My 454 Rebuild

[Spareparts]

Yes I'm calling today. Let everyone know what we come up with

 

[BeXtreme]

The one Delta reground for me is very similar to the stock one. LSA and duration stayed the same, but lift was increased from ~.475 to 0.510" and the overall grind was advanced to 3.5 degrees rather than the factory retard. It allows me to retain the factory non-adjustable valvetrain and have a basically stock idle. The delta grind # is 637-BP568-I

The com cams recommended one for a stockish engine would be the XR264HR. Lots of guys have run it with good results. It will require changing out to adjustable valvetrain though. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-01-412-8/make/chevrolet

The best chevrolet performance one is as stated above. Its the 454HO crate motor cam. It gets a little iffy for the stock computer and needs more tuning. It will also need to switch to the adjustable valvetrain. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-24502611/make/chevrolet

If I ever get to the point I want more power, I'll probably go with the XR264HR and adjustable valvetrain.

 

[Supercharged111]

Comp cam did not recommend that cam for efi applications, and that was just single component that I seen might have been the reason. Was wrong to try and pick out something out of it just based on their statement

Sometimes they'll make that suggestion for the same single reason. Go on Summit's site and you'll sometimes see itty bitty cams with tight patterns not recommended for EFI, despite the fact that some came stock that way. It's an antiquated line of thinking that only makes sense if you want to stick a donkey dick cam in with tight LSA on an old low-res OBDI speed density car and not tune it which is a terrible idea anyway, the not tuning part.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Sometimes they'll make that suggestion for the same single reason. Go on Summit's site and you'll sometimes see itty bitty cams with tight patterns not recommended for EFI, despite the fact that some came stock that way. It's an antiquated line of thinking that only makes sense if you want to stick a donkey dick cam in with tight LSA on an old low-res OBDI speed density car and not tune it which is a terrible idea anyway, the not tuning part.

Agreed, if you actually look Summit shows the 395' cam as not being computer compatible yet it came in the 305/350/383 marine engines with EFI, the Ramjet 350 and the HT383.

 

[Spareparts]

Tried calling Comp cams today at lunch and no luck. Started at 18 in line. After 1/2 hour wait i was down to 12th in line but had to get back to work.
Tried right after work. Nope they were closed.
So after looking more once i do finally talk to someone i bet this is the cam they suggest.

Xtreme Energy Computer Controlled 206/212 Hydraulic Roller Cam Chevrolet Big Block GEN VI

Xtreme Energy Computer Controlled 206/212 Hydraulic Roller Cam for Chevy Big Block GEN VI. Good replacement camshaft for minimally modified fuel injection engines.

www.compcams.com

 

[Supercharged111]

I'd go with a billet core, not a cast core. Those don't have the best of records. The GM HO cam is billet.

 

[Spareparts]

Man i have looked at so many cams i did not even realize the cast or billet thing.
I would go with the 454HO cam but i don't know if it works with a computer and has a smooth idle. Probably need bigger injectors and i kinda planned on that anyway and get a tune once i get everything gathered up.
I also already have a adjustable valve train coming.
The last thing i need is a cam and valve springs but it's the biggest PITA ever.

 

[Spareparts]

Wish i could have got Com Cams on the phone today. I just discovered these. Looks like all three will work just need to figure out what one would work best for me.

Tri-Power Xtreme 210/218 Hydraulic Roller Cam for Chevrolet Big Block GEN VI

HYDRAULIC ROLLER-Optimized horsepower with good torque & average fuel economy.

www.compcams.com

Tri-Power Xtreme 202/212 Hydraulic Roller Cam for Chevrolet Big Block GEN VI

HYDRAULIC ROLLER-Exceptional torque with good horsepower & moderate fuel economy.

www.compcams.com

Tri-Power Xtreme 194/206 Hydraulic Roller Cam for Chevrolet Big Block GEN VI

HYDRAULIC ROLLER-Optimized fuel mileage with good torque horsepower.

www.compcams.com

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Man i have looked at so many cams i did not even realize the cast or billet thing.
I would go with the 454HO cam but i don't know if it works with a computer and has a smooth idle. Probably need bigger injectors and i kinda planned on that anyway and get a tune once i get everything gathered up.
I also already have a adjustable valve train coming.
The last thing i need is a cam and valve springs but it's the biggest PITA ever.

The 454 HO cam will work with some tuning. That 211 @ 0.050 intake lobe is a baby lobe for a 454. The 305 in my Tahoe had a 218@ 0.050. With the 1.7 rocker arm factored in my 383 in the van has a 222 @ 0.050 intake lobe.

 

[Schurkey]

Here is a shot of the pistons for ya. At TDC they sit .035 below deck. I checked 3 and they all were the same.

Oh, man. Sounds like short-compression-height "rebuilder" pistons. Even with full compression height, they tend to be .020--.025 below deck; which is not a good thing. The earliest of these engines--the way they were designed--they had .020-ish embossed-steel-shim head gaskets. .025 below deck, plus .020 head gasket = .045 quench/squish distance, about as big as you'd really want.

Add the typical .040 head gasket to .035 below deck piston tops, and you're deep into detonation territory at .075. Between about .050 and .100 or so of squish/quench distance, detonation is common due to the restriction of flame-front, and an excess of end-gasses that get heated and then spontaniously combust. Below .050, there's enough squish/quench to speed combustion, and a reduction of end-gasses 'cause they've largely been squeezed-out; what little there is, is cooled by proximity to the head surface. Above .100, the chamber becomes "open", there's heaps of fuel-air a long way from the spark plug, but the flame front can get to them before they detonate. The "open" chamber has a somewhat lazy burn, requires additional spark advance, but at least it doesn't have the terrible detonation characteristics.

I would sure think they did reman the rods. I would think any machine shop would automatically do that.

A good shop will CHECK the rods for roundness and size. If they're properly round and have appropriate bearing crush, there's no need to "resize" them unless the customer wants different rod-bolts. So, no, I would not expect them to "automatically" reman them.

The issue is that the machine shop may take the easy way out--if it's not explicitly stated on the work-order, they may not touch 'em.

I do know i will need 16 rotator eliminators measuring .300 thick and clean the heads up slightly to fit.

Last I checked--and it's been years--there were two part numbers for the rotator eliminator shims. One number for regular valve springs, one number for beehive springs. I don't know what the difference is.