Stock Sounding Cams

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Oct 20, 2013 | 05:56 PM

slashfan7964

Thread Starter

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Sep 2013

Posts: 1,504

Likes: 8

From: Indian Falls, New York

Stock Sounding Cams

Hey guys I was wondering if there are decent budget performance cams out there that have a stock sounding idle and overall exhaust note throughout the rpm range. I know you can't change a lot to a cam before the sound changes which is why I'm unsure about this. I generally run 2 1/4" pipes. I really really dig the sound of a stock engine and have a lot of fun making an engine look and sound stock but knowing its not and making it a sleeper is very fun to me.

Oct 21, 2013 | 12:14 AM

baddad457

Hotshot

Joined: May 2003

Posts: 11,141

Likes: 25

From: south louisiana

What block are you sticking this in ? What heads ? The factory HO roller is about as hot as you're going to get without getting a lopey idle. This is how it specs: 276/266 advertised duration, .445/.445 lift (can improve this with 1.7 rockers to .473/.473) LSA is 115.5. Or possibly the E303, not sure about it's idle, not having ever run one. I have run the B303, it sounds nasty as hell although the specs are below the E cam.

Oct 21, 2013 | 12:25 AM

MisterCMK

Fleet Owner

Joined: Mar 2003

Posts: 24,724

Likes: 74

From: Blue Hill Township

Even the E cam is going to sound like it is not stock.

These are the humble words of MisterCMK sent on the go...

Oct 21, 2013 | 03:40 AM

slashfan7964

Thread Starter

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Sep 2013

Posts: 1,504

Likes: 8

From: Indian Falls, New York

At the moment it's not going into anything. I'm just using it as sort of a future reference thing. The RV cam I currently have in a 351 Windsor sounds like a big block 460 and I dig it. The cam isn't the only thing done to it though.

I've heard the HO roller cams in person. They start to idle a bit rough. I like the smooth blub blub blub blub sound. When you put it under load under 3500 rpms they just sound nasty and I love it.

Like I said I like the sleeper kind of looking and sounding thing so I was hoping there would be something. I kind of knew this would happen though. This is just one example of what I'm talking about. Ill post more later.

The goal is to get decent power over stock while retaining that sound. 200 horsepower does absolutely nothing for me. It might sound silly or not matter too much to some but to me sound is a make it or break it deal for me and that's my preference.

Oct 21, 2013 | 11:19 AM

baddad457

Hotshot

Joined: May 2003

Posts: 11,141

Likes: 25

From: south louisiana

I don't get it. What sounds nasty under load at 3500 rpms and has a smooth idle ? Just about any cam sounds like a stock cam at 3500 rpms. Even the H/M 310 cam I ran in my 427, it was rough as hell at idle but smoothed out at 3000 rpms. I'm pretty sure you yourself don't understand what it is you're asking. And a 351 sounding like a 460 ? V8's use two different firing orders, but they ALL sound the same. The exhaust system itself is what makes one engine sound different from another.

Oct 21, 2013 | 01:04 PM

Conanski

FTE Legend

Joined: Jun 2006

Posts: 31,930

Likes: 1,499

From: Ottawa, Ontario

The key to a smooth idle is a relatively wide LSA and no more than about 210 deg intake duration at 0.050", the stock F4TE roller cam is a good example of this. Atermarket cams that meet this spec are far and few between but the Crane 444232 flat tappet is one I have first hand experience with and the Comp 35-512-8 roller is another, these cams give you a smooth factory like idle but produce more power across the board.