Factory 440 HP Cam

[John Milner]

I just installed this cam in my 440 but have yet to drive it.  It seems to idle very smooth and does seem quite responsive.  The advertised specs on the camshaft are (228 241 .450 .458. 115).  I don't see how there is any way that the advertised duration numbers are correct with how smooth the cam is.  However, I am going to run it for a while.  I am still a ways away from being road worthy.  I was just wanting to see how anyone who has ran this camshaft liked the performance?  I assume that this is also the same cam that came in a stock 6 pack engine.  I just want something that will run strong and spin the tires.   

My car is a '68 Charger, 3:90 sure grip, 4 speed, 9.5:1 .030 440 with six pack pistons, stock 452 heads with a good valve job, ch4b edelbrock intake, 800 Edelbrock and HP manifolds. 

[cdr]

1

[b5blue]

Road Runner grind. I like mine but I'm not racing.  The 6BBL cam has less angle to the face of the lifter but same numbers, possibly 3 bolt gear. The factory knew what to do.

[John Milner]

Road Runner grind. I like mine but I'm not racing.  The 6BBL cam has less angle to the face of the lifter but same numbers, possibly 3 bolt gear. The factory knew what to do.

Thank you for the reply. How is low end torque and power with your engine? I won't be racing either.

[c00nhunterjoe]

3.90s and a 4 speed should have plenty down low

[b5blue]

Yup you'll be grinning like a possum eating gravy. If anything you may need to mess with jetting and timing due to ping. 

[Challenger340]

I just installed this cam in my 440 but have yet to drive it.  It seems to idle very smooth and does seem quite responsive.  The advertised specs on the camshaft are (228 241 .450 .458. 115).  I don't see how there is any way that the advertised duration numbers are correct with how smooth the cam is.  However, I am going to run it for a while.  I am still a ways away from being road worthy.  I was just wanting to see how anyone who has ran this camshaft liked the performance?  I assume that this is also the same cam that came in a stock 6 pack engine.  I just want something that will run strong and spin the tires.   

My car is a '68 Charger, 3:90 sure grip, 4 speed, 9.5:1 .030 440 with six pack pistons, stock 452 heads with a good valve job, ch4b edelbrock intake, 800 Edelbrock and HP manifolds. 

It should run very well, I think you will like it.
BTW,
whose Cam is it, or rather who grinds it and under what Part# did you buy it ?

[John Milner]

Thank you all for the replies. I bought this one back around 2000. So it has been sitting a long time. It is a mopar performance grind.

[BSB67]

I just installed this cam in my 440 but have yet to drive it.  It seems to idle very smooth and does seem quite responsive.  The advertised specs on the camshaft are (228 241 .450 .458. 115).  I don't see how there is any way that the advertised duration numbers are correct with how smooth the cam is.  However, I am going to run it for a while.  I am still a ways away from being road worthy.  I was just wanting to see how anyone who has ran this camshaft liked the performance?  I assume that this is also the same cam that came in a stock 6 pack engine.  I just want something that will run strong and spin the tires.   

My car is a '68 Charger, 3:90 sure grip, 4 speed, 9.5:1 .030 440 with six pack pistons, stock 452 heads with a good valve job, ch4b edelbrock intake, 800 Edelbrock and HP manifolds. 

If its a MP cam, the 0.050" numbers are a lie.  Hate to be mister negative.

Probably more like 222°/236°.  Still a good cam IMO for a stock upgrade.

Maybe measure it and report back.

[cdr]

The 115 LSA will also smooth out the idle over a cam that is 106 LSA, 115 has less overlap

[odcics2]

Sounds like you made a wise choice.

A lotta guys over cam and over carburete!   

[John Milner]

I have not got the car to a point to where I can drive it just yet but so far I do like the way the cam idles and how responsive it seems.  If you are wanting a cam that shakes the front fenders at idle and has a big loap, this is not the cam for you.  I didn't measure the cam but there is no way it has the duration numbers that are listed with the cam.  It idles far too smooth.  I hope to be driving the car within the next few months.  I'll report back with how performance is once I get all of the bugs worked out of the car.

