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Could my mileage get any worse with a bigger cam?

Started by Paul G, April 10, 2007, 08:26:01 PM

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Paul G

I would like to switch to a lumpier cam. I have been putting it off for any number of reasons. But, if all goes well I think it could happen this summer. The cam in there now is a Comp 21-221-4, duration at .050 212/218, 110 separation. It's in my 440 bored .030 over, 9.5:1 pistons, ported stock heads, RPM air gap intake, Holley 750, 2000 stall, 3.55 gears.

First question; Is this a pretty mild cam? It sure feels like it.

Second: I am getting about 7.5 mpg with the car. Would a lumpier cam actually make that worse? (if it can get worse)

Third: Might as well ask about cams right now. I know Chryco likes the Engle cams. Which one would go best with my setup?

Since I put those beefy tires on the rear last year the engine is having a hard time lighting them up. It used to be pretty easy to light up the old tires. I need more power I guess.

One more thing, the engine was rebuilt in 2000 by Zimmerman Racing in Phoenix if anyone has ever heard of them. It has maybe 20,000 miles on it since rebuild.
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

firefighter3931

Paul, that is a mild cam...it probably doesn't have much lift. There is power to be had with a cam swap....for sure. With your converter i would go with an engle k56 on a 110* lsa installed on a 106* intake centerline. Fuel consumption can depend on the engine's state of tune....timing plays a big role along with jetting.


Ron
68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs

Chryco Psycho

I agree , with the intake & converter a K56 is a nice fit or a K56 intake & K58 exhaust split profile with a 110* lsa

aifilaw

all suggestions aside...the combo you listed should be getting 10mpg+ with an amateur tune...I'd say its way off
'72 B5 Metallic Blue Hardtop
426" Wedge - Hydraulic Roller Stealth heads

Paul G

I called Engle this morning. He also suggested the K56 cam with a new set of lifters. He sells Chrylser high performance lifters. Should I get those from him or is there a better choice in lifters?
Like these maybe
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=CRN%2D99378%2D16&autoview=sku

or these
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=LUN%2D71977&autoview=sku

or these
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=CCA%2D882%2D16&autoview=sku


Will I have enough vacuum for the power brakes with the K56?
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

GreenMachine

  I have a combo similar to that except with 3.23 and a Carter with Edelbrock heads. Mine gets about 11 hwy and 8-9 city and will run the 1/4  in 13.3. I chose the Carter because they generally get better mpg than Holley. I chose the cam before I knew what I was doing (should've went a little bigger), I'm just waiting for the lower zinc content oil I'm using to wipe it out so I'll have an excuse to replace it.
   I would listen to firefighter, the timing has a big effect on fuel consumption. He also recommended a cam for another car of mine that I was extremely happy with. Thanks Firefighter.
If it ain't broke, fix it 'till it is.

firefighter3931

Paul, the k56 will make lots of vacuum for your power brakes....no worries there. For lifters go with what engle recommends for their cam. I do like those Lunati lifters with the heavy duty snap ring.  ;)



Ron
68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs

firefighter3931

Quote from: GreenMachine on April 11, 2007, 04:23:56 PM
  I have a combo similar to that except with 3.23 and a Carter with Edelbrock heads. Mine gets about 11 hwy and 8-9 city and will run the 1/4  in 13.3. I chose the Carter because they generally get better mpg than Holley. I chose the cam before I knew what I was doing (should've went a little bigger), I'm just waiting for the lower zinc content oil I'm using to wipe it out so I'll have an excuse to replace it.
   I would listen to firefighter, the timing has a big effect on fuel consumption. He also recommended a cam for another car of mine that I was extremely happy with. Thanks Firefighter.


You're welcome Green M. Good to hear you're happy with your car.  :2thumbs:



Ron
68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs

Paul G

I just did some reading on cam swaps. Does the K56 have enough lift that I need to worry about coil bind of the valve springs? The comp cam I am running has
gross lift of .298/.303 and lobe lift of .447/.445
                vs the K56 of
gross lift of .336/.336 and valve lift of .504/.504.
These cam numbers have got me  ???

