Anyone running the Performer RPM cam and intake combo? If so, whats its idle like? Mine is very poor and was just curious.

Mark

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Mark
1992 Firebird 355/Six Speed
1991 RS 350 / 700-R4
1987 Toyota Pickup 383 / 500 + HP 10.963 @ 119.95 Slicks / 11.997 @ 114.23 Radials
http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/~racer383/

Other than the idle was the engine ok? What size engine was it in?

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68 RS, Ash Gold,pwr windows,Hounds tooth

[This message has been edited by CA420 (edited 10-24-2000).]

Other than idle, is fine. I am very happy with the performance off idle, but my 10 second truck, with a solids, will idle circles around it. Anything below 1100-1200 RPM and I lose all vacuum. The engine will then stall. I put the lightest spring possible in the carb, just to get it to idle where it does.

Standard bore 350
Hyper flat tops
2.02/1.60 Double humps
Performer RPM intake
Performer RPM cam and springs
Performer 600 CFM carb
GM Six Speed

Mark

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Mark
1992 Firebird 355/Six Speed
1991 RS 350 / 700-R4
1987 Toyota Pickup 383 / 500 + HP 10.963 @ 119.95 Slicks / 11.997 @ 114.23 Radials
http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/~racer383/

I have the cam, intake and heads on my engine but have not put it in yet. Now you have me scared. Have you called Edelbrock just to ask for any suggestions, I have in the past and they were very helpful.

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68 RS, Ash Gold,pwr windows,Hounds tooth

I have an email into them now. Have not called yet. I figured I would give them a few days to answer. I really hope it is a screw up somehere, cause I will have to pull the motor apart and change cams if not.

Mark

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Mark
1992 Firebird 355/Six Speed
1991 RS 350 / 700-R4
1987 Toyota Pickup 383 / 500 + HP 10.963 @ 119.95 Slicks / 11.997 @ 114.23 Radials
http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/~racer383/

Did you use the stock lifters with the cam? These have (I think) fast bleed lifters and I'm guessing you adjusted them too tight maybe. Either that or a major vacuum leak? Should have a real nice idle with some lope with the flat tops and those heads.

I got the cam as a kit from Edelbrock, so I used there matching lifters. I even followed the directions for the valve adjusting. http://www.camaros.net/forum/smile.gif


By the way, I just got off the phone with Comp. They recommended the 262. What do you think, a 262 cam and 4.10 gears??

Mark

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Mark
1992 Firebird 355/Six Speed
1991 RS 350 / 700-R4
1987 Toyota Pickup 383 / 500 + HP 10.963 @ 119.95 Slicks / 11.997 @ 114.23 Radials
http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/~racer383/

Ok Guys,

I have the PERFORMER RPM power package from EDELBROCK on my BIG BLOCK but I DID NOT USE the cam (I have EDEL. alum heads & manifold). I would NOT RECOMMEND the edelbrock cam and this is why:

The Specs on the RPM PERFORMER CAM are as follows at .050:

Intake: DUR 240 Degrees .560 lift
Exhaust: DUR 246 Degrees .573 lift

The duration on this cam is WAY TOO high for a dual purpose car. The car will idle like an absolute dog with this cam which is what you guys are experiencing. It takes about 14-16 inches of vacuum to operate power brakes properly and if you use this cam, you will have less than 10 inches of vaccum at idle in drive (auto). You WILL NOT be able to get this cam to idle below 1000-1100 RPM.

Also something else to thing about is WTH Edelbrock knows about cams anyway???? My understanding is that CRANE grinds Edelbrock's CAM but to Edelbrock's SPECS. IMO they missed the mark BADLY on this particular grind and in my own DYNO testing this bears out. There also is an obvious to me quality difference in a Edelbrock cam and say for instance a Crane Cam.

The edelbrock lifters quite frankly SUCK. They have a VERY narrow adjustment range and are supposed to be adjusted (hydralic) 1/16 to 1/8th a turn part zero lash and THAT"S IT.

You guys would be much better off using either a Crane Cam or a COMPS CAM with less Duration. Stay in the 220-232 degree duration range at .050.



[This message has been edited by sr71bb (edited 10-25-2000).]

The cam we are talking about is 234/244 degrees duration at 0.050 and .488/.510 lift.

