easy way to figure cam lift on sbc in truck? worried changing heads

[jrcaprai]

I was just thinking... Howards makes great Cams and are very inexpensive...

This Cam would have a Very Nice lumpy Exhaust, and comes with lifters too for $122.00

Part # CL112031 Lift: .480/.480
Adv. Duration: 288/288
Duration @ .050": 232/232
Lobe Center: 108
Broad Power Band, Works Well in Heavy Vehicles
In Stock

http://www.competitionproducts.com/H...info/CL112031/

[joebuick]

Hey Knightowl73,, I feel for you having this prob with your truck and not being able to decide where to start. Here is where I would start. I'm not trying to be a smart a**, but can you tell if the engine is missing? If it is not missing then your camshaft is prolly OK, but here is how I would go about it. Go and buy you a dial indicator with a magnetic stand or go to a mechanic friend and borrow one. Harbor Freight has em for hardly no money, but will be cheaper than mistakenly replacing a good camshaft. Set it up on each intake rocker arm and roll the engine BY HAND one compleate revolution and log the intakes total travel. Do the same for the exhaust valves. This will either prove or disprove wheather you have a "flat" lobe on the cam. All the intakes should be within a gnats a** of each other, same for the exhausts. It will also tell you how much lift your cam has. I'm not sure what you mean by the lifters being "toast" Are these solid or hydraulic? If they are solid, they may just need adjusting. If solid lifters, Try setting them at .030 as this is a good place to start unless you know what the original Mfgr's recommendation was. If they are hydraulics, try this, If you do not have any "clips" to put on the rocker arms to kinda control the oil squirting all over,,, use some bunched up shop towels to cover the rocker arms. Remove one valve cover and start the engine ( be ready with the towels here) start at the front of engine and slowly loosen the first rocker arm till you hear it clicking, then tighten it 1/4 turn. Go down the row til you get em all. ( intakes and exhaust both) replace valve cover and go to the other side. You may have to stop and add more oil but if you lay your towels right you won't lose too much oil. What this dose is allow the hydraulic lifter to fill up to it's max potential and increase the lift of the lifter. ( old hot rod trick) Don't give up,man you'll get it.

[knightowl73]

yeah ill have to get one of them dial indicators, i dont think it is missing, and ive done the adjustment just like you said about 4x and was told that i have done it correctly and that the problem is something else. the dial should tell me what i need to know and ill have to go from there. i might mess with the advance kit after checking total timing too tommorrow once i find the correct timing gun

[knightowl73]

ok its the cam, there are 4 lobes that are off compared to all the rest according to my mechanice friend who pretty much did it the dial indicator proceedure for me. when i pulled the valve covers the real freakin loose ones were clear to tell, they were the ones that were off spec. i have also acquired a set of 350 vortec heads from him for a really fair price so i want to use them now. these are a upgrade right? can i use my current centerbolt intake or would i have to buy another one? and whats the largest lift i can run on stock vortec valve springs and rocker arms? anyone out there running a lumpy cam in a 350 with STOCK vortec heads by any chance?

[cableguy0]

The vortecs require a vortec intake as well as self aligning rocker arms. You cant run too big of a cam. Lift limit on stock vortecs is around .470 before you have to really worry about coil bind. Vortecs dont flow past .480 lift anyhow so a big lumpy cam is pointless. The comp xe268 works really well with vortec heads.

[knightowl73]

i couldnt reuse the stock vortec rocker arms?

[cableguy0]

The stock vortec rockers are self aligning. Yes you can use them if you have them.