Hi all, So I bought a 80% already built 355 stroker that someone ran out of money building back in 2013. According to the receipt its a Scat kit with H beams, COMe alloy heads and high rise TP manifold with an unknown hydraulic roller Crane Cam. I’m finally at the stage where I need the engine so I’m having my engine builder strip it down, check clearances and ensure no rust or nasties have set in as it’s been sitting for a few years .
I want the car to be a tough streeter, so nice and cammy without having to rev it to 5000 rpm just to take off. It’s a manual.
After measuring the installed Cam my guy tells me it’s way over the top and probably suited to an auto with a 5k stall.
He has recommended a Crane 286 Roller Cam to replace it 1.65 rockers.
After doing a little research the 286 should pull ok but listening to cars that have it, it doesn’t sound that good imo. I know the rest of the engine including compression will support a larger Cam, any suggestions from anyone that has ran the 286 or slightly larger?
My apologies for this question as I know it’s a little wank wank but I just want to do it right the first time. Go right and sound right.
355 Cam suggestions
Started by
_LH8VD69_
, Apr 22 2019 02:42 AM
33 replies to this topic
#2
Ice
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Posted 22 April 2019 - 09:53 AM
Pretty sure a 288 cam would go and sound better
#3
View GaragePosted 22 April 2019 - 11:55 AM
A 286 is a baby cam for a 355, I tried something similar when I built mine last year thinking its only a street car but ended up replacing it almost straight away as it was very lackluster.
What is your compression? I'd be trying to get some more info on the specs of the cam you have, being a roller its possible it may still be quite driveable even with high lift. The rest of the engine sounds reasonably well thought out and you have decent heads.
#4
_LH8VD69_
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Posted 22 April 2019 - 12:59 PM
Yeah I’ve been hearing the same about the 286.
Not sure why my engine guy wants to run it.
Compression 10.5
Bare in mind I don’t want to go solid. It’s hydraulic roller only.
Cheers
Not sure why my engine guy wants to run it.
Compression 10.5
Bare in mind I don’t want to go solid. It’s hydraulic roller only.
Cheers
Edited by LH8VD69, 22 April 2019 - 01:00 PM.
#5
TK383
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Posted 23 April 2019 - 08:51 AM
Custom grind, 230/234 on 108 centres - crane does this grind as a shelf grind, but it's on 110 centres, you really want 108 centres for a manual trans.
Just ask for a HR-230 ground on 108 centres.
#6
Redslur
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Posted 23 April 2019 - 12:18 PM
Crane F280 solid flat tappet. Best street cam I have ever used.
#7
Posted 23 April 2019 - 04:28 PM
you really want 108 centres for a manual trans.
Curious as to why you'd say that?
#8
TK383
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Posted 23 April 2019 - 04:56 PM
Idles rougher, but torque comes in earlier & stronger, less rpm past peak, but hyd roller won't go there anyway.
Plus vn head holdens love 107-109 centres, wider just hurts tq with no benefits other than cleaner idle.
Plus vn head holdens love 107-109 centres, wider just hurts tq with no benefits other than cleaner idle.
#9
rexy
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Posted 25 April 2019 - 12:41 PM
I have a crane HR 230 hydraulic roller in the 383 in the hatch.
11.3:1 compression, COME alloy heads, COME single plane intake, 750 DP Holley, 1 and 3/4 inch primary tri y pipes.
It idles like a stock 308 and makes lots of low and midrange torque. Very easy to drive and rarely need to work it hard to keep in front of the traffic.
Installed in about 2003? Hard to remember it’s so long ago.
Only issue on install was the supplied crane lifters uncovered the oil galleries (VT block) so switched back to the factory lifters.
11.3:1 compression, COME alloy heads, COME single plane intake, 750 DP Holley, 1 and 3/4 inch primary tri y pipes.
It idles like a stock 308 and makes lots of low and midrange torque. Very easy to drive and rarely need to work it hard to keep in front of the traffic.
Installed in about 2003? Hard to remember it’s so long ago.
Only issue on install was the supplied crane lifters uncovered the oil galleries (VT block) so switched back to the factory lifters.
#10
_NVR_ANUF_
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Posted 25 April 2019 - 02:02 PM
Sounds similar to mine except mine has a little more compression. at 11.3 i have same crank and rods, SRP pistons and COME 590 heads. First shop i used put the COME equivalent of the 286 in it. It was nothing to write home about, i was so disappointed in it i end up going to specialised engine builder rather than "generalist mechanic" pulling it back down and putting Crow Hydraulic roller in it, swapped to yella terra roller rockers and changed the vale springs. Bit of time on flow bench with heads and manifold and it made 525 on engine dyno. Once in the car it was 100% what i wanted first time around.
