Hey guys, occasional lurker here... I'm FINALLY getting started on my 406 / TPI project for my '85 Suburban - the block's in the machine shop as I type this. Looking for "real world" camshaft ideas, though. I had crunched out some numbers using dyno 2k, but didn't get a chance to look them up before I left on this trip. Now I'm in Singapore until the end of the month with a machine shop that wants to order the cam, as do I, while I'm gone so I won't see the shipping delay.
Anybody done it, or have good ideas? Also, anyone willing to run a few cams through dyno 2k for me? I'm looking at a 406 with Vortec heads @ 10:1 compression before it's all through. Nothing too radical, plain hydraulic cam and TPI with small-tube headers.
Anybody? I'm looking for bottom end torque mainly - 'burbs ain't lightweight... I'm also aware of the ~5K RPM limitations of the stock L98 manifold I'm using - unless I break a U-joint, that's not going to be too much of a problem for me.

Setup so far is going to be:

406 SB
Stock L98 intake manifold and throttle body
Stock 400 heads (78 cc chamber)
'7730 ECM - speed density
small-tube headers with dual exhaust
TH 400 transmission
stock torque converter
3.73 gears - to be swapped to 4.56's after lift / big tires

My current intention is to run the stock heads with (ugh!) a carburetor for a short break-in period, then swap over to vortec heads and TPI baseplate.

Jake Kooser

 

Well, if your using the stock converter in a lead sled, I would go
with the stock 400 cam which is the same as the old non roller
350 cam they used for some 30 years and put a set of 1.6 ratio
rockers on the heads. The lobe timing will give you plenty of
low end and 1.6 rockers will liven up the top end to boot.

The converter is what is going to hurt you with all that weight.
The last Suburban I worked with belonged to my brother and
I actually used a stock flat tapet 305 cam in a 350 engine with
1.6 rockers and it was a real stump puller with the stock torque
converter.

 

Well, I guess that raises another question. What about that stock torque converter? The truck is going to eventually have bigger tires and a beefed transmission to handle that duty. What direction should I be looking in other than stock? It's going to live most of it's life as a daily driver, with occasional off-roading trips, mostly mud, 'cause that's what Florida's got. Almost no towing, ever. I never did understand that stall speed business too well - sorry, had mostly 4-speed VW's until now....