79 W72 Y84 4-speed New Cam
 

In progress with re-build on a stock W72 and want to keep it close to that with the refresh. Have read all, if not almost all, of the threads on the plethora of cam choices. Heard the videos capturing the idle on the Summit 2800 and 2801 cams, as well as the Lunati.

Seems wide support for the Crower 60240, though have not been able to find any videos of its idle. Realizing the choice of exhaust will affect the tone, would like to hear the idle sound to see just how smooth. Anybody running that 60240 cam in a 400 and have a vid to share? Kindly advise.

Thanks so much!

If the motor is stock, its about 8.1:1 compression which is too low for many of the mentioned cams people use. Im noty a cam expert so will let others suggest a good choice. But for my 78 W72 4speed that is maybe 8.8-9:1 after a rebuild, I picked the comp XE268 cam. some on here dont like the XE cams butu they are designed for lower comp engines & build higher cylinder compression with the faster ramps.... my car runs excellent in all conditions with that cam using the original Q-jet set up by Cliff R & stock intake. It ran a mid 13 at 103+mph on a test & tune day, taking it easy since its not a race car and had traction issues on street tires. Seems like a great cam for this type of engine.
If yours is stock, the smaller XE would work too. Just be sure you get quality lifters & do the break in procedure right with a goood break in additive &/or oil.

Thanks so much 78w72. Yes, all stock, though will use Icon forged pistons and likely Eagle forged H-beam connecting rods. Mindful of the struggles these days with lifters, found a vintage set (likely 40 years old) of Wolverine 951’s in perfect shape and new in the box and will be using those for the build. Open question is the cam, thus the inquiry. Have read about the XE’s, including the reservations.

Have heard the typical guy that Summit cam selections on video and given the strong recommendation by Cliff and others of how the the Crower 60240 wakes up the low compression 400’s, I am very much interested in hearing how smooth it may be, as want to keep this close to stock, as this is one of the 1100 4-speed W72 Y84 cars.

Many thanks for any help from those who may have that Crower cam in their car and can take of video of the idle.

Youre very welcome, wish I was more help on the cam for a low comp engine, Ive always had around 9-9.5:1 on my iron head engines & used comp cams.

Cliff & a few others are the experts on these things and im sure they will chime in here soon, might want to ask the question in the street section since it gets a lot more activity than a year/model specific section.

I have considered a cam swap to a crower suggested by cliff & im sure they are great cams, i just havent had any of the negative issues some claim on the XE cams in this engine, it runs great for what the engine/car is I see no reason for a major change like that on a lower mile street cruiser.

But just for the sake of interest in idle sound, heres a short vid of a start up on my 78 W72, also a little burnout leaving the track, it sounds like higher rpm than it really is, this was about a 2000rpm launch that spun to maybe 3000. Exhaust is 2.5 shop bent with a H pipe & slowmaster 40 series mufflers with no tail pipes.. splitter tip tail pipes are installed now though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQVWNo5jCZU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zozMBMWCwJU

Thanks for those great vids, 78w72! Had seen those on line, but great to hear again.

Cliff has been very generously already advising after my inquiry to him. He is encouraging the Crower 60240, but unlike the Summit cams, no record of the sound of its idle. Heard that it is smooth, but want to hear for myself.

Exhaust is a Pypes X-pipe 2.5” stainless system, with their Street Pro muffler. The later has been ok, though getting a bit more drone than is ideal - will see what the new build brings sound wise prior to any swap.

Just an FYI on the mufflers, the street pro are louder & drone more than the race pro, street pros are a chambered design like flowmasters, the race pro are straight through like the dynomax ultra-flo, just a straight through perforated pipe with some sound packing material in the case, better performance and usually better sound, but the sound things is personal preference.

I have the race pros with a 3" Pypes kit on my E-head stroker 72 firebird and love the sound, very tame at idle but really comes alive at higher rpms, should be a short clip of that on youtube too.

Like others have said, the crower or summit 2801 are great choices, if you dont mind swapping cams every 0-5000miles then xe-268 will give you the lope you love,

Why would he have to swap cams every 0-5000 miles ???

I had a custom XE 262 (112 LS)in my original 78 180 HP motor and then used a Summit 2801 in the low compression 400 in the 81 TA both seemed to performed identical. both a very mild lope run AC fine. 81 400 0.030 400 TRW pistons cleaned up pocket ported 6X-4 93 cc. Ferrera 5.100 D port valves 1.77 exhausts.
I might have to use some mini pop ups if I was buying new good pistons to get 9-9.5;1

Did you have to replace the XE cam in 0-5000 miles? :rolleyes:

The XE268 in my .030 400 with milled 6x-4 heads (~9:1) has ran flawlessly for 15+ years, it runs mid 13's at 103+mph taking it easy on a new street clutch & older hard BFG street tires, no problems on the street with detonation or running out of power low in the rpms etc. Im sure there are better cams but I dont see any problems with reliability or performance with my XE268 cam.

Nope! but the first one the front journal was at least 0.001 too big and would not go in the motor! Bigger than any cam I had on the shelf. had to ship it back to Comp to get it replaced

No idea why he would say that other than perhaps the cam is too hard on factory valve springs, though I doubt it. Lol