Comp cams spec from the Summit site.
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=cca-21-221-4
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

Rayzor

If your installing a new cam I recomend that you get the matched springs. Different grinds call for different pressures that can make or break the cam. At a minimum I would have your springs checked at there installed height and at max lift height before bind. That way you can compare with the cams needs.  Checking the spring bind and retainer to guide clearence should always be looked at. I went with the k54 cam and springs for my 440, but have yet to fire it up.   

Chryco Psycho

I agree with Rayzor , get matching springs & check the clearance although typically you are good to .520 lift

firefighter3931

Paul, Comp usually recommends the #911 spring for all their hydraulic cams. If you have those installed allready then you're good to go.


Ron
68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs

Paul G

I called Engle again this afternoon and talked to a different guy. He still wants me to measure the installed height of a pair of springs just to be sure they are at 1.9". Then call Comp cams and see if there springs are about the same pressure as the springs Engle recommends. He said the cam I have is a Chevy grind.  :puke:

This guy was a little easier to talk to. We discussed why I want a new cam. What it comes down to is I want more power to fry the tires. It's not a drag car or a daily driver. It is a show & go car, basically I want a tire fryer. He suggests the K58 more than the K56. More lump at idle (sounds better on cruise night) and more top end power. He thinks it will work good with my 2000 stall and 3:55 gears.

Do you guys agree or think I should stay with the K56 to better meet my goals?
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

firefighter3931

Quote from: Paul G on April 12, 2007, 04:01:28 PM
I called Engle again this afternoon and talked to a different guy. He still wants me to measure the installed height of a pair of springs just to be sure they are at 1.9". Then call Comp cams and see if there springs are about the same pressure as the springs Engle recommends. He said the cam I have is a Chevy grind.  :puke:

This guy was a little easier to talk to. We discussed why I want a new cam. What it comes down to is I want more power to fry the tires. It's not a drag car or a daily driver. It is a show & go car, basically I want a tire fryer. He suggests the K58 more than the K56. More lump at idle (sounds better on cruise night) and more top end power. He thinks it will work good with my 2000 stall and 3:55 gears.

Do you guys agree or think I should stay with the K56 to better meet my goals?


Paul, there's more to it than simply checking the installed height.  :P You need to consider spring rates (seat pressure/open pressure) and coil bind.  ;) The Comp # 911 has an installed height of 1.90 and enough seat/open pressure & coilbind room for that Engle stick.....these will work with a stock retainer and valve keeper as well. The other option would be to just purchase the springs from Engle.


Personally, i think that the K58 is a little big for a 2000 stall and 3.55 gears. If you want a little more lump at idle have the cam ground on a 108* lsa....i would use the k56. The 108* lsa works fine with headers but if you have manifolds use the 110* lsa.


The Comp cam that's in your car is similar to the factory cam....slow, lazy lobe profiles that don't make much power. The xe256 that you have currently is a good RV/towing camshaft.



Ron
68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs

Paul G

Thanks guys for all the help so far. I will probably go with the K56 like you suggest Ron. I have a little more work to do before I start ordering the cam and lifters, like sorting out the springs. I have a friend that should have the tools to get the valve springs off to see what they are.

Those Lunati lifters sound like they are a step above a stock lifter. Think I should go with them or get the basic lifter from Engle?   

Do the rocker arms all just come off together as an assembly? Are they adjusted separately or not at all?

