• Welcome to For E Bodies Only !

    We are a community of Plymouth Cuda and Dodge Challenger owners. Join now! Its Free!

Hughes Engines Solid Cam

Steve340

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2016
Messages
892
Reaction score
327
Location
New Zealand
I am thinking about purchasing a solid lifter Hughes cam and was wondering if any of you had run one in a 340 motor.
Or any Mopar engine I guess.
What did you think of it? I do like Comp Cams grinds.
Have you run one and then fitted some other brand that went better or worse?
Any relevant feedback to my musings appreciated.
 

NoCar340

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 25, 2014
Messages
365
Reaction score
307
Location
Upper MI
If they grind cams as well as they build engines, based on experience I'd look elsewhere. Call an actual cam company and tell them what you have and what you'd like to achieve. Be honest; if your car weighs 4,700lb lying to them does you no good. I've had excellent results with Howard's, Cam Motion and Comp (good luck reaching someone at Comp unless things have changed) in no particular order. Lunati ground the custom solid roller for my Valiant; it's not been to the track yet but she's got some definite snarl and wakes up in a hurry... I like what I've experienced so far, and thus expect good track results as well.

...they can be tough to deal with .

No joke. I bought a pair of TTi W2 header flanges from them. I only received one, so I contacted Hughes.
Their solution? "Not our fault, call TTi."
Listen, Sparkle Pants, I didn't buy them from TTi, I bought them from you. TTi doesn't have a receipt with my name on it, you do. It's called 'service after the sale' and you might consider it sometime. They wanted to charge me for another set.
I should've known better after they completely screwed up my best friend's engine build, but how hard could it be to get me a pair of flanges? Apparently it was too difficult. I did have to take it up with TTi myself. They were very gracious about it, aside from being unimpressed with Hughes not handling it. Their inventory was off, one more than they showed, so they sent me the flange 2nd Day Air at no charge and apologized for the mistake.
 

YO7_A66

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2014
Messages
14
Reaction score
4
Location
Westfield, In
I just installed the STL3438AS (234/[email protected]”, .364”/.375” lobe lifts w/1.65’s =.590”/.603” after lash) solid in my stock stroke 340 (ported Sidewinder heads) this past Winter. I should be firing it up for the first time in the next week or so.
 
Last edited:

YO7_A66

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2014
Messages
14
Reaction score
4
Location
Westfield, In
Update on the Hughes solid 3438 in a stock stroke 340:

A few weeks ago I completed the break in with no issues using the Hughes instructions. It cranked for one second then fired right up to 2,000rpms. 32 minutes of moving the idle from 2,000-2500rpms then shut it down.

Then I pulled off the rockers and installed the inner springs, then set the lash and fired it up again tonight to 1800rpms for about 10 minutes or so and then brought the idle rpms down to around 1200rpms for now.

I thought this was interesting that at 11-1200rpm idle, this cam showed 11-12" vacuum. I was expecting lower with the 108 centerline installed at 104. The cam that this replaced was a hydraulic flat tappet (226/[email protected]") and it was a 112 centerline and it also pulled 11-12hg at around 1000-1050rpms. So these two cams on different center lines are fairly close on vacuum.

I have some more timing (too high)/AF tuning to do before taking it for a drive. But I will give another update
 
Last edited:

YO7_A66

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2014
Messages
14
Reaction score
4
Location
Westfield, In
Update on the Hughes solid 3438 in a stock stroke 340:

A few weeks ago I completed the break in with no issues using the Hughes instructions. It cranked for one second then fired right up to 2,000rpms. 32 minutes of moving the idle from 2,000-2500rpms then shut it down.

Then I pulled off the rockers and installed the inner springs, then set the lash and fired it up again tonight to 1800rpms for about 10 minutes or so and then brought the idle rpms down to around 1200rpms for now.

I thought this was interesting that at 11-1200rpm idle, this cam showed 11-12" vacuum. I was expecting lower with the 108 centerline installed at 104. The cam that this replaced was a hydraulic flat tappet (226/[email protected]") and it was a 112 centerline and it also pulled 11-12hg at around 1000-1050rpms. So these two cams on different center lines are fairly close on vacuum.

I have some more timing (too high)/AF tuning to do before taking it for a drive. But I will give another update
Steve,
I played with the initial timing and the idle rpms tonight and found the following vacuum results:
1000rpms @ 18 initial = 10"hg with a rough idle
1200rpms @ 22 initial = 12.5-13"hg with a fairly smooth idle

I am surprised by the 12+ vacuum reading with this 108 cl cam.
 

Steve340

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2016
Messages
892
Reaction score
327
Location
New Zealand
Same here that vacuum is good. Mind you that is a lot of timing. I only have 15 initial on my engine.
Love to hear how it goes when angry on the streets.
 

YO7_A66

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2014
Messages
14
Reaction score
4
Location
Westfield, In
I have actually ran 18 degrees cranking and 30 once it lit for an idle. I have tried anywhere from 18-24 for initial and then the 30, but the 30 was with a manifold source for vacuum and the engine loved it. I am now back to running a non VA distributor only because the previous distributor broke and I had this one on the shelf.

Update:
Cranking compressions were taken on all eight cylinders. The overall average was 179psi. So I should be good on 91/92 octane with aluminum heads.

Dave
 

YO7_A66

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2014
Messages
14
Reaction score
4
Location
Westfield, In
One more update:
I decided to lower my Neutral idle rpms to 1000, then I turned up the initial timing to 24 degrees which gave me 11-12"hg.

I have an idle solenoid hooked up so that I can adjust my R/D/2/1 rpms seperately than my P/N rpms. I now have my D rpms set at 1150 with a solid 12"hg with the brake applied.

Note: I have noticed that there is very little noise at idle with this tight lash solid cam. I hear the sound of the exhaust and not the ticking of a solid cam that I was expecting. I set my "cold" lash to .006"/.008" for the cam break in and then reset the "cold" lash to .004"/.006" after the inner springs were installed assuming the hot growth of .006" or so. My cam card called for "hot" lash at .010"/.012". I have not checked the "hot" lash yet as I really dont want to pull the valve covers on a hot engine. But if I have any troubles during a few test drives, then I will check them hot.

Dave
 
Last edited:

YO7_A66

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2014
Messages
14
Reaction score
4
Location
Westfield, In
Two 45 minute drives and no issues. Idle in D with brake gives me 10 to 11" vacuum. Off idle is immediate and smooth. Very docile cam for idle, and cruise up to 55mph. I show idle to 55mph at 13.4-13.6 A/F and very steady.

I have not nailed it yet since I am tweaking the cruising A/F numbers. This 234/238 108 seems very streetable in a stock stroke 340.

This is my first solid cam and being a tigh lash solid, it is very quiet at idle and sounds similar to my previous hydraulic at cruise.
 
Last edited:

convdart440

Active Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2013
Messages
40
Reaction score
10
Two 45 minute drives and no issues. Idle in D with brake gives me 10 to 11" vacuum. Off idle is immediate and smooth. Very docile cam for idle, and cruise up to 55mph. I show idle to 55mph at 13.4-13.6 A/F and very steady.

I have not nailed it yet since I am tweaking the cruising A/F numbers. This 234/238 108 seems very streetable in a stock stroke 340.

This is my first solid cam and being a tigh lash solid, it is very quiet at idle and sounds similar to my previous hydraulic at cruise.
I applaud your thoroughness and control of your right foot. most people I have known over the years follow initial break in but then go out and smolder the tires off the rims.
 
Back
Top