Guess my cam

[justanotherguy]

The previous owner couldn't remember exactly what cam he installed and wondering if somewhere here can take an educated guess. Here's what I know.

-1973 Satellite with 400 BB and 3 speed 727

-Previous owner states it was a Comp Cam "street/race" camshaft installed between 10-15 years ago. He said at the time, they had street, street/race, race, and drag.

-stock heads, stock manifolds, 600 cfm edelbrock carb, edelbrock aluminum 383 marked intake.

- x-pipe exhaust, subtle lope

-that 400 is still a slug right now, but it will chirp the 275's in the rear on a corner. No burnouts

If anyone has some guesses as to which one it is so I can figure out the specs, I'd be most grateful.

 

[Don67Satellite]

I would suggest looking through any receipts that are still available for the car if the PO has them, and see if you can find one for the cam.

Otherwise it's a needle in a haystack guessing game to try to figure out a generic "street/race" cam from 15 years ago.

Good luck.

I am in the same boat as you BTW, my PO didn't keep the receipts, so I have no idea what my "over stock RV cam" is in my 440 either.

 

[justanotherguy]

I would suggest looking through any receipts that are still available for the car if the PO has them, and see if you can find one for the cam.

Otherwise it's a needle in a haystack guessing game to try to figure out a generic "street/race" cam from 15 years ago.

Good luck.

Unfortunately, I think you are right.

 

[DeltaV]

-Previous owner states it was a Comp Cam "street/race" camshaft

Oh, that's a 3/4 race cam!

Your 400 shouldn't be a slug. Maybe the camshaft timing gear is off by one tooth?


Borrow or get yourself a degree wheel and check your camshaft timing. The procedure for using one can be found online and possibly on YouTube.

 

[toolmanmike]

The previous owner couldn't remember exactly what cam he installed and wondering if somewhere here can take an educated guess. Here's what I know.

-1973 Satellite with 400 BB and 3 speed 727

-Previous owner states it was a Comp Cam "street/race" camshaft installed between 10-15 years ago. He said at the time, they had street, street/race, race, and drag.

-stock heads, stock manifolds, 600 cfm edelbrock carb, edelbrock aluminum 383 marked intake.

- x-pipe exhaust, subtle lope

-that 400 is still a slug right now, but it will chirp the 275's in the rear on a corner. No burnouts

If anyone has some guesses as to which one it is so I can figure out the specs, I'd be most grateful.

400's weren't powerhouses especially with stock compression and small valve heads. 275's are pretty big tires. What rear gear are you running? You need 3.55's at least. A 3.73 or 3.91 would wake it up. Distributor? How is it curved?

 

[DeltaV]

The previous owner couldn't remember exactly what cam he installed and wondering if somewhere here can take an educated guess. Here's what I know.

-1973 Satellite with 400 BB and 3 speed 727

-Previous owner states it was a Comp Cam "street/race" camshaft installed between 10-15 years ago. He said at the time, they had street, street/race, race, and drag.

-stock heads, stock manifolds, 600 cfm edelbrock carb, edelbrock aluminum 383 marked intake.

- x-pipe exhaust, subtle lope

-that 400 is still a slug right now, but it will chirp the 275's in the rear on a corner. No burnouts

If anyone has some guesses as to which one it is so I can figure out the specs, I'd be most grateful.

Comp cams have identification numbers stamped on the end of the camshaft. Find that and look it up or call them.

You still need a degree wheel though.

 

[justanotherguy]

Oh, that's a 3/4 race cam!


View attachment 1563361

Your 400 shouldn't be a slug. Maybe the camshaft timing gear is off by one tooth?


Borrow or get yourself a degree wheel and check your camshaft timing. The procedure for using one can be found online and possibly on YouTube.

Thanks! I'll have to look into this!

 

[justanotherguy]

400's weren't powerhouses especially with stock compression and small valve heads. 275's are pretty big tires. What rear gear are you running? You need 3.55's at least. A 3.73 or 3.91 would wake it up. Distributor? How is it curved?

Best guess is it's running factory gearing. The distributor has definitely been replaced at some point, but I haven't gone through and adjusted the curve at all.

 

[ruffcut]

Back in the day it was 3/4 race or full race. That was it! Ahhh the good old days!

 

[PRHeads]

Open the catalog to the correct page for the type of cam that’s in the motor(hft, SFT, etc).
Hang the catalog on the wall while open to that page.

