Torque cam for 318 2bbl

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macdrew77

macdrew77

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Looking for cam suggestions for a 318 with 302 heads, 2bbl 318 intake, stromberg WW, 273 manifolds (eventual dual ex).
Looking for stock idle and low rpm torque. Engine going in a 65 dart wagon, going for stock 273 appearance hence the 2bbl.

Considering stock 318 cam, 360 2bbl cam, 4bbl cam or maybe aftermarket rv cam.
Thoughts on dual or single pattern factory cams with 302s and manifolds?
 
Member Dartfreak75 has been going through this for the same combo: 302 on a stock 318 LA bottom end, trying to not kill low-mid RPM torque with too big of a cam. IIRC, current plan is for a Lunati Voodoo 70020701. There is one step smaller VooDoo cam that might be good for you too, with the 2 BBL. With your step-up in compression with the 302 heads and not too big a cam, you're gonna have a nice driving combination.

VooDoo' are pretty fast rate for off-the-shelf flat tappet cams, so follow the proper break-in procedures carefully, and make sure your oil has adequate levels of ZDDP.
 
The 318 block I have has a big cam in it. It's terrible, so I'm looking for one of the factory cams to replace it.
 
360 2bbl is the best of a bad lot
forget the rv cams - most are 50 year old grinds like the ERSONs
I'm in LA and I have one I'd give you if I didn't like you
what is this big cam and what's your compression?
stock heads? what carb and manifolds?
Best Cam is Mike Jones RV cam- well worththe wait
short Mopar performance cam the 248
several choices but need the details
Go to Mikes site and fill out the cam request card- he'll pick the exhaust lobe to match your build/ requiements
 
I second the factory 360 2bbl cam and springs.
I have had a good running LA with one in it and found it to be a good balance. In the lightweight early-A longroof it should be even better... And yet better with a bit of a compression boost.

Bit of trivia
I had a 65 wagon back in 75. I stuffed a junkyard 340 shortblock into it with a complete 318 top end, including the cam and 2bbl. The only performance deal on it was the Hooker fenderwell headers. What a ripper that was.
If 360s weren't so cheap, I wouldda built another one.
 
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Now the question is which 360 2bbl cam is better for my combo? The 71-74 or the later?
 
I'll get back to U tonight
but as far as cams go all 360's are "late" with the 2bbl cams and they used the 340 cam as a smogger- it kills the low end with low compression, lots of exhaust gas reversion like an EGR on steriods
 
I personally like the edelbrock performer cam #2177, it really wakes up a stock 318 and has a nice smooth idle. I've had that cam in my daily driver for many years and love it. Put an adjustable timing set in it and run it a few degrees advanced and it should do exactly what your looking for.
 
The old edelbrock cam can be had much cheaper from Elgin and lots of other places
Edelbrock buy cheap sell high
problem with the stock 360 cams are the long ramps
makes it hard to get any dynamic compression
It takes FOREVER to get the intake closed (but it's quiet)
long closing ramps was to hide valve seat rescission and other wear during the warranty- they can wear a lot and still run
I'm not home right now but compare the lift and duration at .050 and they do not come off so good
even worse at seat timing
 
Back in the day when I ran my 69 Fastback in L stock (318 4 speed 8 3/4" 391 rear I snuck in a 340 4 speed cam. only other major mod was headers and tweaking the 2 barrel. It was a runner on the strip and fun on the street.
 
Its not exactly torque your looking for. A natural aspirated engine torque is mainly based on displacement. 1:1 to 1.5:1 lbs-ft per cid 1:1 would be on the stock side and 1.5:1 would be a highly modified professional race engine.

What your looking for is at what rpm does your cam start working at. The heavier the car with small displacement especially with high rear gears and tall tires with low stall and less trans gears. Basically needs to start at low possible rpm like idle or just off idle. The more your car is opposite to the above the more you can move the powerband off idle for higher hp.

On a low powered V8 any cam above stock is gonna start to move off idle. For your application the trick would to go with a cam that doesn't give up and even may give a little extra down low while extending the powerband up the rpm. Luckily on althe lower end of cam choices you can widen the powerband without effecting low end power too much. But where to draw the line is up to the individual the most I'd go is like a comp xe262h. So theres a wide range of cams you could go with between that and stock.

