
Other than weight savings, (IMO) if the cam is a low lifting cam and the iron heads can be ported and flow close to the Edel. head, then why bother with the Edel. head? Weight savings that cost the price of the head?