383 Detune

[shawnmd]

I've got a 383 bored 30 over, MP purple shaft 509 (we think), headers, Torker intake manifold and Holley 750 carb.  The engine was built to be drag raced but is now being used on the street with a 4 speed and 3.23 gears. The car really doesn't start to make power until way up in the RPM range---when its screamin and really isn't made for the street.  What would be my first thing to replace the cam, or the intake?  I am pretty sure I can get an original cast iron intake and an original camshaft.  What would be the better combination, the existing 509 cam and an orignal cast iron intake or the torker intake and the original camshaft.  Which would be better for low end street performance?

[Rolling_Thunder]

camshaft....      you can go with the resto style camshaft from MP...    268*/284* duration...     pretty nice cam...    running one in my 383 right now and am very pleased...    much better than the .484 purpleshaft

[TylerCharger69]

I agree with rolling thunder.    Also...I would change that torker  to a performer (dual plane)...it matches the cam mentioned a bit better than the Torker does.  The lift and duration as he said is right on the money...but I would use the engle k 56 as opposed to MP.  What carb are you running?...cfm?

[Rolling_Thunder]

yes...    the Engle K56 is a great street cam (I have never run one however) i used the MP as a idea because i am actually using that so i can give real world experience.     another great cam I have run in a 66 charger (at the shop)  was a PAW 270*/280*   very mild for the street and worked well around town.        my only complaint about the MP cam is the lower lift......


intake manifold should be a dual plane (street use)

carb should be 650-750 I believe.....        if running a 4-speed you can get away with a little more carb but if you're running an auto I would suggest between 650-750...     I am running a 750 on my 383 and have a small stumble just off idle...    still tuning though

[Chryco Psycho]

the torker intake actually works well & I would try it before replacing it , the performer was basically the worst intake ever made , the stock intake makes more power
Tha Cam is the key to correcting the engine , my preference is the Engle cams , K56 or 58 would be a good choice

[ChargerBill]

My only concern with a Torker would be slower velocity due to the longer runners...the less aggressive cam won't move the air sufficiently. However, if you could bolt on an X-pipe then scavenging would be increased and air velocity would improve...and the Torker would not only work well, but the engine would scream when you want it to and be streetable when you just wanted to cruise. I personally would also prefer the Torker, but maybe would go with a .274 cam with a little more overlap than stock. The Performer is a dumbed down consumer style "fool proof" intake, but it does match well with the Performer series carbs (intakes center plenum ground down 1/4" really helps these things). Also, the 750 may create a stumble/bog when giving gas off idle if you use a less aggressive cam and dual plane - in which case I'd use a 625/650 carb, but a Torker with a semi-perf cam and X-pipes would work great with a 750.

[blackcrowe]

try advancing that cam first 

[firefighter3931]

the torker intake actually works well & I would try it before replacing it , the performer was basically the worst intake ever made , the stock intake makes more power
Tha Cam is the key to correcting the engine , my preference is the Engle cams , K56 or 58 would be a good choice

The torker is an awesome street manifold....keep it for sure !

The Engle K56 or a Crower HDP 271 would be my choice for a cam.


Ron

[AJ1966]

Sorry to resurrect a thread, but I was searching on the cam that is supposedly in my car, the Purple Cam 509 lift, 292 dur.  The consensus seems like it's not really a street friendly cam?  Should I really change it out if this is a car used only for street/town driving?  And if I kept it, the only real decent intake to use is the torker?


From what I was told about the engine I bought:
'66 383
10.25 compression
383 stock-ish heads (no porting I don't think)
509 purple cam
bored .030 over, crank turned .010
comes with an offenhauser dual quad intake (I will probably ditch this, so if anyone wants to buy it lol)


Next year I plan to drop the engine in and see what happens, hell for all I know it may not even be what the guy said.....

[Rolling_Thunder]

the 292 cam is streetable...    they make two different ones now...    one on a 106*lsa and the other on (i believe) 112*lsa     the one ground on 112 is alot more streetable then the 106...   

[firefighter3931]

The 509 is too much cam for a street driven 383, inmo. To make it run right in a 383ci motor you will want a 4000 stall and 4.30 gears. It will be a pain in the A$$ to tune and you'll hate it. There are much better cams out there ! 

Ron

[TylerCharger69]

I would recommend something in the split lift/duration category.   The reason being  (my experiences anyway)  is because for just a streetable 383,  you need vacuum  and that 509 stick isn't much of a Hoover as far as vacuum is concerned.   I run a consistent 20 Hg on my vacuum gauge and the needle very steady.  That 509 stick is probably giving you  no more that 7 to 10 Hg....if you're lucky,  and with very low vacuum...it makes these 383's a pain in the butt to tune.   A lot of people here recommended the Engle K56.   I don't have my cam card handy to give you all the specs,  but it's an awesome cam and is street friendly for a mild build up.  I believe there are threads here from previous posts about that cam  and that is what helped me decide to scrap that worthless MP Purple shaft.   It was a 484/292  and even then the vacuum sucked.....no pun intended.

[AJ1966]

Engle K-56:
.504"   lift
110° LSA
272* adv. duration
224* duration @ .050"

".904" Lifter profile for midrange torque 9 to 1 compression street cars & trucks power from 1800-5500 RPM"


Or, how about:

Comp Cams Xtreme Energy XE274H cam?
Operating Range:   1800-6000 RPM
Duration Advertised:   274° Intake / 286° Exhaust
Duration @ .050'' Lift:   230° Intake / 236° Exhaust
Valve Lift w/1.5 Rockers:   .488'' Intake / .491'' Exhaust
Lobe Separation Angle:   110°
"High performance street. Very strong mid-range, with headers, 2200+ stall converter."


There is also a Lunati "Voodoo":

Advertised Duration :   268° /276°
Duration @ .050 IN/EX :   226° /234°
Gross Valve lift IN/EX   .494''/.513''
LSA and ICL   110/106
RPM Range:   1800-6200
"This high performance street cam likes 2400 RPM stall, 700 cfm carb, dual plane intake and headers. "




Do you think the comp cams XE274H may be the best here?  I have 10.25:1 compression, so I'm not sure if a cam made for less compression matters or not.  I will go back and try to check out old posts for more info....

[Chryco Psycho]

The Comp Cam will make less power then either of the cams Ron suggests as alternatives
Why does everyone want to put in a Comp Cam when they consistently make less power ?