I am sorry to be such a pain. I want to learn as much as I can before I start taking my engine apart and maybe prevent some  :brickwall: :cryin: and the job will hopefully go very  :icon_smile_cool: so I can get back to some serious :drive:

Thanks guys
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

Paul G

I think this is my torque converter. I have a reciept for a Hughes Performance, 24-20, 2000 stahl, 24 spline converter, I bet this is it
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=HUP%2D24%2D20&N=700+400306+115&autoview=sku

This pic is my cam card for the Comp cam I am using right now. It says to use 926-16 springs I have no way of knowing for sure they used them? This link is the 926-16 spec from Summit.
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=cca-926-16

I think the springs on the car are dual springs like in the Summit picture. I replaced valve cover gaskets a while back but I cant remeber for sure if they were dual springs. I think so?? From what you guys are saying if they are dual springs I would have to remove the inner spring for cam breakin anyway. Is that right? 
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

firefighter3931

Quote from: Paul G on April 12, 2007, 08:29:23 PM
Thanks guys for all the help so far. I will probably go with the K56 like you suggest Ron. I have a little more work to do before I start ordering the cam and lifters, like sorting out the springs. I have a friend that should have the tools to get the valve springs off to see what they are.

Those Lunati lifters sound like they are a step above a stock lifter. Think I should go with them or get the basic lifter from Engle?   

Do the rocker arms all just come off together as an assembly? Are they adjusted separately or not at all?

I am sorry to be such a pain. I want to learn as much as I can before I start taking my engine apart and maybe prevent some  :brickwall: :cryin: and the job will hopefully go very  :icon_smile_cool: so I can get back to some serious :drive:

Thanks guys



Paul, i looked at the Comp website for the #926 springs....those are a single with a dampner and have an installed height of 1.8in. Probably not what engle would like you to have with their cam. That being said, the safest route would be to buy the whole shooting match from engle....cam/lifters/springs.  :yesnod:

Your rockers will come off as an assembly....5 bolts hold the rocker shafts down and everything comes off together.  ;)



Ron
68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs

Paul G

Well there it is then. The whole package it is. Will order tomarow.
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

Paul G

Okay another problem. Is my cam gear a single bolt or a 3 bolt? Engle needs to know, so I guess I have to take everything apart before I can order the cam set. I asked about a dual profile, k56 intake and k58 exhaust. He said he can do that but Mopars dont need that. He said that is a Chevy  :puke: grind. He was a little surprised that I wanted the k56 instead of the k58 like we had talked about yesterday. I have more time to think about that choice since I have to get it all apart now before I can order.  >:( :icon_smile_angry:  Since the actual cam cost is only around $160 I am thinking about going with the k58 and if it turns out to be undesirable for me I can move down to the k56 only requiring a lot of work, another $160 and a gasket set.  

Ron, I know you are leaning toward the k56 for my combo which is probably the right thing to do, but I am just wondering if the k56 will actually make more power with my combo than the k58? I think Engle is leaning toward the K58 because it will have a lumpier exhaust note. Which is one of the the things I am after. But if it will hurt hp more than help it is definately the wrong choice. What do you think?
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

firefighter3931

Paul, the k58 is too big with a 2000 stall and 3.55 gears. Will it work in your car....probably. Is it the "best choice"..... absolutely not. Choosing a cam profile is alot more than just about "sound"....you need to trust me on this.  ;)

The k58 is 230*@.050....meaning it's not gonna pull hard until 2500-2800 rpm. Remember that you have a 2000 stall. Now the k56 is 223*@.050 so it will come on stronger down low....closer to your stall speed. Having a tight converter with a big cam such as this combination allways produces disappointing results. The usual comments are allways ; how come my car can't spin the tires ? How come it feels like a dog off idle ? Where did i go wrong ?

I'm here to answer those questions for you before you have to ask them.  :yesnod:

Hey, it's your choice....go for it if you feel the need to experiment. Remember though that once the cam is broken in....the matching lifters are married to that cam, forever. To swap out another cam you will be also into another set of lifters....so that's $160.00 + the cost of a set of replacement tappets. It can get expensive to "experiment".  :icon_smile_blackeye:


In a nutshell ; a cam with a 2500+ powerband using a 2000 stall is gonna leave a big flat spot in your power curve.....and it will be noticable. Going too big on the cam will have the opposite effect of what you're looking to achieve. It won't be a tire frier because it won't be able to turn over the tires due to the mismatched combination. If you were willing to use a 2800 stall and 3.91 gears then the K58 would be the appropriate choice.

