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Cam recomendation

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runner74

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Hi guys

Could anyone recommend a cam and lifers for a low compression 74 400 "P" code motor?

Sent the heads out to Aerohead racing. They are going to put in the 2.14 x 1.81 valves. Heads needed to be reconditioned anyway. Keeping the original heads. Just a cruiser.

I am thinking of replacing the cam and lifters while apart. Just want the next notch up from stock. Just a freshening.

Thanks
 
The 2.14/18.1 are are a great add. Low .500 lift with 230 ish duration @ .050 will give you good power & be fine on the street.
 
how much extra to shave a couple thou off the heads and bump up that 7:1 compression?
 
...and I think a .500 lift cam might be a bit much for such a low comp engine.

the 284/484 was borderline in my 9.5 to 1 383.

I'd look at an efficient split profile in the 460-470 lift range
 
runner74 said:
Hi guys

Could anyone recommend a cam and lifers for a low compression 74 400 "P" code motor?

Sent the heads out to Aerohead racing. They are going to put in the 2.14 x 1.81 valves. Heads needed to be reconditioned anyway. Keeping the original heads. Just a cruiser.

I am thinking of replacing the cam and lifters while apart. Just want the next notch up from stock. Just a freshening.

Thanks
Click to expand...

What is the rest of the combination? What car, converter stall, gear ratio, tire size, and application?
It really depends where you want/need the torque curve to be for the application and drivetrain combination.

If this is a daily driver with tight converter and high gearing (low number) then you should stay with a really mild cam, like around 210 duration @ 0.050"
with higher stall speed converters and more gearing you can move the torque curve up with larger cams because the engine won't be operating (under much load) in the low RPM range.

A friend ran a near stock 400 bracket racing for several years with a large 240 @ 0.050" cam, but he also had 4.56:1 gears and a 8" 5,000 stall converter.
 
thank you all for your input.

451mopar It's a Stock 1974 Roadrunner 400 P code 727, with the standard 323 rear end. No aftermarket so far except the heads will have the 2.14 x 1.81 valves.
 
I would use a 0.020" thick head gasket to help compression.
My pick would be the Hughes Engines SEH1620BL-12 cam, 216/220 duration @ 0.050", 0.495"/0.503" lift, 112 LSA.
I am running this cam profile in my 9.5:1 compression 360 and I really like it. Seems to make really good power (torque) from just off idle to 5500 RPM.

The Comp cams XE262H (21-222-4) cam would also be a decent choice. 218/224 duration @ 0.050", 0.462"/0.470" lift, 110 LSA.
I haven't used this one, but it is slightly larger in duration and has a narrower LSA so it will have much more overlap, and should have a lumpier sounding idle.

These are about as large as you would want if using a stock torque converter.

Nacho mentioned the Crower hdp271. This is 222/234 @ 0.050" duration, 0.489"/0.496" lift, 112 LSA.
I have this cam in my 9.0:1 compression 383, stock converter, and 3.23:1 gear. This cam is just a bit too much for my stock converter (really lazy off the line.) With a higher stall converter I think it would be good, but with this size cam I think having a narrower LSA like 110 would give it a bit more mid/upper end power.
 
Or maybe the 267HDP

I like the Crower cams because they are a bit diff from the rest.

And definitelly yes, use metallic headgasket would help.. since you are servicing the heads, mill down the heads will help too. Cut them something like 0.020" and with the metallic headgasket ( 0.040 total ) get a happier engine.
 
lewtot184 said:
comp cams magnum replacement (#21-305-4) or a mopar 272-.455.
Click to expand...

An old ( not anymore ) friend of mine used that MP camshaft on his 73 400 Charger and got happy. It felt like a stock engine while iddling. I never driven it though to confirm if the engine really weaken up! He said yes, but I really can't tell it.

On MP catalogs says is 231 at 0.050 but we know those are not real numbers. Its 220 per this website ( P4286677 camshaft )

http://victorylibrary.com/mopar/mpcam-tech-c.htm

The problem with MP camshafts is the overprices, ALTHOUGH they include the lifters and grease.
 
Last edited:
You will lose all bottom end on a short stroke low compression engine very easily so be careful not to over cam 284/484 Mopar cam is too much unless you start changing gears, TC etc..
 
Nacho-RT74 said:
The problem with MP camshafts is the overprices, ALTHOUGH they include the lifters and grease.
Click to expand...

Sometimes the price is not that bad

https://www.yearone.com/Mopar/Dart/FD1428

I'd use it with a 1.6 rocket ratio set though, to increase a bit the lift from .455 to .485

Does somebody remember the old grinds from engle? I think this will be between the K54 and K56? ( using 1.6 ratio rockers)
 
Last edited:
I forgot to mention to re-curve the ignition timing to only have about 18 degrees mechanical advance. It will really help performance which ever cam you choose. This will allow you to run more initial advance without getting too much total advance at higher RPMs.
Example: 18 degrees initial timing at idle, plus the 18 in the curve will give 36 total advance (mechanical) at around 3,000 RPM? the advance springs will determine what RPM all the advance is in, and how fast or slow it comes in. The vacuum advance will add a bit more advance when vacuum is present at the canister.
 
Nacho-RT74 said:
An old ( not anymore ) friend of mine used that MP camshaft on his 73 400 Charger and got happy. It felt like a stock engine while iddling. I never driven it though to confirm if the engine really weaken up! He said yes, but I really can't tell it.

On MP catalogs says is 231 at 0.050 but we know those are not real numbers. Its 220 per this website ( P4286677 camshaft )

http://victorylibrary.com/mopar/mpcam-tech-c.htm

The problem with MP camshafts is the overprices, ALTHOUGH they include the lifters and grease.
Click to expand...
the 272 mopar is [email protected]". a friend put one a 400 8:1 compression and really liked the results. I used one for years in a 440. the comp 21-305-4 is very torquey; almost too much torque in a 440. should work great in a 383-400.
 
Nacho-RT74 said:
Sometimes the price is not that bad

https://www.yearone.com/Mopar/Dart/FD1428

I'd use it with a 1.6 rocket ratio set though, to increase a bit the lift from .455 to .485

Does somebody remember the old grinds from engle? I think this will be between the K54 and K56? ( using 1.6 ratio rockers)
Click to expand...
I used an engle k56/k58 in a 440. dynamite cam for a mild build.
 
Thanks all

451, would the SEH1620BL-12 and 21-222-4 be ok with the factory (Or Springs that Aerohead racing uses). What would be a good new replacement lifter to use? The CL21-222-4 Cam and lifter kit says stock springs cannot be used.
 
Do a member search for IQ52 and look through the threads he started. He did a low compression engine that did very well! No shame in a copy cat engine. Your just doing the original builder credit.

runner74 said:
Hi guys

Could anyone recommend a cam and lifers for a low compression 74 400 "P" code motor?

Sent the heads out to Aerohead racing. They are going to put in the 2.14 x 1.81 valves. Heads needed to be reconditioned anyway. Keeping the original heads. Just a cruiser.

I am thinking of replacing the cam and lifters while apart. Just want the next notch up from stock. Just a freshening.

Thanks
Click to expand...
 
This is all great information.

I am liking the SEH-1620BL-12 What lifters would you recommend for this? Can I get some that will work with standard length factory pushrods?
 
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