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68 RS, Ash Gold,pwr windows,Hounds tooth

I knew you guys were talking SB but still 244 is too much duration on a street cam at .050. Things start getting pretty marginal as you approach 235 GENERALLY.

what is so bad about the edelbrock rpm cam is it just to big for the street

67camaro,

You could make it work on the street but you would need to run ALOT of gear 4.56 and a high stall if you have auto (3500 range) because below 3000 RPM it would be a dog.

Since MOST of NORMAL street driving is done in the 2500-2700 RPM range, then you you would basically ALWAYS be out of the cam's power range which makes for some unpleasant driving. And if you have power brakes and other accessories that require at least some degree of vaccuum, then you would have problems here too.

A friend of mine built a 5.565 rod 383 with the Performer RPM cam and intake. He used ported 993 heads with 1.94/1.50 valves and a Holley 750 vac. carb. It was put in a '86 Trans Am with 3.73 gears and a 700R with a 2800 converter. The motor idled at 800 RPM easily and ran 10.30's in the 1000ft.(approx 12.40's 1/4). He had power steering, power brakes and air conditioning and still no problems anywhere. There may be some other silly overlooked detail for your idle problems. How did you install the cam? Straight up? I think the RPM has 5 degrees built into it already. Hmmmmm, I'm stumped.

I have the RPM package on a 383 in my 67. It idles fine around 800 to 850. It is a dog right now though because i have an open 2.73 rear in it with a stock convertor on the th350...I'm switching to 3.73's and a M20 Muncie though, so it should wake it up quite a bit...BTW with this combo i ran a dissapointing 14.2 with a 2.5 sixty foot (couldnt take off fast or it would stall the engine...really needs a converter) I hope to get into the mid 12's when i get everything set up and am hitting 1.7 60's and get my carb/ignition tuned up

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67 Camaro
383-SRP Pistons, Manley Rods, Cola Crank, Edelbrock Performer RPM package, Speed Demon 750 dp, MSD Ignition, CalTracs Traction Bars

I am running the Performer Rpm combo on my 327 in my 69 Camaro. I just have the cam and intake with a holley 600 double pumper carb. It idles with a little lope around 900 rpm and get almost 20 mpg on the highway. I am running an m21 with 3.08 gears (soon to change, I can do almost 50 mph in first gear) and I think it does great. There isn't a lot of low end torque, but there is plenty for driving through town and it screams up top. I also have gears that are way to high for the engine. I don't have power brakes so I don't know about the vacuum problem. Overall though, I have been happy with my motor's power band but I don't plan to do a lot of drag racing either.

I installed the cam "straight up". With the Edelbrock timing chain set, it makes it real easy. I even pulled the cover again to check it.

With the six speed, I think I compounded the problem. I run all over town about 1400 rpm. As you said, well out of the cams power band.


You know what is worse, I sent about a 2 page e-mail to Edelbrock. I listed everything I had done to the car. They told me to set the inital timing at 12 degrees. That was listed as number 3 on my list. Guess they did not read it!

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Mark

1992 Firebird 355/Six Speed
1991 RS 350 / 700-R4
1987 Toyota Pickup 383 / 500 + HP 10.963 @ 119.95 Slicks / 11.997 @ 114.23 Radials
http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/~racer383/

Mark, I sent them an email as well about the cam and all they said is it should do real well with my 3000 stall converter. They did however state that every car they had in the Power Tour used their RPM cams.

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68 RS, Ash Gold,pwr windows,Hounds tooth

Besides the very poor idle, my guess would be an automatic would help the low end power problem. The stall will let you get off the "below 2k" power hit. My six speed doesn't have that option and it also cruises below 2k, so the problem is compounded. Your right though, an automatic might be fine.



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Mark

1992 Firebird 355/Six Speed
1991 RS 350 / 700-R4
1987 Toyota Pickup 383 / 500 + HP 10.963 @ 119.95 Slicks / 11.997 @ 114.23 Radials
http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/~racer383/

I am going to see what mine will do. I have a friend that has a Max Wedge Mopar that he races and yet it still drives like a stock car with a 5000 stall converter. He swears by these converters so I am dying to try mine out.

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68 RS, Ash Gold,pwr windows,Hounds tooth