Retarding late 8os 318 roller cam

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schwinger

schwinger

1972 Dodge Dart Swinger
Joined
Jun 24, 2008
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Fresno, California
Wondering if anybody has had any experience retarding a stock late 80s truck motor 318 w/ stock roller cam 4 degrees or 4 degrees on the crank which would retard it 2 degrees on the cam (correct me if im wrong on that)?. I have a 1988 318 w/stock roller cam in my dart w/4bbl carb and eddy intake bolted to a 5speed and i was thinking of retarding it 4 degrees on the crank to give it alittle more top end because it seems like it dies off right after 4000 rpms.
 
Unless I misunderstood your question, cam timing/events are given in crank degrees...so, if the crank timing gear says 4* ret, you're retarding it 4* crank rotation. If you were to use bushings on the cam timing gear (do people use these on Mopars?) set for 4*, it would still be 4* crank rotation...

Not really sure what all you're trying to accomplish here, as the stock cam isn't really going to give you much above 4k anyway, even if you do retard it and any gains achieved would be negligible and probably undetectable...just my 0.02
 
Why don't you have it reground for a little more top end. Don't forget, you will probably need to change the pushrods because of the smaller base circle.
 
120-150 bucks. Oregon cam grinding,can do anything you could want.
 
Your correct that 4 crank degrees = 2 degrees at the cam but as others said your not going to gain hardly anything by retarding it. The stock cam is just too small to gain much. A regrind can help a lot.
 
Motor is out of a truck. It was designed for pulling not high RPM's. Either regrind or throw a different cam in it, that will wake it right up.
 
ALrighty then and thanks for the replys, I ended up doing it but just barely a small gain in top end, nothing dramatic but the cam regrind for that price, thats a really dam good price!
Ill definetly take a look into that abodybomber. Also What would be good for alittle more top end, nothing radical to where it can still be a daily driver!? Im also im running 1.6 roller rocker arms with the 302 fast burn heads.
 
Hopefully Rusty rat replies.He has the Oregon Can master list. Was thinking roughly 210-220@ .050,112 lobe centers,.480-.500 lift.Knowing the gear ratio,would really help.
 
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