With 2bbl I'd stick closer to stock.
 
My engine build just got derailed long story check out my thread and skip to the end!
My Dart Swinger Project!
But the voodoo 10200701 was the best I could find for low end with dropping my compression. The xe256h is also a good one it is very similar to the voodoo.
I'm not sure how that cam would perform with a 2bbl tho.
If you want to make it run go with a 4bbl and a cam and never take of the air filter and tell everyone it's a 2bbl. Lol I get the stock appearing thing tho. I like the more orginal look myself.
 
I think it would be a safe and easy way to go just to pick the smallest of the Voodoo or Comp XE lines, or any good off- the- shelf cam. Most of their 'entry-level' cams give performance like you're looking for. Good low- end torque without running out of breath by 3000 RPM like a stock 2-bbl cam does.
 
Yes I have 2.73 gears by the way. Leaning towards
71-74 360 2bbl 410/412 252/256
75+ 360 2bbl 410/410 252/252
Meling RV cam 420/443 204/212 (@.050)

Not sure if 302 heads and 273 manifolds will want the extra exhaust lift duration
 
macdrew77 said:
Yes I have 2.73 gears by the way. Leaning towards
71-74 360 2bbl 410/412 252/256
75+ 360 2bbl 410/410 252/252
Meling RV cam 420/443 204/212 (@.050)

Not sure if 302 heads and 273 manifolds will want the extra exhaust lift duration
Click to expand...
With manifolds I would go with a split pattern cam. You should look into the lunati voodoo 10200702 or the xe256 comp. They have a 256 duration with more lift than the stock 2bbl cam. I'm no expert but I even with a 2bbl cam I think it would be an improvement over a stock cam.
 
A vacuum secondary, or adjustable air-door, 4bbl carb is just two 2bbl carbs on the same baseplate. You the tuner get to decide When and How-fast to open the second 2bbl. Most of us I would think, have had TQs on stockish teeners, to teeners with X-heads and big-port intakes, at one time or another,and often with crazy hiway gears; and it was never a big deal to get the carb tuned. So, IMO, I wouldn't worry about carb size when selecting a cam.
But,I would worry most about sliding a too-big-for the-combo cam in there. But you're getting a good handle on that by now. And even then, a wrong cam is only about a $300dollar mistake, right? No biggie to rip it out. I did it twice; third time was the charm,lol.
A streeter with a Double-pumper is more for showing off than anything else. And works best with a snappy high-compression engine,a higher stall or manual trans,and bigger rear gears. I really like the 750DP, and the TQ is a close second.
I ran the big TQ on a stock teener, and a 2bbl on a 340 with a teener top-end and cam, and a 4bbl teener with a 340 topend and cam.
I had a blast with the 2bbl hi-compression 340. That used to be my favorite all-time combo.
I also had a blast with the TQ equipped stock teener with 2.76s and a 2800TC.
But the low-C teener with the 340 top,and 2.76s was the laziest POS combo I ever screwed together.This same engine was later resurrected with the teener stuff back on it, the smaller TQ, the 2800TC, headers, and with a either; a 904,a 998,or an A833. I have run it with all kinds of rear gears, depending on my mood, and it has been a fun little engine.
 
macdrew77 said:
Yes I have 2.73 gears by the way. Leaning towards
71-74 360 2bbl 410/412 252/256
75+ 360 2bbl 410/410 252/252
Meling RV cam 420/443 204/212 (@.050)

Not sure if 302 heads and 273 manifolds will want the extra exhaust lift duration
Click to expand...
The manifolds would normally say 'yes' to that question.

May I ask why the preference for the stockish/rv cams versus the better, later cams? Sticking with stock valve springs or ???
 
macdrew77 said:
This is a spare parts build, I don't want to spend $300 on a cam
Click to expand...
I get that completely! I'm scrounging ever penny trying to get mine put together. In that case get a summit cam they 71 bucks. I know alot of ppl will disagree with me. Trust me I have been down that road. The summit 6900 is exactly like the RV cams 205@50 duration. 420 lift.
I bought one and sold it I never got to run it but I have read alot of positive reviews about that grind cam in stock 318s!
 
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