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Crane 290 H Any Good ?

30K views 40 replies 10 participants last post by  GXR11 
#1 ·
The camshaft and lifters that my buddy gave me turns out to be a crane 290 H. I have done a google search on this cam and can't find any worthwhile information about it . Is it worth trying out in my 305 ? Thanks ...Big Al
 
#3 ·
Too much advertised duration for the amount of duration @0.050" lift. The intake lobe of Comp's XE262H cam has 218º @ 0.050- and just 268º advertised duration and 0.462" lift. The old Crane grind would be easy on the valve train, but not a good pick for a 305 IMHO.
 
#5 ·
sqzbox said:
Ought to sound nice at idle if you don't want to compete at the track. :D
I have no plans to race the bucket, just would like it to sound a little better, without giving up the street manners. Like I told my buddy, if it is going to make it run like crap, it is not worth it just to make it sound wicked. It is super smooth right now and cruises extremely well. The cam and lifters are free, although I would have to change valve springs. (Not a problem). Just want to see what some guys with more cam experience than me (none) have to say before I waste my time.
 
#7 ·
adantessr said:
I have no plans to race the bucket, just would like it to sound a little better, without giving up the street manners. Like I told my buddy, if it is going to make it run like crap, it is not worth it just to make it sound wicked. It is super smooth right now and cruises extremely well. The cam and lifters are free, although I would have to change valve springs. (Not a problem). Just want to see what some guys with more cam experience than me (none) have to say before I waste my time.
I wouldn't use it with power brakes or a stock converter (the cam you got for free).
 
#8 ·
sqzbox said:
I wouldn't use it with power brakes or a stock converter (the cam you got for free).
Thanks for the input sqzbox and cobalt. I guess I'll just shelve it.
I think maybe I'll go have a visit with my local engine builder. He likes Erson cams and offered me a great price. He is my age and has built hundreds of engines, many of them race engines, and has a complete engine machine shop.
 
#11 ·
For a 305; Im a fan of something around the old 260H (comp cams) range. Its a lumpy sounding cam in that lil 283 w. 305heads, edelbrock non-RPM performer intake, ramshorns and some blown out glasspacks on 2.25" pipes Its in a friends 63 Nova with a T10 2.64 1st and 3.55s.

I think these are the specs
Grind # XE256H-10
Duration @ 0.006": 256° / 268° Duration @ 0.050": 212° / 218°
Max Lift w/ 1.5RR: .447" / .454" Lobe Separation: 110°
Lobe ID#'s: 5441 / 5230 Intake Centerline: 106°
 
#12 ·
AutoGear said:
For a 305; Im a fan of something around the old 260H (comp cams) range. Its a lumpy sounding cam in that lil 283 w. 305heads, edelbrock non-RPM performer intake, ramshorns and some blown out glasspacks on 2.25" pipes Its in a friends 63 Nova with a T10 2.64 1st and 3.55s.

I think these are the specs
Grind # XE256H-10
Duration @ 0.006": 256° / 268° Duration @ 0.050": 212° / 218°
Max Lift w/ 1.5RR: .447" / .454" Lobe Separation: 110°
Lobe ID#'s: 5441 / 5230 Intake Centerline: 106°

Looking at that and the Erson "Torque Master" E110012-K

operating range idle - 5200
Duration @ .050 lift 204 int / 214 exh
valve lift .420 int / .443 exh
lobe separation 112 deg
Advance 5 deg
 
#20 ·
Big, it's overlap that gets the "one-potata-two-potata" in the idle, and one way to get overlap w/o having to run a cam w/a ton of duration is to run a tight LSA. Just something to keep in mind, a 112 LSA won't sound as 'bad' as the same cam ground on a 106 LSA.
 
#23 ·
AutoGear said:
Oh hell....'What about a THUMPR cam'

*hides*
Blasphemy! lol

Actually, I had considered that exact same thing- use the lowest Thumpr cam, the reason being, Al's ride is lightweight as hell (until he gets in it
JK), so it doesn't need (or even want) a ton of torque right off idle.

The biggest problem w/the Thumpr's is guys that don't know how to tune for them- not necessarily the cam itself. And since we know how to tune an engine w/a Thumpr cam, it might be worth looking into.

Sounds- http://www.compcams.com/Thumpr/index.html Millions more on utube, etc.
 
#24 · (Edited)
cobalt327 said:
Big, it's overlap that gets the "one-potata-two-potata" in the idle, and one way to get overlap w/o having to run a cam w/a ton of duration is to run a tight LSA. Just something to keep in mind, a 112 LSA won't sound as 'bad' as the same cam ground on a 106 LSA.
Cobalt, I know that tighter LSA's are the way to get the rump rump and more low end torque. That's why the cams I'm gonna recommend are similar specs to what the previous posters have recommended but with tighter LSA angles.

I plugged a 305 into Comp Cams Camquest and the first 2 cams that came up as a "Great Fit" were the 268H (described as choppy idle) and the XE262H (described as noticable idle), which was actually a little bigger cams than I thought they might recommend

But, I would recommend Isky cams with tighter LSA angles than the cams recommended by CamQuest and previous posters. The Isky #201262 262 Supercam falls in the 206*-210* at .050 range recommended, but has a narrower 108* LSA, which might help give a little rump rump and a little more low end torque. It's a single pattern cam, .435" lift, 262* advertised duration, 208* @ .050" duration, 108* LSA.

The Isky #201264 264 Mega is about the same duration specs as the Comp Cams 260H mentioned earlier, but again, with a narrower 108* LSA. It's a single pattern cam with .450" lift, 264* advertised duration, 214* @ .050", 108*LSA.

The Isky #201270 270-HL cam would be close to the Comp 268H, again with a narrower 108* LSA, specs are .445" lift, 270* advertised, 216* at .050", and 108* LSA.

A popular cam in mild 350's is the Crane Energizer 274HO6, or the same cam from Elgin E1785P. .450" lift, 274* advertised, 218* at .050', 106* LSA. This might be gettin' a little too big for a 305, I don't have any experience with that combo, but it works great in a stock 350 and gives a very nice idle. With the very light weight of a T bucket, it would probably work pretty well, would certainly give the sound wanted. Shaun's Nova has a stock Goodwrench 350, Edelbrock Perfomer, 600 Holley, open headers in this YouTube video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDEthCakytU

Ed
 
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