On split pattern grinds....yes they do work well in Mopar engines....it's not just a chevy thing.  :P Typically unported factory heads have a flow imbalance between intake and exhaust, with the exhaust flow being weaker than the intake side. The longer exhaust duration helps by hanging the ex valve open longer to help the engine exhale and decrease intake charge dilution....which makes more power. On a mild combo like yours this isn't as critical because of the application. The k58's .520 lift would also require the valveguides to be trimmed down. Like everything it's a compromise....you could do the head mods and run the split pattern cam but that involves a lot of extra work. Is the tradeoff off cost vs performance worth it in this application....probably not, inmho.


So, there you have it.....that's my story and i'm sticking with it !  :icon_smile_big:



Ron


Ps. The comp hydraulic cams allways come with a single bolt upper gear unless it was a custom order. If yours is off the shelf it will be a single bolt.
68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs

Paul G

Thanks Ron. I will stay with the K56 with matched springs and new lifters. I guess what happens is a person always wants more and more. Even if more is not better.
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

firefighter3931

Quote from: Paul G on April 14, 2007, 08:56:37 PM
I guess what happens is a person always wants more and more. Even if more is not better.


With respect to cams....this is usually the case. The most comon mistake made is incorrect cam selection. It's better to err on the small side with respect to selecting the proper profile for "your" application. This engine combo will pull hard to 5500 which is about as much as you can get out of a non ported factory head on a 440ci pump gas build. The stock heads are at this point the limiting factor....headflow will largely dictate how much power you can make and where it will stop. The trick is picking a cam that makes the power where you need it given all the parameters/restrictions of the overall combination.  :yesnod:



Ron

68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs

Paul G

I have the old cam out.  :yesnod: It is going pretty good so far. It is a single bolt cam so tomorrow I can call Engle and finally get the new stuff ordered. I have Lots of questions with pics. 

First pic is of the valve springs. Are these dual springs?

Second pic is of the timing chain which look fine. I guess it was installed straight up. The marks match, if those are the correct marks and it has a straight key in the crank. How would you change the cam timing anyway. Like to actually degree it in?

Third pic is a couple of the rockers. They all look like these two. Do they look okay?

Last pic is the porting work that they did. Hows it look?

I noticed there are holes in the rocker arm socket that the push rod sets in. The push rods are solid. Oil cant pass through. Is this normal?
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

Paul G

The intake manifold gasket is actually the valley pan. Is there an intake gasket set for this or do I replace the valley pan?
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

firefighter3931

Quote from: Paul G on April 15, 2007, 06:38:41 PM
I have the old cam out.  :yesnod: It is going pretty good so far. It is a single bolt cam so tomorrow I can call Engle and finally get the new stuff ordered. I have Lots of questions with pics. 

First pic is of the valve springs. Are these dual springs?

Second pic is of the timing chain which look fine. I guess it was installed straight up. The marks match, if those are the correct marks and it has a straight key in the crank. How would you change the cam timing anyway. Like to actually degree it in?

Third pic is a couple of the rockers. They all look like these two. Do they look okay?

Last pic is the porting work that they did. Hows it look?

I noticed there are holes in the rocker arm socket that the push rod sets in. The push rods are solid. Oil cant pass through. Is this normal?




Paul, good work !


(1) those look like a single spring with a dampner and they have been shimmed up to increase the closed pressure....notice the spacers beneath the valvespring.

(2) The lower sprocket on your timing chain set has 3 keyways....one for strait up and the other two corrspond to 4* advance and 4* retard. Each keyway has a different symbol to identify the cam timing's position. Cam timing is adjusted by using the different keyways on the lower gear.


(3) Rockers look fine....evrything is as it should be. It also appears that some mild porting and gasket matching was done.

(4) Use the felpro #1215 intake manifld gasket set. This part number has the heat crossovers blocked off which helps to keep the fuel temps down and eliminate vapor lock and fuel boiling. A thick carb insulating base gasket is also recommended.



