Well i finally go the motor out of my C10 and torn down.
The motor is a SBC 355. flat tops with 4 valve reliefs. a coworker of mine who is heavy into bracket racing and has been building motors for quite a bit gave me a set of camel hump heads and an old eddy TM1 intake. the heads are ready to go with drilled and tapped studs. roller rockers. hardened seats etc. the intake is good with no cracks.
he also has a 280h magnum cam and lifter set he'd give me if i wanted it.
im looking for advice on what carb and ignition system to run.
He is telling me that the Quick Fuel 650CFM Hot Rod with Mechanical Secondaries would be perfect.
I come from the world of high hp cummins pulling trucks. i did a body off resto on the truck and now it needs some go fast help.
those are all antiquated parts.For free I would use that intake.Most people prefer the performer RPM.
The MSD ignition systems are very good. The 6-AL can be ordered with lots of options including a rev limiter
For free the cam isn't bad. For anything driven on the street I would use a vacuum secondaries carb.
If you really want to help that truck get yourself a mild stall and some deep gears, depending on your tire size 4.10s or 4.56's wouldn't be out of the question.
i realize its outdated technology and there is better options. but it was all given to me for free so im going to run it. the truck already has 4:10s and a posi. i have a tko600 swap in the garage next to the truck for this winter.
free is a good price,bolt them on and have fun.
I use nothing but double pumpers on my street engines,only problem is,The smiles they create have a cost at the pump.
cost at the pump isnt a worry for me when its a toy. as long as im smiling. im going to go ahead and order the previously mentioned carb tonight but that still leaves me without an ignition system..my buddy keeps telling me to buy a mechanical advance pertronix but i was always told not to run them on the street. im very mechanically inclined and am a diesel mechanic by trade so tuning and such wont be a problem. just looking for some advice/ opinions.
I use an MSD distributor. set the curve "before" you install it.Do the basic mechanical/clearance checks also.I also use the MSD 60AL box with a rev limiter(cheap insurance)
If the cam has been run in an engine already, I'd pass on it.
That carb is pretty sweet for the $$. I've always gotten good results from the Holley 4777 when used on medium displacement performance builds. Don't forget a looser torque converter if you have an AT and use the 280 grind.
The MSD 6 series is the "go-to" setup these days. You're going to need a good advance curve in the distributor.
well ive ordered and received a complete pro billet 6al msd setup and a 650 Quick Fuel Hot Rod card with mech. secondaries thanks to a pretty good 4th sale.
that leaves me with the cam. is the 280h a good pick? the truck is a stick with 4:10s. pure street toy.
Are you looking to re-use a used flat tappet cam? That is a recipe for disaster. I agree with Cobalt's assessment to pass.
If the budget allows you would be best off with a retro-roller cam. They are expensive, the upside is more more performance and almost no chance of wiping a cam lobe or lifter. The EPA has been mandating the removal of zinc from motor oils and this spells disaster for the old school flat tappet cams.
The CC Magnum cams do not have an aggressive ramp rate (how fast the lifter opens and closes) as compared to the higher performance line of Xterme Energy cams (or Lunati Voodoo line for another brand example). A less aggressive ramp rate means you cam has a better chance of surviving. More duration (and 280º is big cam for a C10 IMHO) generally means more lift, which needs a higher pressure spring to keep the lifter on the cam. More spring pressure means you really need more zinc in the oil.
Using a flat tappet cam these days can be done, but you REALLY need to pay attention to what you are doing in the build. After the build you can forget about synthetic oils. You are going to do research and buy specific oil and/or dope it with ZDDP every oil change. Lots has been written on the subject, just google something "wiped cam lobe" and begin. I don't mean to scare you, but you need to know this before you jump into this.
I'm aware of all of that. I've built many motors before and am a diesel mechanic by trade. 12v cummins are my forte. I'm very well versed in engine building and oil types and additives etc. The 280 is a brand new set he would well me for 150. What is a better/ more power producing cam if the 280 isn't reccomended.?
any roller cam,,, most solid flat tappet cams,and quite a few hydraulic flat tappet cams. I wouldnt use a free hydraulic flat tappet cam,I like engines that make good power
Well with the head and intake and carb combo above in the stated truck. What are some cams you'd reccomend? Looking for a nice lumpy idle and good power. Like I said above its a weekend toy
if you refuse to toss out those heads,,,this is a minimum I would use,,,
111203-10 NA 269 269 237 237 .555 .555 110 106 .022 .022 1,2,5
2500-6500 Rough idle, Street Performance/mild Strip. Recommend 9.5:1 CR, 2500+ stall.
this is a very small solid roller cam. It would work well with your intake and you need decent headers and 3 inch exhaust. The 650 would be on the small side
I was always under the impression that a solid roller was track only and that a hyd roller was for the street. I have the carb already so I'd like to keep it. The truck had a set of hedmans on it now and the exhaust reduces to 2.5" after the collectors. I'm lost when it comes to cams and would really appreciate guidance.
I think they felt that since you said it was just an occasional weekend toy you might be fine with a solid roller. From what I have read solid rollers have durability issues when running them on the street.
I guess it depends on what your budget is. A flat tappet is going to be WAY cheaper than any roller. Sure it will not produce the same power but are you really going to lose that much? Is it a pure race engine?
Everyone wants the most power they can get out of an engine but you have to factor in a budget. Maybe you can spend a little more on a roller since you got some parts for free. But why optimize the cam right now for heads and an intake that might get replaced later on? Then you are going to be left with a small cam if you ever do upgrade the heads.
I would stick with your budget build and get a flat tappet that fits what you have now. If you upgrade the heads, then splurge for a roller cam that fits those heads.
I posted a "howards" cam I would use.You can use a similar or slightly smaller hydraulic roller.cams in gasoline engines do the same thing as cams in a diesel.The difference here is there is no turbo,you have to help the engine breathe with out pressurized intake. There is still math involved, RPM potential and breathing of the heads,you match the cam to get as much out of the heads(28 inches of water is the standard measurement) as is possible and choose the RPM range that matches the CFM flow rate to the cubic inch requirements.
Good camel castings will make peak power at or about 6,000 rpm on a 350.If you spent a small fortune on those heads you could make more power.you said you wanted a choppy idle,you said you didnt care about fuel economy.being that you are a mechanic,I said solid roller as they work better than hydraulic and you can easily adjust them.
If you use a flat tappet hydraulic,then go mild and follow break in directions,,,to the letter. Dont expect the resistance to cam lobe failure or power of the roller.
to answer both you and 64SS,there are very good street solid roller cams.They last a long time,depending on how the car is driven.When you freshen the engine you inspect all the parts and replace as required.If you bounce your tach off 7k regularly and replace tires more often than average,then expect to take the engine apart occasionally and check bearing and rings etc.Timing chains do not last 100k in a high performance engine. The key to making power is to keep things fresh
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