Cam recommendations

Man, I love this forum.

The dudes at the speed shop said I would be good with my existing torq converter...

Ugh

 

I was looking at that cam, but ended up not getting it. It's not really suited for a 8:1 motor.
Really, shouldn't even mess with a cam swap on a stock motor like that. Best upgrades for a stock engine are 4-barrel & dual exhausts. Maybe ignition upgrades as well. Lower gears definitely help too.

 

Larry's right. You need to think smaller is better when trying to squeeze more power out of a lower compression shortblock like this. The smaller cam I rec'd will wake this motor up without killing off-idle torque but the rockers and other stock components are eventually going to be screaming.. UNCLE!!!.. in shorter time. Also need to keep in mind that the stock rocker slots might be getting marginal at best for near .500 lift. Might be biting off more than you can chew here, IMHO. Like I said.. it snowballs out of control on you very quickly.

 

Thanks Roberts. That's the Cam I was looking for, but it comes up as a 351?

 

Aa i nentioned via PM.. all Windsor motors take the same exact cam. Only the firing order changes from early to late order for the 302ho and 351w motors. IIRC.. just the fuel pump eccentric may be different. Just use your old one and you should be good to go. Others would probably remember better than I and may confirm any differences there though.

Horsepower bugs can suck you dry and leave your car sitting and broken.. so beware.

 

Appreciate all the sage advice... I've been talked off the ledge. Canceled the order on the Cam.

It's new carb, intake and headers. I'll let you guys know how it turns out. I went with Dougs headers.

 

I think you made the right choice there. Revisit a cam change later on when the cash and skill level increases. Better cylinder heads will improve compression and allow much bigger gains too.

 

Not to disagree with anyone above, but you'll get more bang for your buck with a gear change. 3.25 or 3.50 work well on a non-overdrive street car. What gear are you running now?

 

Right now I have the stock gears 3:00.01

Doing the intake and carb install this weekend.... hopefully get the full exhaust system installed next month.

I think I need to get my trans looked at before I do the gears... sometimes when I shift, the trans does not engage... I shift to drive but it stays in park...and I have to shut off engine to get it out of gear sometimes. Happens only once in a while but trans work then the gears.

It never ends.

 

A 2000-2400 RPM stall converter will give as much if not more low end punch than changing from 3:00 to 3:50 gear...

 

Guys, everything is going good on the upgrades. Intake, carb, new Pertronix coil and distributor...

I am installing the headers now, and the manufacturers website calls for a power steering bracket (PN H7609).

Has anyone on here installed Doug's Headers D668 before? Looking to see where this goes, is it necessary?

So far, no broken studs!

Thanks

 

You will need the P/S bracket. As time passes the bracket will work itself loose from the frame. You may have to have it tack welded to the frame.

As for me, I just eliminated the power steering.

 

Thanks Hotrock.

Is it for the control valve...what's connects to the bracket? Did you put your headers in from above or below, did you have to lift the engine?

Thanks

 

The bracket is for the P/S cylinder ram. There are several brackets available from different manufactures that will work with most header combinations. Unfortunately the final results are the same.

I'm not using Doug's headers, I run Hooker 6901s. The P/S bracket issue does not change regardless of which headers you select.

 

Passenger side long tube in! Man, this was a tight fit. I only had to remove the two canisters at the top. The bolts on the header are so close to the tubes, I couldn't get a socket to fit and had to use like a 4" baby wrench.

I didn't find a gasket between the original exhaust manifold and the head, should there have been one?