Because I have hot rod ADHD and I can’t focus on anyone thing for too plus I just heard that the TriFive nationals are coming to Bakersfield in May of 2020 it has inspired me to get my 327 finished for my black 57 210. I need help in the cam department an I’m kinda stuck between the Duntov 097 cam and the 30-30 347 cam that cam out a few years later???? What sayith you all??? Should I just go for the bigger 30-30 cam or will the Duntov get the job done for a stocker? 327, factory 11:1 TRW pistons 461’s 2.02/1.60 Stahl headers etc. I’m probably going to run my stealth intake for now but hopefully I’ll finally get my injector later in the year. Any suggestions from my HAMB friends??? Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I’d run the Duntov, it will make a better street cam. If you do go with the 30/30 look into how some guys lash them at .023 setting them cold on the base circle.
I was looking thru Comp Cams on line the other day and they have a modern hydraulic cam called 30-30 that sounds like the old Chevy cam.
Having spent more Saturdays adjusting the lifters on the Engle solid lifter cam that was in the 327 in my 57 panel and the old Chevy 30-30 that I had in the 283 in my T bucket and then in my 48 I don't want to see a solid lifter cam unless it is in a race only engine. That may be just me and the two cams I happened to have but there are better ways to spend your Saturday morning than adjusting lifters on all too many of them.
This is the way I've always done it..... Best to do on a 70° morning when the engine is cold.. I always shot for a .026" lash... By the time the engine warmed up at 180°, the lash would grow to .030" .... Perfict!
A well setup solid lifter cam will not be an every weekend lifter adjustment . Use some quality name brand roller rockers and use good locks for adjusting . You should be able to go about twice a year on valve adjustment. Unless you are wringing the snot out of it every time you drive it. The old style stock rockers and nuts would require frequent adjustments. My 396-375 O/T Camaro was a monthly chore to adjust .It got driven daily and street raced every weekend. It was just a routine thing adjust the valves and check the points. Otherwise go with a hydraulic and just enjoy your car.
I ran an L88 solid lifter cam in my stock car when it was a big block. I had the polylocks and ARP studs, we would adjust the lash every 3 or 4 races. The abuse it saw in a season was beyond what a street car would be subjected to in a year.
The rpm will somewhat depend on the cam but probably around 7000. For the track I have a 5:38 posi with aftermarket axles for race day. If I ran the 098 I was thinking I’d just run the factory Z28 springs. If the bigger cam I haven’t decided on springs yet. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I saw that one too but this one has to be a solid cam. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Agreed but after recently having to adjust the lifters on a flathead for the first time I think I’ll never complain about adjusting lifters on my Chevy ever again! Lol Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
take a good look at duplicating specs for 1964-1965 Corvette 365 HP motor - had one in a '65 Chevy II SS - bat out of hell with out overboard race motor - was the most powerful production standard small-block V8 built until the Chevy LS6 came out in 2001 - look at: https://itstillruns.com/327-365-hp-engine-specifications-7165860.html
You won't be dissapointed with the 30-30. As has already been said, good valvetrain set up properly will make your life easier. I have had a Comp 282 solid cam that lashes at .022-.024 in my 425 hp 350 for over 20 years and I run it pretty hard. I check the lash once a year and rarely need to make any changes.
I am running the COMP 30-30H (hydraulic) in the 327 that's in my O/T 68 Camaro. Stock 2.02 heads with factory Z/28 valve springs, factory Z/28 intake and a Holley 650. I am also running 10.5:1 compression as I still have the original flat top pistons. Car sounds fantastic and the motor runs hard. If you want to hear the cam i can send a message with a video link
Little bit OT question, but why do solid lift cams need periodic adjustment? Do valvetrain components wear, or just back the adjustment off. Seems like good locks would take care of it.
IME the gap tightens as the engine warms up. Expansion of the metal components leads to decreased lash, not an increase.
Components wear, valves & seats wear (lash gets tighter); Rocker arms, pushrods, valve stem tips, lifter bases, on engines with rocker are shafts the bushings in the rocker arms, they all wear with use and the lash increases. Sometimes one cancels out the other. Too tight leads to burned valves; too loose leads to too much noise & more wear on parts that are slamming at very high rates of motion. There is a lot of satisfaction from setting the valves and listening to the engine run when you get it right. Try it on a 19 liter Cummins, or a V12 Detroit. You can stand there and listen to it run for a long time, digging how good it sounds. When you get it wrong, it bugs the hell out of you, and you want to take it down and do it over to get it right.
I love solid lift cams. Also,,,, I never had any trouble with adjusting them all the time. Because, I didn’t have to,,,,,maybe go over them once a year,,,just to be sure. Maybe I was just lucky! Tommy
I adjust mine hot with the engine running......that way I know they are set properly at 0.030 each (on a 327/375 HP motor). A bit of oil squirting, but no big deal with good rag placement. You may want to consider pinned or threaded studs.....I pinned mine...not issues for 30 years......6800+ RPM easily. I have used lots of "097" cams and found the ".030-.030" cam to much better on the top end.....BUT, it doesn't come to life until about 3000 RPM......pretty doggy below that with a GM dual plane intake manifold.
Valve train components wear the adjustment Gets the lash correct. A hydraulic lifter will always adjust the lash automatically
If people are honest they might say they keep the solid cam because of that little tick tick sound the lifters/rockers make, reminds them of their youth or something like that. I chose Rhoads lifters this time for the hot 350 in my 66 Suburban.
Awesome article! Sadly now I’m even more undecided because they threw the LT1 cam in the mix! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
If you have a automatic go with the 097 cam. stick trans use the 30 -30 I adjust mine at .028 hot engine running. and not very often. Y block fords are all solid lifters and some run a lot of miles without needing adjusting with dry rocker arms LOL.
I've found that the discussion on camshafts/lifters can be as volatile as politics and religion, best just to make suggestions and let the OP do his due diligence on camshaft selection. As that article states, many other components need to be matched to a given cam/environment. If this ultimately ends up being more of a street/torque car than a strip/rpm car, you should find that with the LT-1 spec cam, it wouldn't be a bad choice. I'm a bit out of the loop as to what the aftermarket offers nowadays for street cams but those "blueprint type" cams that have been popular with some of the musclecar restoration crowd may be a consideration.
What is this automatic you speak of???? The 57 has been a stick since the day it left the factory! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I run a 097 in my .030 over 283 in a '55 Delray. Flat top pistons, power pack heads, port matched Z28 intake, Edelbrock 500 cfm carburetor, Z28 valve springs, ARP rocker studs, full roller rocker arms, 30# flywheel and 3.08 rear gears. With a 3.26 first gear I really could use a 2.70 rear axle, but don't want to swap the rear axle. As others have said the 097 is a great street camshaft for a semi performance cruiser, very strong low rpm and will run up to 6,000 easily. The 30-30 is a high rpm shaft and not much happens until 3k. I get 18 to 20 mpg in my Chevy and only check the lash once a year. I believe that the '62 327s ran the 097 from the factory.
If you’re running stamped rockers, the little spring steel clips they sell do a decent job of keeping most of the oil from squirting out onto the exhaust. Not sure if they fit or sell a different one for roller rockers? As long as we’re doing opinions on what you should choose— I would look at a cam designed another half century later. H.A.M.B. police seem fine with it so just send Ryan a quick note and he’ll send you an exemption form to still be allowed to post here.