Too much cam?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: Stockton California
Too much cam?
I've been hearin this for a while now:
"With stock pistons, crank, rods and such, you can't go over a 268 duration cam without deeming your engine with a short lifespan."
What's the deal???
"With stock pistons, crank, rods and such, you can't go over a 268 duration cam without deeming your engine with a short lifespan."
What's the deal???
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,682
Likes: 3
From: League City TX
Performance may suck with a big cam, but it wont make your engine die.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,403
Likes: 95
Cast iron crank/cast pistons of an L/48 will handle RPM limited hydraulic cams. Forged crank/forged pistons L/82 will handle way more rpm then any hydraulic cam will allow or any cam considered streetable. 268 duration would be about the limit for a stock converter a good limit for the amount of low compression L/48, L/82 has to work with.
Last edited by Little Mouse; Aug 20, 2008 at 02:22 PM.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: Stockton California
Cast iron crank/cast pistons of an L/48 will handle RPM limited hydraulic cams. Forged crank/forged pistons L/82 will handle way more rpm then any hydraulic cam will allow or any cam considered streetable. 268 duration would be about the limit for a stock converter a good limit for the amount of low compression L/48, L/82 has to work with.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,403
Likes: 95
With the gearing of 700R4 mild converter go for it if thats the cam you want, 700R4 has a good size overdrive do you have 3.08/3.36 gearing in the back that much overdrive with this gearing would be hard to pull
on thg high way for a 350.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 132
Likes: 9
From: California
First off so you are comparing apples to apples
you should compare cams at .050 duration figures and not the advertised duration. The static compression with the heads you are buying will be a big determining factor on the cam you run if you don't have enough compression too large a cam will be something you really regret. Your motor should be looked at as a package and the sum of the parts is more important than any one piece. A looser converter will definaltely help things but what final gear are you running? IF you have 3.08s out back a gear change should be on the list judging from your choice of heads and the performance converter.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 10,040
Likes: 672
From: FL
The problem is that bigger cam needs more RPM to make power.
Here is the issue. An L-48 bottom end is living on borrowed time above 5500 rpm. If you have a cam that makes power at 6500 rpm and you like to use it, you will be breaking parts.
Also, bigger cams like more compression. With a stock L-48 and a big cam, expect worse performance below 3500 rpm than stock.
Here is the issue. An L-48 bottom end is living on borrowed time above 5500 rpm. If you have a cam that makes power at 6500 rpm and you like to use it, you will be breaking parts.
Also, bigger cams like more compression. With a stock L-48 and a big cam, expect worse performance below 3500 rpm than stock.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