Ron



68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs

mikepmcs

Wow, does this thread seem eerily similar to the one I posted right down to the cam selection. :wave:

Finally got all my stuff for the entire cam swap.  wow, what a list. don't forget the engine break in additive and the cam and lifter lube.

Paul, when you get a chance, check this thread out.  It's very close to this one and I also almost made the mistake of getting talked into a K58. 

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,26028.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,23822.0.html

The one question I have now is, I had my cam made as a 3 bolt style cause I had the crazy notion of adding a gear drive.  Through research and listening here I decided that wasn't a good idea to get the cheapy dual gear drives as they will most likely fail.  So now I have a 3 bolt and i'm 99% sure that my MP that's in there now is a one bolt.  I assume I will have to get a new timing gear setup now?  I can't afford the milodon gear drive set up, so i'm asking what timing gear setup do you guys prefer if i infact need to replace it?

edit, which one on this page cause i'm guessing i need to replace it.  i need to advance the cam 4* as suggested so I want to get the right one.

I just figured Mancini since i need a valve spring removal tool anyway.

http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/timingchain.html

Thanks and thanks again Ron for all your sound advice.
v/r
Mike
Life isn't Father Knows Best anymore, it's a kick in the face on a saturday night with a steel toed grip kodiak work boot and a trip to the hospital all bloodied and bashed.....for reconstructive surgery. But, what doesn't kill us, makes us stronger, right?

Paul G

Just got off the phone with Chris at Engle. The K56 is ordered with a new set of lifters. I called and got the spring rates from Comp for there 926 springs. Chris said the Comp springs will be just fine for the K56 cam since it is not an overly agresive profile.

Comp 926 springs:
110 closed
315 open
1.140 coil bind
1.80 height

Engle springs:
110 to 120 closed
300 open

My springs measure 1 15/16" from the spring seat to the retainer. I am trying to figure out what that converts to in decimal. Why are there spacers under the springs?

For break in Chris said to change the oil to Racing oil with Zinc, or Shell Rotella T, but he didnt say what weight oil to use. Oil recomendations for breakin?

Start and run the engine at 1800 rpm for 20 minutes with no idling or reving during the 20 minutes. Then change the oil again. I ssume back to regular oil???



1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

firefighter3931

Mike, you don't need to get all fancy with a timing set.  ;)

This is the one i like made by Comp Cams....it has the three keyway lower gear for adjustable cam timing. The Comp chains hold up very well and won't stretch....unlike some of the other pricier sets. The MP chains are known for premature stretching/sagging.  :P


http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=CCA%2D2109&autoview=sku



Ron
68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs

firefighter3931

Quote from: Paul G on April 16, 2007, 12:06:47 PM
Just got off the phone with Chris at Engle. The K56 is ordered with a new set of lifters. I called and got the spring rates from Comp for there 926 springs. Chris said the Comp springs will be just fine for the K56 cam since it is not an overly agresive profile.

Comp 926 springs:
110 closed
315 open
1.140 coil bind
1.80 height

Engle springs:
110 to 120 closed
300 open

For break in Chris said to change the oil to Racing oil with Zinc, or Shell Rotella T, but he didnt say what weight oil to use. Oil recomendations for breakin?

Start and run the engine at 1800 rpm for 20 minutes with no idling or reving during the 20 minutes. Then change the oil again. I ssume back to regular oil???







Paul, those 926 springs are really close. Maybe run it by Engle to see what they think....give them all the 926 specs.


Oil ; Rotella 15/40 diesel oil with a bottle of GM EOS (engine oil supplement) for breakin. Change oil and filter immediately and use the same stuff....rotella and EOS.....or you could use Valvoline racing vr-1 20/50 with the EOS.  Napa "gold" for the oil filter.  :yesnod:


I would run the cam at 2000-2200 rpm for 25 minutes with the occasional blip to the throttle to help promote lifter rotation.




