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Trying to decide between two camshafts

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Old May 15, 2009 | 10:59 PM
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79FordBlake's Avatar
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From: Wingo, Ky
Trying to decide between two camshafts

1979 Bronco, 400, edelbrock intake, holley 600 carb. Everything else factory. Which cam will be better for me, Edelbrock 2172 or Comp 255DEH? I want torque and pulling power. Which ever cam I select I will get the corresponding timing set. I've been looking at cams for a year finally narrowed it down between the two.

What should I do to recurve the dissy? My current manifold is not setup for EGR. As yall already know, it pings pretty good.
 
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Old May 16, 2009 | 03:50 AM
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the Comp 255DEH would be way better that the edelbrock, and even better the extreme energy 256h...
 
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Old May 16, 2009 | 10:48 AM
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Gaining some compression with some new pistons and some headers will give you some pulling power too... Just throwing ideas out there.
 
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Old May 16, 2009 | 02:57 PM
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I have a 1979 F-250 4X4 project truck with a 400 that I'll be working on this fall and I'm trying to decide between two camshafts too. Some parts I already have: Holley 670 truck avenger, rebuilt heads, edelbrock intake, new water pump, timing gears, and a boiled out radiator. On the low end I was considering the pistons from TMeyers website to bring compression to 9.5:1. I'm still up in the air about headers or not. Anyway, the cam choices I was thinking were either a crane 523902 with crane hydraulic lifters, or a crane 523941 with rhoads variable timing hydraulis lifters. I don't really care that the rhoads lifters are noisy. Just some food for thought. Anybody have any suggestions between those two setups?
 
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Old May 17, 2009 | 07:45 AM
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if you plan on more low and of course you will go with the smaller cam. the second cam is pretty big for a heavy work truck. if your heads are rebuilt with stock springs you might run into bind and i cant remember off hand what the max lift for stock springs are but both of your cams have over .500" on at least one lobe. i like the rest of your plan especially if you get some ceramic coated headers.
 
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Old May 17, 2009 | 09:45 PM
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I decided to go with the Comp EX256H cam. I am going with their kit that includes cam, lifters, and timing set. Im I going to be ok with the stock style valve springs? What do I do to break it in after I install it?

I know the numbers wont be big but with the EX256H cam and timing set and Holley 600, Edelbrock manifold, how much horsepower will I have compaired to a completely stock 400?

I am going to do the swap with engine in Bronco, I am just going to remove radiator, will there be enough room? Thanks.
 
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Old May 18, 2009 | 12:16 AM
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Very good my friend, it depends on your setup, with that cam you could be putting 350 hp and 450 lbs tq ..
 
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Old May 25, 2009 | 10:43 PM
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Be sure to check for coil bind. Usually around .520 is the magic number on coil bind. need around .060 clearance in coils to live. Thats about the diameter of a paperclip for a quick reference. Hope this helps and good luck on project. Look at retainer clearance also for binding on guide. Things to look out for when upgrading these heads.
 
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Old May 25, 2009 | 10:53 PM
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Thanks for all the help everybody.
 
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Old May 26, 2009 | 08:55 AM
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From: chicago burbs
the stock springs are a 'no-go'

from Bubba's website,

--------------------------------CAUTION!--------------------------------

Stock intake valve springs go solid (coil bind) at 0.490" valve lift. The stock springs on early non-rotating exhaust valves allow the same lift as the stock intake valve springs, but the springs on the later rotating exhaust valves go solid at just 0.480" valve lift. That is less lift than many popular performance cams provide, even the milder ones like the Edelbrock #2172 (0.484/0.510 gross lift) and the Comp Cams 255DEH (0.469/0.505 gross lift). Using the stock rotating exhaust valve springs and retainers with either of those cams will cause bent push rods.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
M-Block 351M/400 Parts Reference
 
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Old May 26, 2009 | 01:59 PM
  #11  
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So bottom line is I don't need to use stock valve springs? What about the exhaust valve rotators is there an aftermarket brand? It seems like it would be a bad idea to just completely do away with them since their job is to make the valve rotate and knock off carbon.
 
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