Cam choices for 500ci+ RB

I found that many guys on the phones at cam companies are not any smarter than I am! The serious engine builders know cam science because they build and dyno test their engines. These guys call Comp and Lunati and tell them the specs they want for the cam. The guys like Dwayne Porter have great reputations they work hard to protect. They have years of experience and proven results. In 2013 I called Dwayne for advice on my engine. He spoke for 35 minutes and didn't try to sell me anything.

Kern Dog said:

I found that many guys on the phones at cam companies are not any smarter than I am! The serious engine builders know cam science because they build and dyno test their engines. These guys call Comp and Lunati and tell them the specs they want for the cam. The guys like Dwayne Porter have great reputations they work hard to protect. They have years of experience and proven results. In 2013 I called Dwayne for advice on my engine. He spoke for 35 minutes and didn't try to sell me anything.

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Thats just what I meant about guys like Dwayne Porter. They build and spec their cams and then dyno the engines to know what works. Just like porting heads. I have done a fair share of head porting but my testing of results is how my car runs with my heads on it I ported. The Pro's like Dwayne that do it everyday get to dyno and test their work so they get to see just what works the best for them and can see the results right in their shop. Many like me who have been techs all their life and build their own engines are very good but when it comes to certain special areas like the right cam for a combo that may be pump gas or maybe race gas it just makes sense the Pro will have and know more info in certain special area's since they test every head and cam they do right away on a dyno. That does not mean many like me and others are not good we just have the sense to know when a Pro who does the same thing every day is going to know the most on certain eng systems. No matter how much I learn about cams and heads unless I test a ton of them all the time on dyno's I wont know the results of what works the best in certain combos no matter how well I know about how cams work. And believe me I study info about cams all the time like I have since I was about 14 years old. Certain eng builders will just have the info from tons of learning and work that they will be the best hands down. Guys like Dwayne Porter who I use and Nick who is at Modern Cyl heads I believe I hear is also very good. Ron

SlinktRR said:

Thanks everyone. IQ, the compression height is 1.825" and the pistons are 0.030" down at TDC. I ran it through the calculator and it should be around 10.5 compression with 915 heads. Big Al, I'm planning to run 93 octane, but I didn't know you could get 100 away from the racetrack. Will look at that for sure.

Thanks m79, I'm going to check out some cams based on the specs you posted.

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I went with the Edelbrock Top End kit and was completely satisfied while using the same cam on your prospect list. Comp Cams deliver and their rockers and push rods are good stuff as well.

If I had to do my 496 stroker again I would use a dished piston to allow 91 octane without detonating, 10 to 10:5-1 compression. I have 0 deck Ross flat top pistons with 84 cc RPM heads estimating over 11:2 compression. Runs great on 94 octane but pings lightly on hard throttle with 91 octane. Build Quench!!!!
At present my engine has a custom ground hydraulic from Scott Brown that pulls hard from idle to just over 5000 rpm, run,s mid 11,s in the quarter mile @ 116 mph.
My Super Bee now has EFI ,I have a near new Holley street dominator and a Quick fuel 950 .(Would trade for a 6pack hood from AAR or Year One)

beezee said:

If I had to do my 496 stroker again I would use a dished piston to allow 91 octane without detonating, 10 to 10:5-1 compression. I have 0 deck Ross flat top pistons with 84 cc RPM heads estimating over 11:2 compression. Runs great on 94 octane but pings lightly on hard throttle with 91 octane. Build Quench!!!!
At present my engine has a custom ground hydraulic from Scott Brown that pulls hard from idle to just over 5000 rpm, run,s mid 11,s in the quarter mile @ 116 mph.
My Super Bee now has EFI ,I have a near new Holley street dominator and a Quick fuel 950 .(Would trade for a 6pack hood from AAR or Year One)

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Right on beezee thanks for your advice. 6 months later and the trick flow heads are nowhere to be found, but it's given me time to think about parts selection more. I'm ditching the mp flat tops and going for dished pistons to run 78cc heads at 10.25:1. These will have to be custom...also picked the comp cams .564" hydraulic, I hope this will work well.

I hear the TF heads arrive in July (maybe) so I need to get the block to the machine shop to start the process and get the exact measurements for the pistons. Looking forward to it!

Call Ed iskaderian or Crane cams for the Best Choices. The longest in business and no silly tuner brats to talk to like the rest of the bunch.

My 505" stroker motor is now done and will be "on the dyno" on June 4th. I will share the dyno specs with all of you then. MY engine builder, Dennis Riley, of Boise Idaho is going to video the dyno session.
We have spec'd the motor to be right at 625HP, shift point at 6000 to 6300RPM and with around 600lb of torque at 5000RPM. Custom ground Engle cam (.620 lift with 1.6 rockers), solid lifters of course, Comp Cam springs, retainers and locks, 11.9-1 CR, Indy SEZ Heads, Indy Dual Plane Intake manifold, Mighty Demon 850CFM carb and MSD dist, Hooker super comp headers. 4.10 gear and complete Cal Trak suspension system with cal trak front and rr shocks and new MT 28" tall 11.25 wide DOT Slicks and Moroso DS2 front runners.
Lenny at Ultimate Converters in North Carolina will finish my converter as soon as he gets the dyno results so he can match the motor torque curve to the converter. He says he will have it flash at around 5200.
Hoping for 10.50's at around high 120's. If it goes perfect it could run 10.40, if it runs "slow" it should still go 10.80's. Keeping my fingers crossed.

beezee said:

If I had to do my 496 stroker again I would use a dished piston to allow 91 octane without detonating, 10 to 10:5-1 compression. I have 0 deck Ross flat top pistons with 84 cc RPM heads estimating over 11:2 compression. Runs great on 94 octane but pings lightly on hard throttle with 91 octane. Build Quench!!!!
At present my engine has a custom ground hydraulic from Scott Brown that pulls hard from idle to just over 5000 rpm, run,s mid 11,s in the quarter mile @ 116 mph.
My Super Bee now has EFI ,I have a near new Holley street dominator and a Quick fuel 950 .(Would trade for a 6pack hood from AAR or Year One)

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I had flattops for my build but when I decided to go with the 75cc EZ heads over the 84cc RPM heads I was going to use I switched to these D-dished pistons so I still have quench and my comp is 10.6 pump friendly. I drive and race it on 92 pump all the time with no ping at all. I would guess it will run fine on 91 but I have not tried 91 in it. These pistons are from 440Source and they work great for me. I was lucky as I traded my brother the flattop pistons I had for a set of almost brand new Hughes 1.6 roller rockers and shafts and they are a very nice set of rockers that have been flawless for me on my flat tappet cam thats 264 & 270 @ .050 with right about .630 lift using the 1.6 rockers. The cam has a 110 LSA and I have it in the eng on a 106 ICL as its the cam Dwayne Porter made for me. Ron