Another Cam Question

[Maxxod73]

Hey everyone I'm trying to decide on which cam Im gonna purchase and need some help. Here's my setup in progress:

N/A Buick V6 3.8 25526109 block
8445 heads
100 lb springs
Speed Pro 9:8 pistons
Port/polish/port match heads
4.1 intake (hogged out)
Rochester E4ME , If I keep the ECM
M4ME if I dont.
Hooker headers
True Dual Exh
200r4
3.73 to 4.11 posi rear

How much cam can I get and still use the ECM?

Here's one Im looking at:

Schneider Racing Cam
PN# 05008
224/224 intake and exh duration @.050
.480/.480" lift intake/exh
112 lobe seperation

Any suggestions?
What are you guys running?
This car is my daily driver, but I will be running it at the track on the weekends....I dont mind a lopey idle....I would actually prefer some lope to it ....always thought that sounded cool. I'd like to try and keep the ECM but if not.....it can be removed.

Thanx........

 

[Freddie's Buick]

That's a whole lotta lobe there buddy.... I've never been that far. One thing for sure......you'll have to get notched pistons to help with the clearance....

As for the ECM, you'll be at the experimental stage to see how the ECM computer reacts to the extra lobe. If she does'nt like it and begins to act up, try an after-market chip.

 

[Maxxod73]

Hey Freddie......Your right about the Schneider cam, Its gonna be too much.....Im trying to stay away from extra machine work, Im already blowing enough $$ at the machine shop Im trying to get as much power as possible, but still keep it streetable. I think Im gonna have to loose the ECM and get a NON CCC Quadrajet and Vaccum Advance HEI distributor, because Im a little worried about detonation with the 9:8 pistons and like to be able to advance/retard timing at will. Im thinking running a 100 shot of NOS at the track too. Im not too worried about emissions, my g/f is a service writer at a local shop and will be "inspecting" the car hehe. I'm gonna run two high flow cats because we sometimes have random roadside inspection checks around here and they check! But anyway back to the cam issue.....I found another one I wanna run by you.
Comp Cams PN# 69-246-4
Grind # 268H
Duration@.050: 218 int / 218 exh
Valve lift with 1.55 rocker: .469 intake / .469 Exh
Lobe seperation: 110 degrees
W/ 100lb valve springs

I think this is the cam Im gonna go with, anything I should be looking out for? Upgrading push rods? I was looking at the Edlebrock cam too, but it seems kinda lame....
Thanx again

 

[Freddie's Buick]

Advancing and retarding at will an ECM/HEI system is difficult and problematic. Yep, you're better off loosing it if this is what you want to do.

As for the cam, it's still kinda high for me. Greg Baker, (Unboosted V-6), has had some interesting build-ups in the past. Listen to his suggestions.

 

[Turbo-Rich]

It's been my experience that on an N/A motor (or supercharged, not necessarily turbo'd) you can build more power with a cam that has a larger exhaust lift & smaller intake lift.
Just my oppenion
I've been told that on turbo motors it's better to run a lift that's matched. Not sure how much truth there is to that though.
Another advantage of using a cam with more exhaust is a louder exhuast tone

& BTW, if you really like the "lopey" sound so much just retard the timing back some when your buddies are around. You can always advance it back when you wanna race or whatever.
Yes, I have done this before, ppl are idiots.
I even had a Pontiac once that was in bad tune that everyone swore up & down had a HUGE race cam in it because it "loped" so bad at idle & would do killer burnouts, lol.

 

[unboostedV6]

Don't sweat the compression ratio...9.8 is nothing. Part of what's great about the Buicks is in the combustion chamber, as it's very detonation resistant. The small ports and valves require the use of bigger cams to turn the same rpm as a Chevy. 5-10 degrees more seems to be a good rule of thumb. You'll probably get 5000-5200 rpm out of that 218 grind. The smallest cam I ever used was a 224 grind, which I shifted at 5500 rpm. When I called Comp to custom grind a stick for 6500 rpm, they sent a split 246-256 grind, which was still streetable. The small ports yield good bottom end and idle vacuum. Have fun. GB

 

[87regal]

GB,

good info to know on the cams and what rpm to expect for which grind. I decided on the edelbrock cam/grind, its a 204/214, edelbrock advertises it has an idle to 5500 cam...is 5500 pushing it for this cam, what RPM is it more likely to make power too?

I will be running this cam with 100lb springs, and new lifters, everything else is stock valvetrain

 

[unboostedV6]

You'll probably pull well to 5000 with a 3.8. That's a nice match for that 4.1 intake if you don't hog it out too much. 3200 converter is overkill as your torque peak will be closer to 2800. GB

 

[87regal]

Plan was to leave the 4.1 intake stock, and that 3200 stall I couldnt pass up at the price, and I bought it planning on having a 212/212 or 218/218 and ported heads. But I gotta pass smog which I hope wont be a problem with this 204/214.


I might run it with this 3200 anyways,and make sure to get a trans cooler, or what about the stock convertor? its a D4, not sure of the stall. What would you recommend stall wise? right at 2800? TIA, and sorry for all the questions