Lunati vs Crane vs Howards cams...

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ir3333

ir3333

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once again..your thoughts on a 9:1 "x" headed 372 for good all round performance in
an A body with 3.23 gears.
how do these 3 cams compare...what would be your choice?
and what were the specs on the '68 340 4 speed cam?

Crane H-272-2 .454 / .480, .216 / .228 (272/284) 1800 - 5400 rpm 112 lsa

Lunati 10200301 .477 / .477, .225 / .225 (275/275) 1800 - 5800 rpm 108 lsa

Howard's Cams .470 / .470 , .221 / .221 (275/275) 1800 - 5800 rpm 108 lsa
 
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This is for the "Total Driver" aspect correct?

I have personally used the that exact Crane cam twice. It will idle smooth and get reasonable mileage. Very good torque from low to mid with decent hp up top. Not a fire house cam. But IMO, a good everyday driver cam.

If this is the target, then this maybe a candidate for you. A few people here jump and shout about wide (112 & more) centerline cams and even more so about a off the shelf cam & how your throwing away power, but this cam was a real nice daily driver cam.

I had it in a 318 and a 360 with 3.21 & 4.10 gears. You can lower the low end rpm range on the cam specs a couple of hundred RPM's due to the extra stroke (I believe) of the 360.
It felt more like a 1500 beginning rpm cam in the 360.

If your looking for a hotter daily driver, I think you will like the Lunati cam. It has steeper, quicker ramps than the Howard's cam, and should have a "Muscle Car" idle. Should have good top end HP pop. This cam, IMO, would make for a good muscle car cam with a good showing. It'll be fun to drive. I would not go larger unless there is a gear change. IMO, your pushing it with the 3.23 gear set.
 
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Tx..that is so helpful when someone says "i have used" this cam and this is what i found.
 
How about a custom cam?


You pissed away enough time and effort on here alone to call 5 or 6 different cam grinders and get their thoughts on what YOU should have.

They cost almost the same, somethings the same.

Just remember that the cam grinders you call likely will have different thoughts on how to best get you where you want to be. Pick the one you get on with the best and order a cam.

You'd be done by now.

My way is much better than the time burglar method you are using.
 
Thanks for your input.A custom cam can work.
..but this post is looking for answers like Rumbles' or info based on these three cams and their specs.
 
Tx but i'm trying to keep the lift below about .480 where the flow on stock heads stalls.
This will also let me use comp 901-16 valve springs,which i already have (new)
...2 cam manufacturers have suggested a cam with lift over .530?
 
ir3333 said:
Tx but i'm trying to keep the lift below about .480 where the flow on stock heads stalls.
This will also let me use comp 901-16 valve springs,which i already have (new)
...2 cam manufacturers have suggested a cam with lift over .530?
Click to expand...


Well, I'm going to tell you you are wasting performance by limiting lift. I can take the heads you say "stall" at .450 lift and make them not stall until well over .600 and I can make them stall lower than .450, I'd bet as low as .200 so I'd pick as much lift as your valve gear will take.

Stock rockers will be .500 and adjustables will let you go .600 plus. Not saying you need .600 plus, but you need more than you think you do.

Stall is a bad way to pick your lift.
 
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Tx again for your input,you are among the more knowledgable when it comes to hi performance.
I don't want to push this project much past an economical smooth idle build.
 
Yes. I always wondered why people pick cam lift at where the head stalls. The cam is only at that lift for a few degrees. If your head stalls at .500 and you have .500 lift the area say .200 to.500 is not as much as with a cam with say .550 lift for the same duration. The extra lift doesn't hurt above .500 and if it does you will still gain more in the lower lifts.
 
tx.. good point, a .530 lift cam should produce a more aggressive rate at lower lifts.
 
yellow rose said:
Well, I'm going to tell you you are wasting performance by limiting lift. I can take the heads you say "stall" at .450 lift and make them not stall until well over .600 and I can make them stall lower than .450, I'd bet as low as .200 so I'd pick as much lift as your valve gear will take.

Stock rockers will be .500 and adjustables will let you go .600 plus. Not saying you need .600 plus, but you need more than you think you do.

Stall is a bad way to pick your lift.
Click to expand...
And may be the original poster just wants a fun cam that doesn't need "Battleship" springs or W2 heads to pump his 318 to 400+ horse. Give him a little rump, a little grunt, and reasonable economy.
 
Sorry got off topic a bit. I agree with rumble. You can run a single spring with any of these and not have to worry about guide to retainer contact. Comp cams 901 spring should work great and is priced good. You should still check the retainer to guide clearance especially if using positive type seals.
 
If you are gonna look at those tiny camshafts, just go with a stock one.
 
toolmanmike said:
And may be the original poster just wants a fun cam that doesn't need "Battleship" springs or W2 heads to pump his 318 to 400+ horse. Give him a little rump, a little grunt, and reasonable economy.
Click to expand...


Then he should follow the advice in post number 14.

Making way harder than it has to be. Unless he wants someone to tell him one of the cams he is looking at is a world beater over the others. So I'll add this.

Any of the cams you are looking at will work. The difference between them is virtually zero. The idle characteristics of them will be virtually in detectable. Horsepower will be plus or minus 2 HP.

There isn't enough difference in them to bother with all this blather.
 
I'm a fan of Crane myself and use them a lot. I have not, however, used the number you list. I have used the H268 and loved it in 340s and a 318. It's the same family of lobes, and i'd still go Crane.
 
YR, picking a cam that lifts beyond the stall point on a mild build like his makes Some Sense. If the head isn't flowing air.... but it does, just a reduced amount. How much is a good question and a point to discuss once the fact is known.
 
toolmanmike said:
And may be the original poster just wants a fun cam that doesn't need "Battleship" springs or W2 heads to pump his 318 to 400+ horse. Give him a little rump, a little grunt, and reasonable economy.
Click to expand...
Common sense,TMM...... I like the Crane choice here, and those Crane split patterns really work.
 
RustyRatRod said:
If you are gonna look at those tiny camshafts, just go with a stock one.
Click to expand...

Stock would probably work Rusty and provide a smooth idle and strong bottom end but i think i'll need more duration to avoid detonation,that's why i inquired about the stock '68 stick cam?
A "Muscle Car" idle is o.k. but don't want something rough.
Where's Lustle, or AJ...they know this stuff.
 
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