Good Cam Profile for a 482?

[RedCSX1]

Wondering what is a good cam profile for a 482 with wide ratio top loader and 331 gears. The Cobra spends 60% on the street and 40% on the track. That is the goal anway. The carb is a 830 mech Holley DP. Would like to stick with a Hyd. Roller, so I know I might be limiting myself. My current cam has 633 lift. With 252I and 262E @ .50. Wondering if this is too much lift?

[Rick Parker]

Morgan: To eliminate constant valve train maintenence and inspections, (and problems!) look for a cam with about 238-242 intake duration @.050 and about .570 lift. The rollercams with higher lift and longer duration put extreme loads on the rocker arms and their pivot points/shafts that they were not designed for. And things can happen.......

[Burgs]

Red and Rick,

That cam is the same one Keith installed in my Pond 482 last February. I have put just under 500 miles on it this summer sorting things out. One of my requests when purchasing the motor was that I did NOT want to be dealing with those things under the valve covers! I was told at that time, that I would need to adjust, and re torque, the valve train initially, but should not have to mess with it after that. I need to check a few things with them in regards to this anyways, so I will ask about future needs again, to clarify.

Brad

[KevinM]

Brad,

How do you find that cam for street driving? Is it manageable at lower RPMs? Where does it idle?

Thanks,

Kevin

[RedCSX1]

Originally Posted by Burgs

Red and Rick,

That cam is the same one Keith installed in my Pond 482 last February. I have put just under 500 miles on it this summer sorting things out. One of my requests when purchasing the motor was that I did NOT want to be dealing with those things under the valve covers! I was told at that time, that I would need to adjust, and re torque, the valve train initially, but should not have to mess with it after that. I need to check a few things with them in regards to this anyways, so I will ask about future needs again, to clarify.

Brad

Brad,

We have the same motor. This past month I had two lifter adjusters break. Some bent valves and push rods. Just trying to determine the cause and attempting to prevent the same thing from occurring. I am not placing blame on Keith. The adjusters themselves are suspect and will be replaced out with ones from T&D which are superior. The heads are now at Keith Craft for rebuild. He did not intially build up the edlebrock heads, this was done by Trans Am Racing in Gardena CA.

[Burgs]

Morgan,

I'm sorry to here of your troubles! Keith used Erson roller rockers on his stage two heads, and supplied everything from the oil pan to the carb on my build. I'm pretty much done driving until next spring, so I'll be checking things out here soon. If changes need to be made, to sure things up, now would be the time. I am also going to change the oil pan, as there is no windage or traps in mine. I had not planed on any road course action, but I see now it might be hard to stay away.


Kevin,

Things are a bit choppy down low until the motor comes up to temp. Once it's up to temp, it will idle at 800 rpm all day, with a nice lope, and rolls thru the gears, at low rpm, with no effort. I chose a .64 TKO 600, with a 3.50 rear, and in 5th gear at 60 mph it lugs, at 70 it smooths out, and at 75-80 it's cruisin' at just over 2000 rpm. It's all good as far as I'm concerned.


Brad

[Burgs]

Morgan,

I spoke with Keith this AM, and discussed the valve train maintenance with this set-up. It is a good idea after a few hundred miles or so, not a must, but if you want to, you can retorque the intake, heads (not as critical), rocker studs and 1/2 turn preload on the lifters. Doing this on a cold engine is fine, and once you do this once at the beginning, and you will not need to do it again.

Brad

[RedCSX1]

He is done rebuilding my heads. 1 day turn around, which is extremely rare these days. Sending me a new cam and lifter to replace the damaged cam and lifter. Should be back in business before the end of November.

[Burgs]

Did you stay with the same cam?

[RedCSX1]

After looking at what was available in Hyd Roller cams and speaking with Keith I decided to stick with the same cam. Should be up and running before the end of November.

