I'm thinking of switching cams to get a better sounding idle. My favorite sound in the world is a V8 with a choppy idle. Not the full race racket, but a nice crystal-clear "whoomp-whoomp-whoomp." I chose my last cam based on the fact that I would be driving the car every day. Now that its a weekend car I want to get that commanding choppy idle sound that I've always wanted. I won't be racing it, I just want that sound. I don't care if its more bark than bite, its too heavy to be fast without ruining the car. My current specs: 71 Buick Riviera 455 w/8.5:1 Compression 4500 lbs Crower level 2 Lift I=476 E=487 Duration @0.050 212/216 Stock heads with Manley reduced neck valves. Stock Torque Converter, TH400 and 2.93 rear. Edelbrock intake and Holley TB fuel injection Any recommendations/precautions? My current mileage is 10-11mpg, how much do you think it will drop?
I have Poston's 113A cam. Not a teeth-rattler, but you definitely know the car has a cam. Very similar to T/A's 413 cam. Lift is .491/.510 with a 113 lobe center. Can't remember the duration. I get about 13 or so mpg in my GS convertible (car weighs 4100 lbs) with 3.73 gears. I love this cam. It idles at 750 or so in gear.
The GS113 runs better with low comp. than the GS113A. It sounds almost the same. I would run the Poston GS113 with variable duration lifter(if you don't mind the ticking) or regular lifters but, then your going to soften up your bottom end. I ran a GS113, 8.5:1, stock 73heads, and a edelbrock intake in my riv for a long time(it had stock manifolds and a 2200stall). With that combo it went 14.47(if I remember correctly) Hope this helps By the way the big one can go well(My riv turns 13.79 with a 292posi)
Thats amazing, 14's with 8.5 compression in a 4500lbs car. You have Stage I heads right? I have lame small valve heads, but if I do the cam I might as well port the heads since it doesn't cost that much. I hear that ported small valve heads flow about as well as unported stage I heads. I'm thinking that with the smaller valves the intake air velocity may be faster and make up for some of the lost bottom end torque. BTW, whats the stock stall on my vehicle? I'm thinking 1200 RPM.
Brake torque it until the tires break loose. That RPM is about the stall speed on the convertor. 1200 sounds about right for the stock convertor.
cam tables Have you looked here to compare?: http://www.chicagolandbuick.org/partners/Charlie Evans cam tables.htm
cam shaft I have TA 413 cam and it idles around 600 in gear. Converter is a 3500 stall and feel much better than the 2500 I had in the first time. Get tired of fighting the motor at every stop lite. TA specs are 234- 244 at .050..516 lift with 1.60 roller rockers. 113 lobe center. This is a great cam that you can live with on the street and pulls super through the lites. I think you will need at least a 3:73 gear. You will love the idle sound. Ken
hello I will eventually try to get a meeting of all the local Buick guys. I am in Castaic (40 minutes from ya'). There is another guy in Van Nuys & another in Sant Clarita. E-mail me if you are interested. Good luck w/cam stuff.
