Hello everyone,

I'm almost finished with a 400 rebuild, and I have a few questions. I see most everyone on this forum seems to recommend Comp cams duel energy for these engines. When I started this project, I looked at Comp, but bought a Crane grind instead. It's the H-260-2 grind, and here are the specs.
Timing @.050; Intake: Opens 5.0 ATDC, Closes 29.0 ABDC, Max @107, Duration 204.0 Exhaust: Opens 44.0 BBDC, Closes 10.0 BTDC, Max @117, Duration 214.0. I degreed the cam, and to make it reach specs, I had to advance it 4 degrees.

As for the rest of the engine, I installed the Badger flat-top's, did some mild porting on the heads, Melling oil pump, high-flow water pump, Edelbrock performer 400 intake, and an Edelbrock 650 carb. The rest of the valve train was matched with Crane's recommend components, including the roller rockers. I'm still working on the exhaust, because I can't find headers for this year truck that aren't fender-well exit.

The application is a 3/4 ton truck, a 77 Highboy. The truck is my dad's (I'm rebulding the engine as a Christmas presant!) which is used as a daily driver, with LOTS of slow speed, low range off road and towing. He's a Farm Drainage contractor, so you can probably guess what this truck see's for abuse. I do not know the differential gears, but it did have the factory towing option. The tires are 31's, I think. I have upgraded the T/C to a high stall, which is only a few hundred RPM more but seemed like a good idea given the application. Radiator and tramsmission coolers are larger now as well.

So my question is, what do you think about this cam selection? Good, bad, or whatever? I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks everyone!

 

That is strange that it was not ground correctly. Have you called the tech dept?

Otherwise that is a good choice for the cam.

I don't think you need the high stall converter tho. That will add slip in the transmission, reduce mileage and add heat.

-Just my 2 cents...

 

What did you use for a timing chain? Factory ones were retarded about 7 degrees. Cam was probably set 4 degrees advance from the factory for performance. So that almost adds up to 0. I think. Anyway if you degreed it you should be spot on.

 

Bear Tracks-

I used a Crane roller chain, which is why I found it a little odd that I had to advance it 4 degrees. I was expecting the numbers to match with the roller set strait up on 0.

 

For what it's worth, I am in the process of ordering a cam for our engine project.
I don't know why, but I am also going with Crane instead of Comp Cams. Same grind. This is a wonderful forum with great users, but not all have the same goals for their engines. Believe me, it's difficult to make the decision to go with a short duration cam even when you know in your heart it's correct. I used to be a drag racer that dumped the clutch at six grand.

 

I have that same cam in a 351C installed in a Torino.


It is a great all around cam, and seems to work really well off idle to 4500 rpm.

 

All it takes is a crank or cam sprocket manufactured a couple of degrees off with a cam manufactured off a degree or two and it all ads up. Just one more reason to check and double check all machine work and assy.

 

Thanks everyone, for the feedback. It sounds like I should be OK with this cam. But now I have to ask, do you guys degree every cylinder? I have only checked #1, and now I have to wonder if there is any variation between the rest of them....