[green69rt]

Educate a newbie please.  When I was young (long, long, long ago) I seem to remember that the cam in my 440 magnum was 268 duration with 48 degree overlap (don't remember lift and please correct me if I got it wrong). no other measurements that I can remember.  Currently cams are rated for duration at 0.050 lift.  So the old ratings don't mean much compared to the new system.  Am I missing something, and if the system changed, when did it happen?  Just for comparison, what would be the stock grind on a 69 440 now?

[BSB67]

Educate a newbie please.  When I was young (long, long, long ago) I seem to remember that the cam in my 440 magnum was 268 duration with 48 degree overlap (don't remember lift and please correct me if I got it wrong). no other measurements that I can remember.  Currently cams are rated for duration at 0.050 lift.  So the old ratings don't mean much compared to the new system.  Am I missing something, and if the system changed, when did it happen?  Just for comparison, what would be the stock grind on a 69 440 now?

Hydraulic cams today as well as in the past have an "advertised" duration published.   Today, cam manufactures also give duration at 0.050" and sometimes at 0.200" lift in addition to their "advertised" numbers.  It's has been awhile since they've added the additional (0.050" and 0.200") measurements as the norm.

I don't know why, but I suspect that one reason is that there is no official standard used buy cam grinders/suppliers on how the "advertised" duration numbers are measured.  So comparing advertised numbers between a Crane, Comp, and Mopar might not be apples to apples.  More specifically, some companies measure their "advertised" numbers at 0.004" lift, some at 0.006" and others at 0.008" lift.  This will generate considerably different advertised numbers.  So your original Mopar cam was measured to have 268° @ 0.008".  But if measured at 0.006" it might have 274°. or 280° measured at 0.004". 2° - 3° duration per 0.001" lift is generally pretty close near actual seat timing.  

So I think the duration at 0.050" helps folks to do a better cam to cam comparison.  It also helps cam buyers understand a little more of what is happening between seat timing and full lift (i.e. how fast off the seat)

Besides all of that, MP never published accurate 0.050" numbers.  They would tell you that their 0.050" numbers were 85% of their advertised numbers.  These numbers are totally fictitious.  They never measured close to that (i.e. advertised duration x 0.85), and always gave a 0.050" duration number that was higher than actual.  It seemed as though MP simply did not want folks to make direct duration comparisons between their cams and the competition.  This is why I know that the OP's 228°/241° is total crap, because those numbers are simply the 268°/284° numbers x 0.85.

Finally, the original 268/284 cam had 0.050" numbers more like 214°/222°.  The new version has faster ramps, and I speculate, as I did above, to likely be 222° to 224° and 236° to 238°.

Wish that the OP would have measured, then we would know.  I'm sure it is a nice little upgrade from the original

[green69rt]

Thanks for the reply and info.

[John Milner]

Sorry I did not measure.  It's already running in the car or I would have been glad to.  I'm also curious as to what the @50 duration numbers are on this cam.  It's not a big cam by any means.  Hopefully I'll be able to report back as to how it runs on the street soon.

[c00nhunterjoe]

If you have the part number of the pistons used, and the head gaskets, if the heads were milled and how much, we can roughly figure out some basics of the cam with a compression test.

[John Milner]

Thought I'd give little feedback on this particular camshaft.  I am very pleased with it.  If you are looking for a loapy idle and something that will run an 11 second 1/4 mile, this isn't the cam for you.  The cam has a smooth idle.  As was pointed out, there is no way that the advertised duration @50 numbers are accurate.  It produces plenty of torque to turn my 255/60 15's into smoke with the 4 speed and 3:90 sure grip in 1st and 2nd.  I would guess that the car would probably run quicker with a 3:23 or 3:55 gear.  I also think that I might be leaving some power on the table with the manifolds.  I'm sure it would run quicker with headers and a Performer RPM intake.  But I like my HP manifolds and I like my CH4B intake with the dual snorkel air cleaner all fitting under the hood.  Idling in traffic, the engine never gets above 180 degrees.  I shift the engine at 5,000 rpm when I'm on it.  It might pull a little higher than that but it feels quickest shifting at that rpm.  If you are up around 9 or 9.5:1 on compression and want to run stock heads and valve train, this is an excellent cam choice in my opinion.  It's not the fastest thing on the street by any means but it makes the Charger a lot of fun to drive.  Mopar knew what they were doing when they made this camshaft. 

[b5blue]