[meschnebly]

I'm working on a mild build of a 1977 305. I've got a Edelbrock Performer intake with an Edelbrock 600 4bbl for it. I would also like to put a little better cam in it while I've got it apart. I been looking at a couple of cams (Crane Energizer 274H06 and CompCams Magnum 270H) but it seems that they say you need a compression ratio of at least 8.75:1. This motor has a CR of only 8.4:1. I really dont want to do any head work on this motor as its only going to last me a year or so. Would one of these cams not work for me or would you recommend something else?

Mike

[OldBucsFan]

Your cr is very close.....If they are available for your application, go with a thinner head gasket. That will boost the cr a little.

[78 monte]

List all your specs rear gear,stall speed etc... or call a cam company.Having a cam thats too large for your compression will kill bottom end torque,but with say a steep gear,or a real light car or a 4 speed you can go a little bigger on cam size.
I run a XE262(218/224@050) with true 8.6:1 in a 350.

[meschnebly]

Sorry about that. It's a 1977 Monza 2+2 so its pretty light. It has stock gearing and I think it's about 2.29:1 so.... not too good. In the future I am putting in an Auburn Posi with better gearing and Moser axles and I'm in the process of building a 383 stroker with a TH350 tranny but that wont get finished for at least a year. I wont be using this cam in the new engine. The last thing I want to do is loose low end torque. What do you guys suggest?

Mike

[meschnebly]

Oh, one more thing. It has a stock converter in the tranny.

Mike

[78 monte]

I'd suggest the summit K1102 204/214@050 420/442lift 112 lsa.Its the same as the edelbrock performer cam,but for cheaper.It'll have a smooth idle but is a nice torquey cam.We had one in a 305 w/ a Torker(totaly wrong) and 3.55s and a tall tire an it run nice.

[mstngjoe]

Take a look at the Comp Cams XE series. They have some fast ramps that build great cylinder pressure. Should work very good on low cr engines.

[meschnebly]

Thanks for the suggestions. What do you guys think about the XE268H 224/230@050 477/480 lift 110lsa? Think that is too big? I'm kind of looking for the most bang and cam sound out of this motor for what it is.

Mike

[jimfulco]

Too much cam & too little compression. I did a 350 w/224* cam & low 8's compression many years ago. Didn't work well at all.

[andybird]

just use thin head gaskets to get the compression up, if it's only going to be with you for 1 year, why bother putting money into it at all, just build a 350 like you know you want to

[meschnebly]

Yep, it looks like I will have to stay with what I have in it or use a RV type cam. The cam that Comp Cams recomended to me was little more than a stock cam. I was hoping to have a little fun with this engine for the time I have to use it but..... I already have the intake, carb and headers for it so that's no expense and I was just hoping I could find a cam that would give it a little more go.

Mike

[mstngjoe]

What cam did Comp tech recommend?

[meschnebly]

I'm sorry I meant Crane Cams and they recommended the PowerMax H-260-2 cam and the description is "smooth idle, daily usage, off road, towing, economy". I guess it's better than stock but I was hoping that I could use a little more cam than that.

Mike

[meschnebly]

I also noticed that Edelbrock has a Performer Plus cam that looks like it might work for me at such a low CR. Think it would be much better than the stock one?

Mike

[jimfulco]

Both of those cams have 204* intake duration (at .050"). The Crane has a little more lift, & may be slightly more aggressive (less seat-to-seat timing). The difference is not very much, and either would be noticeably better than the stock 305 cam.