Ron
68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs

Paul G

Found an inch to decimal converter. http://www.seoconsultants.com/charts/inches-decimal/#conversion
My springs are at 1.9" then. I hope they are okay. Chris thinks they should be but I failed to mention to him about the spacers.
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

Paul G

Called Chris again. Man I feel stupid! Learning all this stuff is making my hair hurt! :confused: :image_294343: Installed height is from the bottom of the spring retainer to the bottom of the spring, not including the shims. Just the spring length in this measurement. Thats why the shims can change this measurement. Chris still thinks they are okay with 110 closed pressure and 315 open pressure at 1.8" installed height which is the comp spec. Engle sends some redline lubricant with a new cam to put on the cam lobes and lifters for breakin. All I still need now are gaskets.   

Thanks Ron and the rest of you guys for hanging with me.
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

Paul G

Another stupid question. When the cam gear and crank gear timing marks are lined up is this TDC of #1 cylinder? Should the rotor in the distributer be pointing at #1 tower on the distributer cap?
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

Chryco Psycho

with the crank gear at 12 o clock & the cam @ 12 o clock the engine is at TDC#1 firing & the dist rotor should be pointed at #! , if the cam gear is at 6 oclock it is at TDC firing #6 cylinder & the rotor should be pointed at #6 on the cap

Paul G

Thanks Chryco. I was a little concerned because the rotor was not pointed at #1. All is well.
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

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deputycrawford

     Paul G. I would like to add that a cam that is, lets say, 25% bigger will also cause the swelling of the right foot approximately another 25%. That comes out to be pretty close to 50% percent more fuel usage.   :scratchchin: Fuel milage will have to be converted to feet per gallon. This is a problem many of us have come to realize with our cars also.
If it ain't wide open; it ain't running.        Rule number one in motocross racing: Pin it; row the gear box; and wait until you hit something.     At work my motto is: If you need me, call someone else.

Paul G

I am starting to see it like this. You get a bigger cam, And it is good. Then you decide you want more. So you get some headers, and it is good. Then you decide you want more. so you get better heads, and it is good. Then you decide you want more.....etc.
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

firefighter3931

Quote from: deputycrawford on April 17, 2007, 07:17:03 PM
     Paul G. I would like to add that a cam that is, lets say, 25% bigger will also cause the swelling of the right foot approximately another 25%. That comes out to be pretty close to 50% percent more fuel usage.   :scratchchin: Fuel milage will have to be converted to feet per gallon. This is a problem many of us have come to realize with our cars also.


Ain't that the truth !  :devil:



Ron
68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs

Chryco Psycho

More is always better & too much is never enough

Paul G

The new cam and lifters came today. I put assembly lube on the cam lobes and bearings just like on TV. Slid it in and put the timing set back on. I put the lower timing gear back on just like it was. Straight up. Would it be advisable to put it advanced or retarded?

Is it necessary to soak the new lifters in fresh oil before I install them?

Also, with my old lifters I noticed that some of them will compress and some wont. Is that normal?

Thanks again.
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

firefighter3931

Quote from: Paul G on April 24, 2007, 08:37:13 PM
I put the lower timing gear back on just like it was. Straight up. Would it be advisable to put it advanced or retarded?

Is it necessary to soak the new lifters in fresh oil before I install them?

Also, with my old lifters I noticed that some of them will compress and some wont. Is that normal?

Thanks again.


Paul,

Does your lower gear have 3 keyways ? If it does then you should make sure which keyway the gear is set to. There will be small stamped symbols identifying which is which....assuming it has the three keyway lower gear. I prefer to degree the cam in.

I don't soak the lifters.....just pour oil over the top of them after the valvetrain is all buttoned up. They will fill up as soon as the engine is fired.


Sounds like some of your old lifters are pumped up....not uncommon.



Ron
68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs

Paul G

Lower gear has 3 keyways. I have it set on the one with a 0, the other keyways are marked with an "A" and  with a "R".
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

firefighter3931

Quote from: Paul G on April 25, 2007, 03:43:01 AM
Lower gear has 3 keyways. I have it set on the one with a 0, the other keyways are marked with an "A" and  with a "R".


