comp cams 306 or 503 ???
Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 4,290
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From: Salem NH
From my own personal experience, I initially had 365 hp/368 ft-lbs to the wheels on my 10:1 compression, iron head 383 with the CC503 cam. Back then, the Miniram was unported. A bit of tweaking and tuning, I was able to attain 372 hp at 5600 rpms / 378 ft-lbs at 4000 rpms to the wheels. The motor also pulled about 15" of vacuum at an 850 rpm idle. So it was a nice street motor with an almost factory like idle, but the goal in mind was focusing more on slightly more top end power.
Now over to the CC306 cam, I initially had 382 hp/378 ft-lbs, same setup, just with that cam swap. Power peaked about a 900-1000 rpms higher than the old cam.
After some more tuning and also some head work as well as port matching the Miniram to the heads, I've made 397 rwhp at about 6500 rpms and a flat 380ish ft-lbs from about 3500-5500 rpms. Oh and I LOVE the way the cam sounds at idle! With an open exhaust, it sounds like a cammed big block!
Since me and a friend do the work, it was nice to know that there is about a 20 to 30 hp difference between the cams. With the CC306, you have about an extra usable 1000 rpms on the top revs. So far, this cam is 100% perfect for a street cat when it is used in a 383. I read all the time about people hating on the CC306 cam for a daily driver because they probably have limited access to tuning as well as not having the cubic inches for it.
Now over to the CC306 cam, I initially had 382 hp/378 ft-lbs, same setup, just with that cam swap. Power peaked about a 900-1000 rpms higher than the old cam.
After some more tuning and also some head work as well as port matching the Miniram to the heads, I've made 397 rwhp at about 6500 rpms and a flat 380ish ft-lbs from about 3500-5500 rpms. Oh and I LOVE the way the cam sounds at idle! With an open exhaust, it sounds like a cammed big block!
Since me and a friend do the work, it was nice to know that there is about a 20 to 30 hp difference between the cams. With the CC306, you have about an extra usable 1000 rpms on the top revs. So far, this cam is 100% perfect for a street cat when it is used in a 383. I read all the time about people hating on the CC306 cam for a daily driver because they probably have limited access to tuning as well as not having the cubic inches for it.
It's not a bad cam, its wrong for my combo.
Cubic inches, as you suggested, is another issue. The cam is gonna be tame as can be on a 383.
You are running 10:1 on an IRON headed 383. So you have more cubes, and your iron heads are thermally more efficient than aluminum. Generally speaking, your 10:1 motor is like 11:1 with alum heads, but you still have the extra cubes.. Apples and oranges to my setup..
-- Joe
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
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From: Jennings LA
I am leaning towards the 503 after much research. it seems to be better suited for my application. 98% of the time the car is driven in town under 50 mph so I need my power band lower. does anyone have a link to a cam swap thread? I did a search but found none. is it ok to use a stock replacement timing set?
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Joined: Jan 2002
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From: O'Fallon Missouri
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,176
Likes: 7
From: Jennings LA
