What cam?

[Glen440]

I have a 77 Volare Roadrunner with a 440.
The car weighs around 3500-3600. The motor is a 71 440, .030, 9.5 comp pistons with deep valve notches, stock crank and rods with ARP bolts, ported 452 heads with big stainless 2.14, 1.81 valves, torker intake, 750 Holley (soon to get 850), 1'7/8 headers,
3000 stall. This motor has about 2-3 hours on it and wiped a lobe off the .509 cam. I was kindof worried when I took it for its first drive and it had no power. I pulled the plugs and all were good except one was wet. Cylinder was firing but no compression.
I pulled a valve cover and found a dead lifter on the intake- there was the compression problem. Lifter was worn so bad it has a hole in the bottom. Something must have happened on breakin.
I'm looking for a good streetable cam that will make alot of power. Hydraulic or mechanical.Valve springs are the Mopar ones good from .480-.540 lift.No more than 6500 rpm. The motor has 165 pounds of cranking compression with the .509. I plan on driving it alot next summer, gas mileage isn't too much of a concern. I'm going to put in a good used cam for now to make sure everything is alright.
I want to start collecting parts now so I have everything.I have 3.23, 3.55, 3.91, 4.30 and 4.88 gears. The 3.55 and 3.91 will be street gears and 4.30 for the track with 28x10 slicks. All suggestions will be appreciated.
Thanks
Glen

[montrose ram]

Glen440--I understand that if the motor is hard starting/running on initial break-in and you cant get up to around 1800 rpm(soon) the lifters wont be able to spin in their bores and a wiped lobe(s)is the result. On cam choices you may want to check out www.hughesengines.com. Crane also make some good dual pattern cams www.cranecams.com Roller rockers are good for some horse power, too. Mech. vs Hydrc. I think I would stick with Hydrc, with your probable RPM range (5500). my .02 Good luck with your 440 MAGNUM !!

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[This message has been edited by montrose ram (edited November 06, 2000).]

[PRO]

Glen,cam break in is: run at 2000 rpms for 15 minutes immediately after starting engine,if u did this & it flattened the cam then you probably have too much lifter preload,that is the center plunger in the lifter is too far depressed,.060 is max,milling the head or block will cause this sounds like you better check it to make sure youre ok,I love the 509 mp in your app.w/1.6 rockers .....PRO....

[Glen440]

Thanks
I was just thinking maybe there is too much preload on the lifters while at work today.
The heads only had enough taken off to make them flat. I don't know anything about the block. I've broken in about 5 or 6 cams with no problems. Maybe I'll try the .509 again and use 1.6 rockers. What about the .528?
Any tricks for finding the right pushrod length? How do I set preload with the adjustable rockers- and how much. I know how to set up for solid cams but not hydraulic.
Thanks

[JOHN SHERRED]

I WOULD CHECK THE ENTIRE VALVE TRAIN FOR COIL BIND RETAINER TO GUIDE CLEARANCE SEAT AND OPEN PRESSURES ALSO LIFTER PRELOAD

IT TAKES SOME THING REALLY WRONG TO WIPE A CAM AND LIFTERS THAT QUICK AND THAT BAD

TO ADJUST HYDRAULIC LIFTER PRELOAD WITH ADJUSTIBLE ROCKERS IS QUITE SIMPLE

ADJUST THE LASH THE SAME AS WITH A MECHANICAL CAM AND ADD 1/4 TO NO MORE THAN 1 TURN OF THE ADJUSTER PAST 0 LASH

[440 Jim]

The adjustable rockers on my 440 (Crane/MP) use 3/8-24 threads. That is 0.042" per revolution (1/24=0.042). My Lunati lifters recommend lifter preload between 0.020 and 0.060" So 1/2 turn would be 0.021", that is what I use.

[Scott Brown]

I am with 440Jim here. The spec is up to .060 preload, but I have seen where the motor will make more power,and idle better when set up at .020.

Scott Brown
Straightline Performance
www.racemufflers.com
517-381-8801

[Glen440]

Thanks
I'm pretty sure its not the heads. I had the heads machined for double springs and the guides were cut down for .650 lift a few years ago. I had them freshened up with all new parts and single springs. They were done at a good performance engine rebuilder. It was only one lifter and lobe that got smoked.
I'm kindof thinking it could have been a bad lifter as the cam lobe is all there except rounded on the edges. The lifter took 95% of the wear. The only other time I cooked a cam the lobe was gone as well, but it was an oiling problem on a high mileage motor. I'm going to try to measure preload- I should be able to put a dial indicator on the plunger and then tighten down the rocker arm to see how much preload is on it- if i can find my brothers magnetic base.

[Christopher]

I'd stick with the 509 cam. The 528 is really a street type cam.I switched the 528 hydraulic to a Mopar 509 and picked up 4/10ths in a old 440 I had years ago.