Any recommendations of a cam choice? Something for a TPI, close to the cam specs in the 4x4 category?

 

i always wondered how well the 4x4 cams would do in a TPI. i like them for the fact they have tight lobe seperation angle for low end power but yet small duration so total overlap is not too much so it will still idle ok.

TPI makes torque no matter what so it really doesnt matter what cam you have, for the most part

 

Yes, TPI was made for torque. The question is, how to improve on that?

 

Whats the purpose of the cam change?

 

A rockcrawler Jeep, where torque is king, and HP isn't even thought of really.

 

I can tell u this.

The comp cam 212/218 .498/.502 (think i got the specs right) roller cam is a bad midrange **** on a 350 with a stock tpi on top.

Been there done that in a couple friends cars.

Works really good

later
Jeremy

 

try a mid range cam like those 4x4 setups...i wouldnt be surprised if you make 450 lb feet on motor... as stock motors are putting down near 300-330 wtq with just exhaust mods and maybe some bolt ons....

for bone stock TPI and wanting torque there probly is no better choice than the comp cams 4x4 260 grind... 210/214 with .474 lift all around.... now that is BORDER LINE screw in studs and retainer-to-guide boss clearance. i'd upgrade no matter what. the 220/224 cam seems alittle large. next best guess is a xe 264 cam...212/218... that will need scew in studs and some spring shims/or guide boss grinding at a machine shop but should act fine on a stock TPI making great torque!

if you dont wanna do a cam i'd suggest gasket matching the TPI base to the L98 heads and mildly clean up the ports on the L98 heads. you can gain 10+ cfm on the intake side and near 30+ on the exhaust side. that in itself will gain hp and torque and make a broader torque curve. then add 1.6 rockers for more lift which will make more HP and Tq. that should be a stout 350 wtq + combo on stock cam with tuning!! i'm sure

 

If youre going with factory heads, use a split pattern and less than 220 duration on the intake. The 212 above is a good idea. Add as much lift as the profile and heads allow. If you can run longtubes, do that over shorty style headers.

 

It'll likely be going with Vortec heads, and a SDPC Vortec TPI base (or a pre-built TPI/Vortec crate motor). So, a .450 lift max, unless the higher lift versions are gone with. I think those are.5 or.6, depending on which version you buy, but .5 would be enough for this engine I think.

 

Search for the spring/retainer swap trick to get additional lift out of those heads. It'll be well worth it.

 

I've seen those, but if it were me, I'd just get the already modified heads, from SDPC, to begin with, instead of having to mod the stock heads, then have a set of stock springs & retainers, just sitting around.

That way when they cam in, they'd be ready to bolt on.

 

i think if those vortecs have retainer to guide clearance problems at .470-.480 lift just like stock heads, then just get .050 offset locks and .050" of shims under neath the spring... it will give you additional .050 lift for a saftely clearance of now .520-.530. with vortec heads you dont wanna go higher than .500 lift anyway as the heads dont flow any better after that. thats where they make their power which they do well at