In my experience if you want a tough streeter ditch the 286
#11
_LH8VD69_
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Posted 25 April 2019 - 10:15 PM
Sounds similar to mine except mine has a little more compression. at 11.3 i have same crank and rods, SRP pistons and COME 590 heads. First shop i used put the COME equivalent of the 286 in it. It was nothing to write home about, i was so disappointed in it i end up going to specialised engine builder rather than "generalist mechanic" pulling it back down and putting Crow Hydraulic roller in it, swapped to yella terra roller rockers and changed the vale springs. Bit of time on flow bench with heads and manifold and it made 525 on engine dyno. Once in the car it was 100% what i wanted first time around.
In my experience if you want a tough streeter ditch the 286
Do you recall which cam you went or have the specs?
What driveline are you running? Cheers
#12
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Posted 25 April 2019 - 10:30 PM
LH8VD69 - part number for the cam is 41725, all the specs are on their web page, cant figure out how to copy and past image here .... I'm running a turbo 400 with 3800 stall and 9inch with 3.5 gears.
#13
rexy
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Posted 26 April 2019 - 11:43 AM
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Posted 26 April 2019 - 11:46 AM
The crane listings.
40D1B31E-576A-414E-8056-3894724F4E47.jpeg 164.75K
18 downloads
You should really check what the cam you already have is before buying another. Do you have the part number?
40D1B31E-576A-414E-8056-3894724F4E47.jpeg 164.75K
18 downloadsYou should really check what the cam you already have is before buying another. Do you have the part number?
Edited by rexy, 26 April 2019 - 11:48 AM.
#16
_LH8VD69_
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Posted 27 April 2019 - 12:23 AM
The crane listings.
40D1B31E-576A-414E-8056-3894724F4E47.jpeg
You should really check what the cam you already have is before buying another. Do you have the part number?
Yeah the Crane Cam
In it has a member scribed on the end but apparently it’s a custom and crane couldn’t help with it. My engine guy says he measured it up, I’ll see if he has the specs
#17
_LH8VD69_
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Posted 04 July 2019 - 08:10 PM
Problem solved on this one, Crow found the cam card. If I knew how to post pictures now I would but I’ve been not told photobucket no longer works.
Cheers for your help people 👍🏽
Cheers for your help people 👍🏽
#18
_LH8VD69_
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Posted 17 August 2019 - 11:32 PM
So I ended up selling the cam originally in the engine and went a Crow Roller 237/237 108LSA IN.586 EX .586
Hopefully it will pull nicely and sound the biz
Hopefully it will pull nicely and sound the biz
#19
Redslur
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Posted 19 August 2019 - 12:08 PM
Good street grind there. Is it a solid or hydraulic roller?
#21
Orange SS
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Posted 22 August 2019 - 12:38 PM
I have this Hydraulic Roller Cam in my early headed 355 and it sounds great and goes pretty well too. Well it did until a roller rocker snapped in half but I wont get into that here.
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#22
mugginz
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Posted 22 August 2019 - 04:03 PM
Well it did until a roller rocker snapped in half
What type?
#23
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Posted 22 August 2019 - 11:41 PM
What brand was the rocker that failed?
#24
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Posted 23 August 2019 - 12:34 AM
yella terra street terras. I hadn't even done 200kms since putting in the brand new 'so called' professionally built 355 stroker. I went 4 bolt mains, bronze lifter bores to ensure a strong engine that could be upgraded further down the track then by his choice & unknown to me these were used and the builder knew I would've happily paid the extra for some better quality rockers but that was just the start.
Here is the shocking part - 12 of 16 roller rocker arms were hitting the retainers before the roller touched the valve with the corner of the rocker arms also being ground down to get more clearance - who the #$%& does that type of thing? It was a matter of when, not if this was going to happen and I am very lucky not to have thrown a valve and blown up a brand new 355.
I won't name who built my engine yet(I have been advised legally), as he is yet to receive the bill I will be demanding he pay for this major stuff up as it's likely to cost me over $6000.
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#25
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Posted 23 August 2019 - 06:11 PM
It really hurts your confidence in everything else to do with the engine doesn’t it?
I thought long and hard about pulling my big block totally to bits after an early unexpected component failure.
I thought long and hard about pulling my big block totally to bits after an early unexpected component failure.
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