Paul, the recommended intake centerline for that cam is 106* which is 4* advanced. I'm gonna assume that the "A" is advanced and the "R" is retarded. Try to verify if this is correct with the timing chain manufacturer. This is why i like to degree in cams.  :P



Ron
68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs

Paul G

Okay guys, how do you get the intake bolts to start threading in to the heads with all those gaskets? The bolt holes are not even close.
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

General_01

How many gasket sets are you trying to use? One between the valley pan and heads and then one between the intake and valley pan? If you are trying this it won't work. I ran into this a couple years ago. You are gonna have to use one set of gaskets and silicone. I am trying to remember what I did with mine 2 years ago but I can't. I think I may have used a gasket against the heads and put silicone between the intake and valley pan. Not positive though. I may have even went no gaskets and siliconed everything, but I don't think I did that.

The only other thing would be to take the heads and intake to a machine shop and have them machined to match with the dual gasket set up would be my guess.
1971 Dodge Charger Super Bee
496 stroker
4-speed

deputycrawford

     The valley pan is designed to "crush" itself between the surfaces. I personally use silicone in the corners between the heads and block and nothing on the rest of it. Just put the bolts in and torque to 40 Foot pounds on all 8 intake bolts. I do not know the specific torque of the front and rear valley pan bolts but I would only use around 10 foot pounds. Ask others what the torque setting of those are.
If it ain't wide open; it ain't running.        Rule number one in motocross racing: Pin it; row the gear box; and wait until you hit something.     At work my motto is: If you need me, call someone else.

Paul G

I guess I have to take a couple steps back then. The valley pan is sealed to the block and heads. It is still fresh so it should come off fairly easy. I will take the gaskets out and just use sealer on both sides of the valley pan. Thats the way it was put together when I took it off. I thought the guy before me was just doing shody work not using gaskets. I gues not.
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

Paul G

The swap is all done  :icon_smile_big: It runs great. It engine seems to run smoother than before. Noticeably throatier exhaust tone. And it has a bit more  :drive:

On start up the engine was making a lot of racket, sounded like I had a bunch of bent pushrods. I was scared :rotz:  to say the least. After 5 or 10 minutes it started to quiet down. Now the valve train is quieter than it was before. I think maybe a few of the old lifters were bad, or just noisy?? I cant imagine what my neighbors were thinking while I was doing the break in. I am sure they could hear it a block away  :icon_smile_big: :icon_smile_big:

I put a timing tape on the balancer while it was off the car. I have initial timing set at 12*. At 3500 rpm it goes up to almost 40*. The vacuum advance is turned all the way off. No detonation as of yet. The mech'l advance springs are very weak little things. I am sure all the mech'l advance comes in real quick. What do you think of all that? Too much timing or not?

It feels like midrange power is better, with a little more up top as well. I still cant annihilate the tires like before.  :devil: They do spin quite well for about 10' or 15' but, to burn down the 295/50's I think it would take a whole lot more power. I am not ready for that just yet. From what I have learned it will take new parts through out the whole drive train. Next thing is working on the tune.    

Thanks guys for all the help. Couldn't have done it without you!
1972 Charger Topper Special, 360ci, 46RH OD trans, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.91 gear, 14.93@92 mph.
1973 Charger Rallye, 4 speed, muscle rat. Whatever engine right now?

Mopars Unlimited of Arizona

http://www.moparsaz.com/#

firefighter3931

Paul, congrats on getting it fired up and running.....now it's time to tune !  :icon_smile_big:

Get some more base timing into it.....like 15-16* at idle and block off the vac advance at the carb....forget it exists  ;D

Map out your advance in 500rpm increments starting at idle and note the total advance and at what RPM it stops. You might have to modify your distributor to limit the mechanical advance. Ideally you want around 36-38 at 2500-3000.  :yesnod:


There's lots more in it....you just have to find it !  :devil:



Ron
68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs

Chryco Psycho

So I guess you are happy with the results !!
keep tuning as Ron said there is more in it