touring cam improvements?

D

Don Cape Cod

Senior Member
I have read a lot of stuff but nothing tells me what I will experience the day after I install a "touring" cam. I'm now in NH and have some 7% & better lengthy hills to climb. Daily up a steep grade in Franklin to get to my Gym.
A 7 mile flat stretch on rt 3 along the Concord River. I have a strong engine and Mitchel OD. Am I actually going to notice any significant improvement to make it worth the effort? Like improved mileage, or, or what? Now Don of NH 3 yrs.

Thanks, Uncle Don
 
I had a big improvement using a real "B" cam in place of worn original--- both speed and fuel mileage--- want from 54-67 mph, 15 to 23 mpg, --- rest of car stock
 
High lift late B cam .030 increase in measured lift,powerband to 2900..stock A cam power to 2400..raising compression and adding fuel works too,stock zenith CFM about half of the air flow of the engine..
 
Running a higher compression head is an easy way to get more power. Also I hogged out a stock intake and installed a B carb. Felt that in the seat of my pants as well.
 
All I know is reports back from several hundred customers I have ground them for, a 77B is a mild touring grind that the improvment can be felt in the seat of the pants along with slightly better gas mileage.
 
Pete said:
All I know is reports back from several hundred customers I have ground them for, a 77B is a mild touring grind that the improvment can be felt in the seat of the pants along with slightly better gas mileage.
Click to expand...

Pete do you regrind the stock cam or ??
 
Pete said:
Yes, the 77B will go on a stock core.
Click to expand...

Pete, do you have a website or how would one purchase a cam from you. I'm not ready yet, just making plans for a new engine.

The engine I have now still runs good but is stock with a 5.5 head.

Thanks.
 
Don Cape Cod said:
I have read a lot of stuff but nothing tells me what I will experience the day after I install a "touring" cam. I'm now in NH and have some 7% & better lengthy hills to climb. Daily up a steep grade in Franklin to get to my Gym.
A 7 mile flat stretch on rt 3 along the Concord River. I have a strong engine and Mitchel OD. Am I actually going to notice any significant improvement to make it worth the effort? Like improved mileage, or, or what? Now Don of NH 3 yrs.

Thanks, Uncle Don
Click to expand...

Don, I used to do field service repair on CNC machines, and would travel that same stretch from Boscawen or Contoocook and stay overnights in Tilton. I remember driving passed the birthplace of Daniel Webster somewhere on rt 3.

I just finished installing a B cam, intake and carb with a 6:1 Snyder head. I'm not sure of the hp increase but there's definitely a boost in power, that helps you keep up with modern traffic.
 
You want to be in the 2,000 - 2200 RPM range when driving along, so stay with a mild cam. The latest B cam has .339" lobe lift works very well, the most common B cam has .302" lobe lift, and works well too. Compression and a bigger carb are the 2 quickest, easiest, and arguably the best ways to improved performance. Pete knows what he is talking about, I'm not sure exactly what his 77B is, but if Pete says it will do what you want, it will. I would recommend a Stromberg 97 carb, but that no longer looks like a stock engine, a concern to some. The Mitchel is a great addition, but you may not want to have it in the O.D. position when going uphill. The cam and carb will help both power and fuel mileage.
 
Pete and Jim,

Most people neglect the springs, they use the old ones. IF you put new springs with more
pressure...it will run great. The valves and lifters have to follow the cam..!
 
The model a engine is one of few engines where you can bolt on double the power without a loss of longevity.Ford basically over engineered the engine structurally yet under engineered it for performance
 
Kurt in NJ
Senior Member

touring cam improvements?
I had a big improvement using a real "B" cam in place of worn original--- both speed and fuel mileage--- want from 54-67 mph, 15 to 23 mpg, --- rest of car stock.

I have a B engine with a lovely crack between the cylinder wall and valve seat. To use the B cam in an A engine, do I use the B fiber gear or A gear? Which timing cover, A or B? There must be a special combination here?
Thanks in advance. mike
 
The original "B" cam only needs the matching lifters, they are larger than "A" lifters, the other parts are same as "A"
The timing cover has to match dist you use
 
D.J., You are right about the springs. I recommend higher pressures on modified cams, and always use an aluminum cam gear.

Kurt, I use the A front over because it has a very accurate TDC indent. Also use different distributors, Mallory or Y-model Ford. And set them with a timing light.
 
Chuck Sea/Tac said:
Running a higher compression head is an easy way to get more power. Also I hogged out a stock intake and installed a B carb. Felt that in the seat of my pants as well.
Click to expand...

Chuck, how do your open up the uptube of the stock intake? Did you yse a series of reamers, or take it to a machinist?
 
Mine was done by a machinist, but I’ve done one with a drill and a grinding burr. The most important is to eliminate the lip at the entrance of the manifold, as the B carb has a larger throat. The i tapered the straight runner as far down as possible.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top