REtarding the cam to reduce cranking compression?

[Kern Dog]

I'm pondering all sorts of tactics to make my Charger more street friendly. One of the areas needing help is the high compression 440/493.
I have seen it written elsewhere that a camshaft with a LATER intake closing event would reduce cranking compression. In all of this, one alternative to changing cams is to simply RETARD the '509 cam that I have now. Less cranking compression means lower cylinder pressure. This may help reduce detonation.
What say you?

[firefighter3931]

Retarding the cam will move the powerband around so it will have less low end throttle response but it will still make the same cylinder pressure....just at a higher RPM in the powerband. Generally every 4* of cam timing equates to 200rpm shift in power.

So, for example ; if the engine detonates @ 2500 with the current cam timing....retarding the cam 4* would just delay the detonation to ~2700Rpm. 

You need a cam with a wider LSA not one with a delayed intake valve opening event. The tighter the LSA, the greater the spike in "peak" torque. 


Ron