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Best cam for 89 octane build?

Started by b5blue, April 29, 2021, 08:20:39 AM

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b5blue

  440 with Sidewinder aluminum heads with about 10 to one compression. Non ethanol 89 octane (Boating fuel.) is readily available all over Florida and I'm sick of dealing with corn fed fuels. I'm even thinking roller cam just to be done with the oil gimmick so what are your ideas?  :scratchchin:
  Drive-ability is the main concern at this point. I want my kids to drive the Charger hassle free.   

73chgrSE

Drive it hassle free?  :smilielol: A MOPAR???

Might want to think about putting a Tesla battery/drivetrain in it then. Gas will be $10+ a gal. even if our old cars aren't just out right banned. :Twocents:

73chgrSE

I heard Lunati Max Wedge cams are great with a 440.

b5blue

I've had the Charger 26 years. Zero issues until ethanol added to fuel and zinc removed from oil. (Remarkably reliable.)

73chgrSE

Yeah I was just kidding.  :2thumbs:  Mopars in the 60s-70s were reliable. I've had this one since 1989. It's held up way better than several old friends with their Fords and GMs in most cases. Just tripped 90K miles on it.
Ethanol sucks. I only run 87 now. I use a zinc additive too.

Challenger340

Quote from: b5blue on April 29, 2021, 08:20:39 AM
  440 with Sidewinder aluminum heads with about 10 to one compression. Non ethanol 89 octane (Boating fuel.) is readily available all over Florida and I'm sick of dealing with corn fed fuels. I'm even thinking roller cam just to be done with the oil gimmick so what are your ideas?  :scratchchin:
  Drive-ability is the main concern at this point. I want my kids to drive the Charger hassle free.   

I think at 10:1(no higher) if you work with any of the online Dynamic Cylinder pressure calculators and around 155 psi you should be fine on 89 Octane ? The CompCams XE284H comes to mind.... many others as well although with the 68 ATDC closing point multiple Pwr Brake applications in a parking lot may suffer ?

What's wrong with using LUCAS "Hot Rod and Classic Car" Oil ?  lotsa Zinc... no issues ?

I drive my factory '69 R/T 440 Magnum (unrebuilt) around LOTS in summers.... never had a problem, reliable is an understatement because the old thing never misses a beat !
Only wimps wear Bowties !

b5blue

  Thanks for the reply's. With a cam change likely and the Mopar "Blueprint Cam" (Road Runner grind.) discontinued (What's in there now.) an upgrade to roller would avoid the whole dreaded "break in bugaboo". I did the math and a failed "cam break in" and resulting cam replacement costs about the same as going roller from the get go.
  26 years ago I had friends with shops that had lifts and was bulletproof 40 years old and any repair was actually fun. The cam in there now took a hit when new, saved only by me finding this site and your sticky just in time but it was going south without zinc. I've lined up a backup 440 but this engine may live on with a cam swap.
  I ditched vacuum boosted brakes for manual after a booster failure. (The horrible brake action when a booster craps out is unacceptable.) I may add Hydro Boost for my kids sake as the car is considered a part of the family. The body is so so but every other aspect is 100% including the recent A/C.   

Challenger340

Quote from: b5blue on April 30, 2021, 08:21:17 AM
  Thanks for the reply's. With a cam change likely and the Mopar "Blueprint Cam" (Road Runner grind.) discontinued (What's in there now.) an upgrade to roller would avoid the whole dreaded "break in bugaboo". I did the math and a failed "cam break in" and resulting cam replacement costs about the same as going roller from the get go.
  26 years ago I had friends with shops that had lifts and was bulletproof 40 years old and any repair was actually fun. The cam in there now took a hit when new, saved only by me finding this site and your sticky just in time but it was going south without zinc. I've lined up a backup 440 but this engine may live on with a cam swap.
  I ditched vacuum boosted brakes for manual after a booster failure. (The horrible brake action when a booster craps out is unacceptable.) I may add Hydro Boost for my kids sake as the car is considered a part of the family. The body is so so but every other aspect is 100% including the recent A/C.   

You know.... just my opinion so I will throw this out there.
We Machine, Assemble and then Dyno LOTS of BB Mopar engines because that's what we do ? That's our business ?

We're just NOT seeing the FT Cam failures nor 'problems' many are complaining about and that have taken on almost "a life of it's own" due to what I feel is internet piling on ?
I believe....
a very large part of the F T Cam failures is V/Spring related... and occurring in a large part by the inability of people to competently check/adjust V/Spring pressures correctly to ensure a patent F T Cam run in ?

I'm NOT slamming anyone and most certainly NOT you for having had an unfortunate experience before, believe me I feel your pain and am very sry for the problems you encountered
but that said....
I think Comp Cams is also to blame.....  for example here in selling things like their 911-16 V/Springs as some kind of 'replacement' V/Spring offering for their smaller/musclecar Cams ?
People buy and install the 911-16 thinking it must be 'good to go' right ? because that's what Comp cams rec'd ?
WRONG !
Seen LOTS of batches where if installed at stock V/Seat heights after rebuilding cast iron heads seat pressures were over 135# on the seat/1.875"....and well over 300# in under .500" Lift Cams = high potential to FAIL at Run in !
and nowadays....
the most recent 911-16 sets we're seeing are back down showing closer 120# @ 1.9" and 350-355 in/lb rates so well UNDER 300# @ .500" Lift

just say'in....
IMO, these days there is way too much of people who 'assume' and don't check V/Springs.... which all gets lumped in as another F T Cam failure.... because it MUST be the Cam or Oil right ?
Again.... NOT diss'ing you in particular....
just noting that it seems strange that with the amount of F T Cams we run on here ?  that we're NOT seeing the failures ?

In another Note:
Rollers are not trouble free ? While YES.... break in is assured, better you hear it here first and investigate prior to jumping in only to find out later there are many many facets to patent 'trouble free' Roller survivability on the street... especially with HYDRAULIC ROLLERS in BB Mopars !
Only wimps wear Bowties !

Challenger340

Quote from: b5blue on April 30, 2021, 08:21:17 AM
  Thanks for the reply's. With a cam change likely and the Mopar "Blueprint Cam" (Road Runner grind.) discontinued (What's in there now.) an upgrade to roller would avoid the whole dreaded "break in bugaboo". I did the math and a failed "cam break in" and resulting cam replacement costs about the same as going roller from the get go.
  26 years ago I had friends with shops that had lifts and was bulletproof 40 years old and any repair was actually fun. The cam in there now took a hit when new, saved only by me finding this site and your sticky just in time but it was going south without zinc. I've lined up a backup 440 but this engine may live on with a cam swap.
  I ditched vacuum boosted brakes for manual after a booster failure. (The horrible brake action when a booster craps out is unacceptable.) I may add Hydro Boost for my kids sake as the car is considered a part of the family. The body is so so but every other aspect is 100% including the recent A/C.   

26 years ago when you guys were swapping Cams..... what V/Springs were being used ?

The factory V/Springs ?
Only wimps wear Bowties !

b5blue

No all I meant was working on the Charger was easier. MY builds have been spec. by the book Mopar #P4876825 and FSM.  :2thumbs: