If you are:<o></o> Under 10:1compression, not wanting to change the torque converter or gear gears, notusing ported heads, then use the 212 cam<o></o> If you are:<o></o> Over 10:1 compression, willing to change the torqueconverter, and gears, and using ported heads then use the 284 cam<o></o>
Sky's the limit really does everyone choose the 212 over the 284 grind just because its the cheaper route or is it actually enough to satisfy the sweet tooth of a performance build? While maintaining a streetable attribute...I've seen a lot of supercharging and turbo apps with the 212 but with a naturally aspirated setup I'm wondering if the added torque curve of the 284 wouldn't be a little more fun to drive. Or is the 212 enough
To sum it up. The best RPM band to shoot for is 2500-5600 RPM with a mild 350, this being the case the 212 beats out most larger cams because it still has good low RPM torque. If the engine had single plane intake, really good flowing heads etc. then a larger cam would work well. Many people have went with the 284 but I do not know of anyone who is happy with the cam. if you really want the best cam then go with a custom ground roller cam from TA or call Finishline Motorsports and have them order you a custom grind for your project taking into account the head flow, trans, gearing, tires, weight of the car etc. Keep in mind that with some head porting, you can make about 350 HP and 425 feet of TQ with the TA-212 cam. Sure the same engine may make 370 HP with a larger cam but will it drive as well on the street in the 2500-4000 RPM range? This is where a roller cam has an advantage over the flat tappet, you can get the best of both worlds in the same cam. The only reason there is not more to be gained from the roller cam is that we do not have alum heads available yet. Once we do this will open up the RPM capability and HP will jump for sure.... As of now people wanting to make big power with the 350 are spending a lot of $ on head porting and oversized valves, which is fine but just not many people are willing to go all out on a set of old iron heads. There are combos on here of people who have done everything right to work with a really large cam in a 350 and it worked well... The trick is that the whole car was optimized to work with the camshaft. Things like 3.73 gears, 3200 stall converters, single plane intakes, large carbs, and none of these things really are the best for a street car unless you do not care about fuel mileage at all. If you are willing to modify the whole car to use a large cam then go for it, it is just that most people who go with a large cam regret it since they are not willing to change much more than that.
Lol that's awesome I guess that's the answer I was really looking for I would be happy with 350hp and still be able to drive it to the local car shows... Just wanted to hear it from some one else... I know it takes the whole package to make it effective such as gears stall etc. I plan on having fun and driving it. So the 212 grind it is.. Thanks sean:beer
Listen to what Sean said regarding the cam selection. I've spent plenty of time and $ over approximately 2 years getting my car to where it runs well with the 284 cam. If I knew then what I know now I would have started with the 212 cam but that's a whole different story. I will say that once the correct combo of carb, intake, ignition, heads, gears, torque converter, transmission and such is found the 284 cam does work well!
Both the 212 and 284 will have some overlap @ 110 lobe center, so would benefit most from headers; moreso the 284 than the 212. Both will have a noticeable lope, the 284 moreso than then 212. To achieve around 8:1 DCR, 212 will need no more than 9.5:1 comp; 284 no more than 10.25:1 static. If you want a smooth idle and improved performance, along with better gas mileage and higher static compression, the Crower level 3 seems to be the logical choice: 8:1 DCR = 10.1:1 static The lower power band and higher static comp, coupled with -9* overlap @ .050 would indicate better low end-mid range torque and fuel economy, if you don't mind it sounding like a stocker. The catalog says it has a lope with a power range between 1800-4500 rpm, but a reliable source has indicated that the idle is in fact smooth, at 600-700 rpm, and pulls strong to 5200 rpm. Bigger is not always better, particularly when you're using cast iron manifolds. Specs on all aforementioned cams: Lift @ 1.55 Dur @ .050 Dur advertised Lobe Center (for 350) Power Range (as indicated by source) Overlap @ .050 int / exh int / exh int / exh TA 284-88H .460/.460 223/230 284/288 110 2000-5000 6.5 TA 212 .455/.460 218/230 265/280 110 1900-4900 4.0 Crower L3 .446/.468 210/220 276/281 112 1800-4500 -9.0 Edit: well I went through the trouble to line it all up nice and neat and when I posted it, it came out looking like crap.
I went with the 284, reason being is because of the idle. My car is a mildly warmed over 350, 9:1CR, headers, mildly (by me) ported heads, and a tuned carb. The idle is ridiculously awesome. Did I sell myself short on a few ft/lbs in the low end for more upper rpm power? Of course I did. Will the 212 have more bottom end power-yep. But will a 212 get the stoplight attention that a 284 will-not a chance. I'm my opinion, the cam choice between these two is that simple. Do you want to have a low end torque monster, and I say monster lightly-its just a 350 and not a 455 remember, that sounds relatively stock but jumps off the line? or do you want a knifed over nastalgia that begs for onlookers within ear shot? I chose the latter. Besides, if you want to make the car fast, do like Eagleguy said and gear it, or spend the money on 10:1 pistons and port the heads til they are paper thin *joke*. Its no secret the head porting is where the power is at for these 350's. All i did was gasket match my intake and heads, and clean up the guides a bit and i could feel a significant difference from that alone. But I don't race my car, nor am I after a target number on a dyno. Hell, I've never even dyno'd it. I just drive and enjoy the sweet buick rumble-chopped and screwed of course!
As much as I wanna turn heads at lights.I think I would have more fun staring at them in my rear view mirror:3gears: lol!!!
I hear ya man, but why not have the best of both. Build the car for a faster launch-say 3.73 gears, add a four speed tranny with a higher stall, 284, and you'd really be set. Ask Eagleguy, as i think he's went with a 284, 3.42's and a 2004-r trans.The power difference really isn't all that substantial between the cams, its just where in the power band you will feel it. Maybe 20hp/tq, again all motors are different. Either way, if sucking gas and hauling ass is what you want to do, adding either of these cams alone is not going to do it for you. I would start with the rear end and work my way forward and worry about the cam selection last. Trust me, I was given this same advice and disregarded it. Hind sight I wish I had listened. Gears are bought, and tranny swap (2004-r) will be done as soon as I get home from Afghanistan this fall. My intent isn't to just go fast even though I'll be able to smoke my tires off, but to have overdrive and get better gas mileage. :beer
I'm with you Duke! I am in the process of trying to figure the route I wanna take. Have tried to find somebody on the board to post some videos of the 212 and the 284. No success, just break ins and such. I respect Sean and everything he knows about the 350. I wanna lean towards the 212 but is it worth it do a bunch of work and not find the note you are looking for. Back years ago before I knew of ta perf. I dealt with poston and had a 114 cam. Great cam! Sounded good. pulled all the way to 5000. Had 3.42 gear bone stock 69' skylark 4 barrel that ran 14.38. Respectable I thought. Very small convertor and headers. I'm not looking for just sound also performance and driveability.
Im on my iPad over here and am not sure how to attach a video here so if you'll send me your email address, I will email you a video of my car with the cam, headers, and flow master 40's exhaust
