Edelbrock performer camshaft

[231_natural]

I just picked up an edelbrock performer intake and was thinking about getting the whole combo (carb/intake/cam). I was wondering if anyone has used the edelbrock cam and wondered if there is any machining of the heads involved in the installation or if it's just a straight swap? Please comments....

Thanks

 

[charlief1]

You will need to cut the valve guides down to use it. The max lift for a stock head is about .420.

 

[231_natural]

What will happen If you don't cut the valve guides? I guess my engine knowledge is limited, but I'm not sure what cutting the valve guides will do.

 

[charlief1]

The stock heads allow for about a .420 lift max and the Edelbrock cam has a max lift with stock rockers of .472 so the keepers will hit the top of the valve guides. You need to cut the top of the guides down for the clearance. Hope that helps.

 

[231_natural]

thanks

 

[231_natural]

Is this a job I can do myself? Could someone explain in detail what exactly is involved to the get the guides cut properly?

Thanks again.

 

[charlief1]

Is this a job I can do myself? Could someone explain in detail what exactly is involved to the get the guides cut properly?

Thanks again.

Take it to a machine shop. To do the job you'll need the guide cutter of the correct diameter, a pilot for 11/32" to keep it centered (about $60 if you're lucky). and a low speed 1/2" chuck drill motor. I've got one that I still have to pay for because I do port work and it saves me time in the long run but for a 1 time thing it's cheaper to have the shop do it when the valve job is done. You'll also need to get the correct exhaust valve without the step below the keeper groove. I've got a set of Ferrarra big valves for my engine so I'll get a little more flow. 1.77" intake and 1.55" exhaust and no step on the exaust valve.

 

[Yankee John]

FYI- The Edelbrock cam is the 204/214 duration @ .50 lift cam, if I'm not mistaken. This cam is actually made by one manufacturer, and marketed by several other brand names (Edelbrock, SpeedPro, Melling, ect...)- just repackaged into a different box. Summit sells this Edelbrock cam with lifters for $141 plus shipping. I found the Melling-boxed version w/lifters on eBay for $113 shipped to my door

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...71&sspagename=ADME:B:EOIBSA:US:1123&viewitem=

It pays to shop around!

John

 

[231_natural]

Thanks...guess I've gotta find some replacement heads so I can get them setup by the machine shop and have them ready for the cam down the road.

 

[charlief1]

Check the for sale section and see if you can score some 8445 heads. Best one so far and get the TTA exhaust valves so you eliminate the step on the exhaust valve. When you have the heads you could port them before you send them to the shop to get better flow too.

 

[231_natural]

Which years are the 8445 heads from? Will they bolt right up to an 83 engine?

 

[charlief1]

Late 85 to 87 and yes it will fit. Any 79 up block/heads will fit without a problem. I just realized you're building the Fiero right? If you plan to use the heads you have then see if you can find a simular casting #. It's the same one as the TTA and that way your headers will work. My bad.

 

[231_natural]

Nope not the guy with the fiero...I have an 83 Cutlass. I will probably end up using my own heads, but am keeping an eye out for a good deal on other heads so I could get them ready and then swap them out with the ones I have now when I put the cam in. I didn't know that the 86-87 heads were better though-are the valves larger? What makes them better?

 

[charlief1]

The 8445 heads are the prefered heads and seem to flow a little better than the others in stock form. I've got 293's to work over which are the #2 head of choice. Both are good and if you use the ones you've got just do a good port job on them after having them check and before the valve job. All of them came with the same size valves and if you want bigger (like me) you have to get Ferrerra replacements. 1.77 intake 1.55? ex not cheap though.