[Scott M Jackson]

Gentlemen, I'm at the threshold of ordering a 482 from Keith. I was planning on going with the Mass-Flo EFI system to control the idle and CR issues. Where do you think your at with torque and HP if you don't mind my asking? I to am planning on a Wide Ratio Top Loader but going with 3.08. I don't see any road racing but I'm looking forward to the not too rare exhibition of speed. Streetlight stuff and a bit of a bark from the pipes. Good hearing from you guys, Scott

[RICK LAKE]

Scott KCR motor have a strong mid range and great power to 6500 rpm I am looking at the same cam for my 496 motor. If you guys are going to race, put a rev limiter in the motor and keep it to MAX 6700 rpm. Ask KCR about any advantage to Beehive springs and the lightening of the valve train. I have a T&D valve train on the new motor. I broken a rocker shaft out in R&G and hurt the motor. A accusump 3 qt. oil system would be a smart think to add to your car. You can use it as a per oil luber on startups, keeps pressure up on 1 G turns when the oil doesn't want to go back in the pan, and it saved my motor when the shaft broke and the lifter came out of the bore. Scott the other thing is YOU will be biten by the racing bug I said the same thing about not racing the car. I drive within my limits and it's GREAT. Autocross is a controlled course of speed needing only 2 gears, top speed maybe 40-50 mph, feels like 60. There is no CURE. Good luck. I have seen KCR motors with the cam from above idle at 800 rpm without any problem or surging. This cam is not that big with 482 cubes. 427 another story. Rick

[Burgs]

Hot tested, run in, and dyno'd by Keith,... 628 HP all in by 5700 rpm, and 630 FtLbs TQ at 4600 rpm, but that's where the graph starts and it was on it's way down, so I suspect the TQ numbers are higher, lower in the rpm range.

[Scott M Jackson]

Great advice and good information guys. Thanks so much. I set up an appointment to work it out with Keith on Monday. Sounds great, thanks again, Scott

[ChipBeck]

Originally Posted by Scott M Jackson

Gentlemen, I'm at the threshold of ordering a 482 from Keith. I was planning on going with the Mass-Flo EFI system to control the idle and CR issues. Where do you think your at with torque and HP if you don't mind my asking? I to am planning on a Wide Ratio Top Loader but going with 3.08. I don't see any road racing but I'm looking forward to the not too rare exhibition of speed. Streetlight stuff and a bit of a bark from the pipes. Good hearing from you guys, Scott

Scott,
I have that exact combination, Kieth Craft 482ci FE, wide ratio toploader, 3.08 rear in my Kirkham. RPM's are still too high out on the road and mileage is terrible. The car has so much power that the 3.08 is the way to go and wheelspin is still a problem but I would really like to get highway RPM down. I'm going to buy a 5 speed for my Kirkham.

Chip

[FUNFER2]

Have you thought of using a solid flat tappet ? They will take he punishment. I adjust the valves once every spring. Very easy and only takes about 1/2 hr to 45 min. Mine is a custom grind Comp Cam. 252/260- 600 lift- 112 % lobe sep. I love this cam.

[RedCSX1]

except mine is hyd which does not need any adjustement once it is set.

[FUNFER2]

Being hyd roller, I wouldn't go over that lift. A mechanical roller would be necessary after that. Yours would be a good choice.

[decooney]

Morgan,
Did you originally purchase the Edelbrock heads raw without valves/springs or did they come with them and someone just ported them for you?

...If you used the Edelbrock valves/springs that came with the heads, I have something to share with you after experiencing the exact same type of failure with my former .640 lift cam

[496fe]

Hate to keep pouring it on, but I agree on the cam being the right one. The idle is slightly lopey, but idles fine at 850 RPM. Shakes the mirror a bit, but not the car. Torque starts about 2,500. You get everything to the ground because the power is constant and predictable. My dyno runs showed 606 HP with 9.4:1 compression! Perfect dual-purpose motor - even gets about 11 MPG.

Good luck!