Camshaft, To advance or not to advance

[FloridaMack]

I've been reading alot here the past few weeks working on this project. Great wealth of info here. My truck is a 79 F150 4X4, 4:10 gears, 37 inch tires. Mostly just daily driver, on weekends it tows a trailer with my Jeep.  My C8TE 390 is tired. I've been collecting parts to build a 428. So far I have a block, D4TE bored to 4.130, 1UB crank, C7AE-B rods, sealed power 10.2:1 pistons, C4AE-6096-G heads, shorty 1.75 primary headers, Holley Street Dominator intake,  Elgin E966P cam set. Comp cams roller rockers, 1.76 ratio.  My machinist mentioned I should advance my cam 4 degrees for my intended use. Will I gain or lose? I like torque, but I still want to pull out in traffic and not act like a non turbo diesel. Driving around town I run from idle to 3500, towing I never pass 4K. Opinions? I know this is a smaller scale of what I read on here, but its what I'm working with. Am I going to be disappointed with my choices so far? Thanks.

[machoneman]

You really should post your cam's specs. here before we all attempt an possible answer.

[shady]

4* is a bunch. I like to degree it first, to see where I actually stand & then go from there. A new chain might lose a degree or so as it wears & advancing should help bottom end. I have done 4* adv. & worked OK. Depends on the cam specs. Thing is unless you dyno b4 & after the changes, you never know if it helped or hurt. I think your ok with 4, but I'ld degree it first just to make sure you end up with 4

[blykins]

That cam is on a 112 LSA with 4 degrees of advance built into it.  It's ground on a 108 ICL. 

Whether or not you can go further with it will depend on a lot of other variables, but on a *general* note if everything else in the build lined up, I would not hesitate to put that cam on a 104 or 106 ICL. 

Those "other variables" will depend on actual measurements when you mock up and assemble the engine.  The pistons may be "10.2:1" pistons, but depending on your machine work and how many times your block and heads have been molested in the past, you may end up with more compression, or lower compression.

If it were me, with cast iron heads and pulling a load, I would opt for much lower compression. 

I guess what I'm saying is, measure everything you got first and do the calculations before you stab the cam in. 

[KMcCullah]

Welcome Mack- Another FE truck guy here. 

 Cam specs I found elsewhere:

Elgin Hydraulic Flat Tappet Camshaft
More performance, less money. The best deal in “Name Brand” camshafts available! With a large selection of performance grinds, Elgin has you covered. Whether your goal is to boost low-end torque, increase fuel economy, or just flat-out embarrass the “other guy,” you’ll find the ideal answer right here!

 

Part Type: Camshaft
Application: Ford FE V8 330-428 1963-1978
Ignition Firing Order: OE (1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8)
Cam Style: Hydraulic Flat Tappet
Basic RPM Range: 1500-4000
Manufacturers Description: Fair idle, good low end torque and response.
Intake Duration @ .050": 204
Exhaust Duration @ .050": 214
Advertised Intake Duration (@ .006"): 282
Advertised Exhaust Duration (@ .006"): 292
Intake Valve Lift with OE Rocker Ratio (1.75): .486"
Exhaust Valve Lift OE Rocker Ratio (1.75): .512"
Intake Lobe Lift: .278"
Exhaust Lobe Lift: .293"
Intake Valve Lift with 1.70 Rocker Ratio: .472"
Intake Valve Lift with 1.80 Rocker Ratio: .500"
Exhaust Valve Lift with 1.70 Rocker Ratio: .497"
Exhaust Valve Lift with 1.80 Rocker Ratio: .527”

Lobe Separation Angle: 112 Degrees
Intake Centerline: 108 Degrees
Lifters Included: No

Small Base Circle: No
Cam Gear Attachment: Single-Bolt
Valve Adjustment: Zero Lash Plus ½ Turn
Manufacturer: Elgin Industries
Manufacturer's Part Number: E966P
Weight: 10.0 lbs.
Warranty: Race Application, No warranty expressed or implied
Quantity: Sold as Each

Your cam looks to have 4* of advance ground into it. I think your current combo would work ok for towing. I've tried to tow with the Holley SD intake and It was kinda a pooch down low. I'd probably find an iron 4v to run. I switched to a PI intake and it helped some. Now if your heads were massaged with CJ valves and some righteous pocket porting, a little bowl work of course, and the cam had another 10*@.050 degrees duration, I think I'd try the Holley intake. 

[FloridaMack]

Thanks guys. Things I could add that I didnt in the first post. Thanks for posting the actual specs on my cam btw. The Holley SD is on my tired 390 now which why I plan to reuse it. I do have a 2 inch 4 hole spacer under it now. Valves in these C4AE-6096-G heads measure 2.091 intake and 1.654 exh. Heads do seem to be gasket matched and measure at 70ish CC measureing with my kids science class beaker. Best I have to work with, sorry. Block is a fresh bore, and pistons came with the kit I ordered. I would have chosen lower CR if offered. Trans is a BW T-19, but I only use first when starting from a light up hill. Truck wieght is 6020 with me in it and half tank of fuel. Jeep and trailer are about 5500 lb. I wish I had somthing like desktop dyno to figure relative HP/torque both ways, but hate to buy a program to use once.

[plovett]

Advancing the cam will decrease intake valve to piston clearance.  It will also make the intake valve closing point sooner which might increase chances of detonation.   If the true compression ratio is 10.2:1 then that might be a problem with the short duration cam.

If those two things are addressed and found not to be a problem, then I think advancing the cam some more might be beneficial.  I say might be, because it's not a long duration cam to begin with.  In an approximately 428 cube engine, a cam that size might be just right at a 108 ICL.

JMO,

paulie