I have decided to give up on trying another COMP XE cam. I really liked the performance I got out of the XE262 and am dissappointed I didn't get a chance to see how the XE268 performed. I just want to drive my car again on a regular basis and not waste time pulling the motor and changing cams every few hundred miles, so...I am going with an ISKY 270/280 Hyd flat tappett Mega Cam. Specs are: 221/232 @ .050, .496/.517 w/1.6 rockers, 112 lobe center.

Any horror stories about ISKY????

 

nver heard a bad thing about em. i would probably go with them next myself.

 

ISKY is a good cam to

 

ISKY was good enough for Don Garlits....it's good enough for me!









www.bigdogvettes.com

 

My rebuilder will only use Crane Cams he says he never got a bad one yet.

 

Great choice. You'll have to post results/performance. BTW they are one of the few companies (if any other) that sell a 108 LSA cam off the shelf. That would be my choice, but that just my 2 cents worth. Ya, Isky!

 

It's reassuring to hear all the positive comments about ISKY. I'm anxious to compare performance with the XE262 I ran for several years even though it was smaller (218/224 @ .050) than the ISKY I ordered. That XE262 was an over achiever in my opinion.

 

Ran ISKY and Erson cams in my Pontiac drag race engines for years with no problems at all.

Hans

 

I've tried about 8 different cams in my engine over the last 3 years. I now have the Isky 270/280 MegaCam in my sbc and love it. It is absolutely the right combination IMO. It will rock and roll at idle and clean out instantly when stepping on it.

 

I had pretty much settled on a Crane 274 HO6 for the 355 I'm having built, but now ya' got me curious about the Isky cam.

Wonder how the two compare?

MasterDave, you said that it will "rock and roll" at idle. I'm assuming (I hate using that word, cause I'm usually wrong) that your refering to a lumpy, "muscle car" type of idle.

 

ISKY is VERY well known in the racing world, never heard anything bad about them. I know in the '60's and '70's that's what my dad used in his Hemi GTX race car, never tried one in a Chevy.

 

Yes Jerry, that's what I meant. It has a great sounding idle and the engine cleans out nicely when pulling away from a light. Mine idles easily at 650-700 rpm. This cam is my recommendation for any sbc with a CR of 9 to 1 or higher. I will probably use it on my 8.5 to 1 T-bucket also.

 

Exactly the combo I'm looking for!! Thank's for the info, MD. Looks like Isky just got another convert, although there's nothing wrong with a Crane cam............

As far as Comp cams go, I ran a 268H for 5 years in the L48 that came in my '73, with absolutely no complaints. The only other mods to the engine were porting/polishing and 3 angle valve job to the original heads and a set of Hedman headers. Ran the original intake, Q-jet and distributor. The 268H along with the cleaned up heads and the headers really woke the little L48 up!

 

Do you have the 270/280 cam in a 350 or a 383?

 

I ran this power max for years in my 355. No problem rapping it up to 7000 rpm Good gas mileage 12.78 1/4's with th350 and 3.55 rear end.

I think you will be happy. I also ran 1.6's with mine and 135# seat pressure springs so I wouldn't have valve float to over 7200 rpm. You can see that the Crane numbers are 224/234 @.050


Part Number: 113801 Grind Number: H-278-2 (REPLACES HMV-278-2)
Engine Identification:
Start Yr. End Yr. Make Cyl Description
1957 1987 CHEVROLET 8 GOOD IDLE, DAILY PERFORMANCE USAGE, MILD BRACKET RACING, 3000-3400 CRUISE RPM, 9.5 TO 10.75 COMPRESSION RATIO ADVISED. BASIC RPM 2500-5500
Engine Size Configuration
262-400 C.I. V

Valve Setting: Intake .000 Exhaust .000 HOT

Lift: Intake @Cam 3114 @Valve 467 All Lifts are based
on zero lash and theoretical rocker arm ratios.
Exhaust @ Cam 3294 @Valve 494
Rocker Arm Ratio 1.5

Cam Timing: TAPPET @.004
Lift: Opens Closes ADV Duration
Intake 26 BTDC 72 ABDC 278 °
Exhaust 80 BBDC 30 ATDC 290 °

Spring Requirements: Triple Dual Outer Inner
Part Number 99848
Loads Closed 105 LBS @ 1.700 or 1 45/64
Open 280 LBS @ 1.240
Recommended RPM range with matching components
Minimum RPM 2500
Maximum RPM 5500
Valve Float 6500

Cam Timing: TAPPET @.050
Lift: Opens Closes Max Lift Duration
Intake 2 BTDC 40 ABDC 109 222 °
Exhaust 56 BBDC (2) BTDC 119 234 °

Remarks:

 

What's the issue with Comp Cams?

 

To sum it up, I had an XE262 that I had been running for several years wipe some lobes. I replaced it with an XE268 and it lasted less than 100 miles before it wiped at least 7 lobes. Thus, I switching to another brand of cam since I'd rather drive my car regularly than pull the motor and change cams every few hundred miles.

 

Are you sure it was a cam problem, and not a break in problem? Perhaps an issue with the liftr bores and the lifters not spinning like they should?

Just curious as to whether you checked everyhting before blaming the cam.

 

Interesting you should mention this. I had this problem. Wore the lobes down on two Comp Cams after rebuilding my 71 engine. After much anguish, finally discovered the lifters were not rotating because of bad lifter bores. Because the car was matching numbers, had to have the bores sleeved and reindexed, costly, but cured the problem.

 

I'm not blaming anything. I'm just going to use another brand of cam. I was VERY satisfied with the XE262. And yes, the lifters were spinning freely in the bores. Bottom line is: I've had two COMP XE cams and BOTH wiped out, one lasted awhile (25K mi/6years) and the other lasted less than 100 miles.

I have an offer for anyone who's interested. If COMP honors their warranty and sends another XE268 cam/lifter kit to me, I'll sell it at a discount.