I have been succesfully tracking down the former owners of my 68 RS/SS Camaro and just spoke with the guy who did the motor work. He told me that the 350 has a Competition Cams "288H Grind" camshaft. Does anyone know what type of cam this is?

I have only found one reference to a Comp Cam with this type of number associated with it and it says that it is for big block motors--I have a small block 350. The car has a "lope" to it but nothing special in the HP department.

Last question: My car is set up as listed below, is this too much cam? Any opinions on my set up? Any suggestions on increasing HP but keeping it nice to drive?

-350 crate motor (just the basic Goodwrench low-HP version)
-Edelbrock 1406 600 CFM carb
-Competition Cams "288H Grind" Cam (?)
-Double-roller timing chain
-Hydraulic lifters
-Weiand 8004 Low rise/dual plane 8004 Intake (Idle-6000 RPM power band)
-TH350 Trans
-TCI Sizzler Torque Converter (1800 rpm stall)
-Moser 3:73 Posi rear
-Ceramic Headers

Thanks the help!

Brent McConnell
1968 Camaro

I figure you actually have a Clevite cam like this instead of a Comp Cam b/c right, all their 288 cams are real big!!

P Hyd. 214 214 288 288 .295 .295 .443 .443 105 115 2 BTC 32 ABC 42 BBC 8 BTC. Part Number 229-1987

This is the two step up single pattern cam from a stock -929 cam and is sold by Summit.
Just one step bigger then the good old Performer cam!!

A nice cam, imho for a daily driver!!

pdq67

PDQ, you don't think it might be one of Harold's cams? The UD 280/288H or the 288/296H

No I don't b/c usually a 288 advertised duration cam is a real "Thumper"!!

Whereas the one I mentioned should have a nice little, "No, I'm not stock", loping sound to it like I think you are talking about. And this sound starts at about this size cam, imho...

Sorry, but the only way you will really know for sure is ask who installed it if he still know's(??), or pull it and see what's on each end of it in the way of identification markings...

You can degree and lift check it in the car, but that tends to be a real pain and not all that accurate to me unless you know what you are doing...

pdq67

Maybe he confused the 286H for 288H. I had the 286H in my last 350sbc. Just a guess.....

Here is what I have found thus far: It appears to be a Crane PowerMax H-288 cam

Questions that I have:

1. I have an 1800 stall and 8:5 compression (both are less than recommended). How might this impact my performance? Are there any changes that anyone could recommend?

2. How do I determine what my timing should be for this set-up?

Cam Data:
Part Number: 113821/Grind Number: H-288-2
FAIR IDLE, MODERATE PERFORMANCE USAGE, GOOD MID-RANGE HP, MILD BRACKET RACING, AUTO TRANS W/2500+ CONVERTER, 3400-3800 CRUISE RPM
9.5 TO 11.0 COMPRESSION RATIO ADVISED

Lift: Intake @Cam 305 @Valve 458 Exhaust @ Cam 315 @Valve 473
Rocker Arm Ratio 1.50

Cam Timing: TAPPET @.004
Lift: Opens Closes ADV Duration
Intake 29 BTDC 79 ABDC 288 ° Exhaust 81 BBDC 35 ATDC 296 °

Loads Closed 105 LBS @ 1.700 or 1 45/64
Open 280 LBS @ 1.240

Minimum RPM 3000/Maximum RPM 6000/Valve Float 6500
Cam Timing: TAPPET @.050
Lift: Opens Closes Max Lift Duration
Intake 4 BTDC 42 ABDC 109 226 °
Exhaust 56 BBDC (2) BTDC 119 234 °

Hmm, the low compression might be hiding a lot of the pop that cam should have. I have never heard that one, but I have experience with the 278 powermax and even in a 400 it has a nice lopey idle with enough compression. Id figure the 288 powermax would sound downright mean in a 350 built for it. As far as timing, with that large of a camshaft and the low compression, it will take lots of initial timing. Start at 12 initial just to be safe and advance it 2 degrees at a time til you get the best idle and response off idle with no pinging. Remember to unhook and plug off the vaccum advance(plug the port on the carb). I figure it will actually take 16 initial or more for that cam/compression combo. That stall converter is way too small as well. ID say no less than a 3000 converter in that setup to really run well. All in all, your best bet is to change the cam. With low compression and probably stock heads, your giving up a ton and something like an extreme energy 262 or lunati voodoo 262 is much better suited. If you keep the camshaft, Id suggest at least a high rise dual plane intake and smaller combustion chamber heads(good heads not just another average stock head) that will bring your compression closer to 10:1. And of course roughly 3.73 gears and a 2800-3200 converter for starters. IF all that is too much, stab in one of those smaller cams cause thats about the only change you will have to make, and it will run much better than it does now.

Imho, it's a true 11 to 1 CR. hy-cam!! Knarly when setup right!!

Yes, a 260 and 262 cam is a lot BETTER for a stock, 8 to 8.5 to 1 motor!! AND I figure you are closer to 8 than 8.5...

I think the Goodwrench motor has 4 notch, flat-top pistons and 76 cc heads so find yourself a set of 64 cc heads and then use thin, .020" thick, steel shim headgaskets to boost your CR. up to about 10 to 1 if you still want to run that cam.

AND then it's getting iffy on good pump gas????

pdq67

Thats true. That cam oughta like roughly 11:1 comp to work the very best. However, I figured it would be do-able on street fuel with 10:1 comp, so thats why I went with that figure. Remember though, its not just the compression that is lacking. Thats just one of the players. Like I said before, you need more compression, better heads, better gears, better converter, maybe better exhaust, better intake, better carb(or a properly set up Q jet) and all that for that cam to be near its potential. Without all of that it will be a turd and one of those smaller cams will pull much better agains the stock setup.