I’m thinking of a cam swap. Give me your opinions.

[Bobby Sixkiller]

The cam came from summit. It’s pretty easy to return. I’ll get a limit plate and try it. Thank you.

 

[Robert Franke]

650 carb on a 440. maybe if jetted properly..I had an idle issue with a 408 and a 750 vac secondary..big cam..2500 stall..wouldnt idle right below 800..found the throttle plates opened too far at idle settings! Quick ck if you have vacuum at ported fitting it's open too far!! This is messing up idle mixture! I found good holley set up and tune tips on th web..in my case I needed more air when the plates were at correct position..had to drill 2 3/16 holes in the plates..Fixed the snot out of it! Now I can idle to 500 if I want..too lobey for my setup..700 perfect..can adjust to afr 13.5...yes on carb!! If you have adjustable valves..had one same crap..set too tight! Took that one down to 0 lash and stopped...8k rpm small block..all this timing talk and no detonation? Hot start problems? If your running vac advance..another subject...my 4 cents..good luck

 

[Bobby Sixkiller]

It’s not carb related. It’s plenty for what I want out of the car. The blades aren’t past the transfer slots. This thing runs great. Really. It just won’t idle good. I’ve even tried the 750 off of another car I have. This thing will probably never see past 5k rpm. It was my dads car and I just want to drive it around. It will break the tires loose pretty easily. Runs great out on the road. It just won’t hardly idle at a stop sign

 

[Robert Franke]

I guess the whole ignition system is good? ..idk...personally dont think what you have is all that big. Cam wise. Compression and leakdown test? Miles? Surging driving? Wire breaking down? Fuel pressure? ..bunch of us just ckin before the teardown....

 

[Robert Franke]

Reread your post..you should hear some lope at idle...normal! If your running a automatic and the converter is too tight it could be messing with you..just thinkin..

 

[i_taz]

I stumbled on a review at Summitracing about the Edelbrock E heads which he used along with a RPM intake and a Hughes 'Whiplash' cam and lifters on an RV 440 w/850 carb dyno'd 550ft lbs at 2000 rpm...!

Hughes Engines

 

[Robert Franke]

Wants a cruiser dude

 

[i_taz]

I meant to point out but if you read the description Hughes markets the cam to be designed for a low compression iron head stock motor but the 550 got the best of me....

 

[crackedback]

This should not require any drilling of the throttle plates IMO. That is an absolute last resort move. That is the same as the controlled vacuum leak barry grant carbs had built into them through the air cleaner stud hole.

 

[Bobby Sixkiller]

Yes. I’ve covered everything from carb to ignition. I haven’t done a leak down test. It’s automatic. Low stall converter. The timing doesn’t really do much unless I go too far either way. If I advance the timing up to 30 at idle. 800 rpm. It hates to idle in gear. I’m sure the cam is wrong for the converter. I’d rather swap the cam than the converter. It’s a lower mileage engine. It runs great. Just idles awful at stop signs. I’ve tried different carbs that run fine on stock 440s. No change. Swapped distributor from the Chinese reman to a good stock unit. No change. Tried timing all over the place. I’m sure the cam would be great in a manual or loose converter. But not a stock stall converter. It will break the tires loose pretty easily in gravel. I haven’t flogged on it really. I have other cars for that. I just want a driver. I considered the whiplash cam but really just want a smooth idle.

 

[Bobby Sixkiller]

I did notice the Chinese distributor had more slack in the weights than the factory original. Probably two degrees. That’s turning the reluctor and holding the shaft where the factory had none

 

[Robert Franke]

Lol..last post...pops was probably my age..I'm 64 and retired GM tech..if like the way it runs off idle in gear..its probably dad didnt put a 2500 stall converter in it..probably bumped it in N at th lights...if you want smooth idle...back to stock! Pops got rid of high torque cam from HD 440 block..if it was mine...I'd put a converter in it depending what rear gear you have and cruising rpm...Much Easyer and quicker than cam swap into the unknown...when that dont fix it...remember th converter..good luck

 

[Bobby Sixkiller]

3.23 gear

 

[Bobby Sixkiller]

Not unknown cam swap. Stock 440 375 hp specs. Should be fine. Only difference will be lower compression ratio. I think it will work good.

 

[Bobby Sixkiller]

Got my cam in last weekend. Idles great. Runs about the same. I’m happy with it. Only problem I had was a squealing noise. Sounded like a belt slipping. It was the cam bolts just barely rubbing the cover. I swapped covers and the one I used had a small bend right where the bolts are on the cam gear. Sucks taking it back apart but oh well. If you wonder why I would used a different timing cover it’s because it had a tab that goes to 30. Didn’t even sleep after finding the noise wasn’t a belt squeal. All better now though. All back together. Runs like a top.

 

[fasjac]

Good deal Bobby!! Time to go cruising.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

I am not trashing the power of the Mopar cams , I built a race engine with the 590 . 312 cam & shifted at 7200 rpm for a decade , but since then I have used 570 lift solid cams with less duration around .245 @ 50 yes they don't pull to 7500 rpm but they make the same power between 4-6000 rpm & are far more drivable

 

[Chryco Psycho]

The cam you chose is great , because it has the 115* LSA , It will work great in a low comp engine