Take 10 steps back, and throw a dart at the catalog.

Stock exhaust, stock compression, stock gears, stock converter………..
Any cam where the word “race” is in the description……….is too big.

 

[R413]

Pull a valve cover and measure the valve lift. Check the rockers, stock or aftermarket? May be 1.6 ratio. How much vacuum at idle? how low will it idle before it dies?

400’s can be dogs with the smogger pistons and too big of a cam To not build cylinder pressure.

 

[RemCharger]

 

[Kern Dog]

The previous owner couldn't remember exactly what cam he installed and wondering if somewhere here can take an educated guess. Here's what I know.

-1973 Satellite with 400 BB and 3 speed 727

-Previous owner states it was a Comp Cam "street/race" camshaft installed between 10-15 years ago. He said at the time, they had street, street/race, race, and drag.

-stock heads, stock manifolds, 600 cfm edelbrock carb, edelbrock aluminum 383 marked intake.

- x-pipe exhaust, subtle lope

-that 400 is still a slug right now, but it will chirp the 275's in the rear on a corner. No burnouts

If anyone has some guesses as to which one it is so I can figure out the specs, I'd be most grateful.

I have to admit, when people ask questions like this it cracks me up. I do try to see things from the other side because sometimes, I am on the other side not knowing if the unknown that I am dealing with is far simpler than I thought.
In this case, holeeeee crap, man....how the heck is anyone supposed to guess based on some incomplete description of something installed years ago with the little information that you're giving?
People do rise to the occasion here sometimes but there are limits.
That previous owner could be remembering it wrong, he could be using the wrong terminology, the cam could have been a custom grind which doesn't show up on any list....
In stock form, all 400s were low compression engines. 1972 was the first year of that engine and the beginning of those 8 to 1 compression engines.
If they installed a cam much bigger than stock, it will lope and surely make less power at low rpms with low compression.

 

[Cop car wagon]

Low compression 400 with a cam is going to be a dog.
When you pull the motor to put pistons in, degree and measure the cam.
Or put a stock 2bbl cam in and get some cranking compression back.
I'm going to guess 115 to 125 cranking compression right now.

 

[Kern Dog]

Low compression 400 with a cam is going to be a dog.

ALL running V8 engines have camshafts in them.

 

[RemCharger]

ALL running V8 engines have camshafts in them.

There are some that don't. 0.02

 

[Cop car wagon]

He said it was big.
We won't know to laugh at it till she measures it.

 

[eldubb440]

in my day there were 2 choices......... Crane Blazer or Crane Fireball

 

[justanotherguy]

400's weren't powerhouses especially with stock compression and small valve heads. 275's are pretty big tires. What rear gear are you running? You need 3.55's at least. A 3.73 or 3.91 would wake it up. Distributor? How is it curved?

Best guess is it's running factory gearing. The distributor has definitely been replaced at some point, but I haven't gone through and adjusted the curve

View attachment 1563465

I have to admit, when people ask questions like this it cracks me up. I do try to see things from the other side because sometimes, I am on the other side not knowing if the unknown that I am dealing with is far simpler than I thought.
In this case, holeeeee crap, man....how the heck is anyone supposed to guess based on some incomplete description of something installed years ago with the little information that you're giving?
People do rise to the occasion here sometimes but there are limits.
That previous owner could be remembering it wrong, he could be using the wrong terminology, the cam could have been a custom grind which doesn't show up on any list....
In stock form, all 400s were low compression engines. 1972 was the first year of that engine and the beginning of those 8 to 1 compression engines.
If they installed a cam much bigger than stock, it will lope and surely make less power at low rpms with low compression.

Yeah, I pretty much figured it was a hopeless question. Thing is, when I post, everyone offers super helpful replies. I got this car so that I could learn as I go. No real experience working on cars, but thus far having a blast learning. So much to absorb, and that's why I'm grateful for this forum!

 

[Cop car wagon]

Questions like these gets the crowd running wild.
I had a 79 440 in my 73 satellite wagon. The factory compression ratio is 7.8. The car had less power than a good 318, until i put in an Isky supercam, made for low compression motors.
The cam was smaller, i.e. tighter than stock, and raised the cranking compression to 115. Then it at least ran well.
Check your cranking compression. And plan for some engine work. Unfortunately, there is no way to raise compression without taking it apart.