Cool Rocking Daddy

The parts are almost all collected to swap to efi this fall. Money is available now and burning a hole in my pocket. Engine now is 355 with forged flattop pistons (4 eyebrow reliefs), forged crank, four bolt mains. Have bought a complete F.I.R.S.T tpi along with EBL ecu. Taking delivery of Profiler 185 heads this week. Car is a 69 Camaro. Trans is 2004R with a 2200 stall, 3.42 gears out back. Now its time to pick up a retro roller cam. I have been reading all the articles. A Tpis ZZ-409 sounds intriguing. Worried it is old tech though. Well respected cam guru recommends a cam with .510/.491 221/223 108 sep. Says 108 will work well with EFI that its all about the valve timing events. I was stunned at his power estimates, 420 hp/400 tq. Everything I have ever read on a combo like mine is to expect something more like 420/430 HP with anywhere between 450/500 TQ. What am I missing here? I don't care about the rep of anybody when it comes to car parts, I care about what actually works. Any recommendations from anybody. Thanks

bjankuski

We really need to know the head flow numbers to pick a cam but I would go with more lift then what he posted as long as the head still flows well at higher lift numbers. I ran the Lingenfelter 219 cam and the ZZ-409 cam in a 355 with the superram an had 342 RWHP and 400 RWTQ wit this combination which comes out to around 420 HP and 480 TQ. (Both cams performed the same)

blackozvet

I would ask Bob that does the EBL computers what lobe separation is good for that setup,
Im not sure about 108, that sounds more like a carby cam, not an efi cam.

Cool Rocking Daddy

185cc with 2.02 Valves

.200 135 110
.300 201 145
.400 245 180
.500 265 206
.600 270 213

Very close to AFR head flow numbers. I agree about that 108 but he says that its all about the valve timing events and the LSA works out to what it works out to. Says he has many cams in EFI motors. You've heard of him I am sure. Chris Straub. I don't know as much about cams as he does but this just doesn't sound right to me.

bjankuski

Those heads flow well in the upper lift ranges, use a cam with more lift. He is also correct on lsa it means nothing, the opening and closing points are key.

Cool Rocking Daddy

Comforting to know about the LSA. Agree with the more lift needed. I can't remember but I think the block was zero decked. Since I'm not so sure, I don't know how far down the hole the pistons are and what I have to play with before I have to worry about a valve kissing a piston. Definitely doing more research.

blackozvet

Im sure he knows his stuff but Im with bjanski, I think you would need a bit more than .500 lift to make that much power.
Find out what the springs are rated to in those heads, if they are single valve probably about .550 lift, so that would be your max unless you upgrade springs.

The best people to ask about cams are the experienced tuners, if you want your engine to idle at traffic lights !

Cool Rocking Daddy

This isn't my first rodeo, fellas. Heads have been built with more than adequate springs for the application. It is my first rodeo regarding a cam for TPI. Thanks for all the suggestions. Cam specs are my biggest concern. Here's what Jones Cams recommended:

220/228 @ .050"
.375"/.340" Lobe Lift
.562"/.540" Valve Lift
110 LSA
Steel Billet w/cast gear
Price: $441.61

Lift is more in line with what the heads flow. I do believe I will ask him to throw a bit more lift on his original cam. I mean, LT4 Hot cam has practically the same lift with 1.5 rockers. Yes, his custom lobes might be superior but how much more superior can they be?

blackozvet

that sounds more like a TPI cam, duration around the 230 @ .050 and lobes around .550 plus (if you got the valve springs)
the 110 lsa should be good with an EBL computer.

Jones seems to have a pretty good reputation with the guys on here, so he must know EFI.

What ratio rockers are you using ?

Cool Rocking Daddy

1.5 Harland Sharps

Cool Rocking Daddy

Chris Straub knows what he is doing and explained his cam choice. Going with his cam.

cv67

Either one of those two guys you cant go wrong they are both expert

blackozvet

keep us informed on how it goes, it will be interesting to see how this cam works,
are you going to get it dynoed ?

ray1979

I have a similar build be with a smaller cam currently and dynoed at 288hp and 387tq. I am going with a better matched cam this spring ( non roller) hope to pick up about 35 more hp