i bought a soild Crane cam that has a .540 lift for $40 is this too big for my 383 I heard it will hit the pistons the pistons are KB flat tops and I`m useing the camel back heads

And how do you check specs on a cam? the only number I can make out is on the back "285" I don`t know if this means anything

 

285 duration?

heh, sounds big, maybe something you could possibly use on a 400+CI motor....solid lifter cam? yea you could run it....i bet you could buy a cam that compliments your engine better though....

 

285 duration isn't that big for a 383 if that is the actual duration and not at .5".... depending on ramp rates that could be anywhere from 220*- 230* duration at .5"

and $.02 in a 383 i wouldn't go smaller than a 224/230 cam...

 

I was assuming @.50, 285 would be big if actual, I can't imagine a 230 duration cam having that much lift, if it really is only 230 then go bigger, if it is 285, you could run it, but again, it depends on what you want, and the fact that you can find alot of cam options to fit your needs, cams aren't that expensive, get the one right for you

 

I don`t know if thats the duration or not it was just the number on the back of the cam.

I know you can check the duration but I think the cam has to be in the engine?

I also know a shop who has solid lifters for $40 I might get them and sell the whole package for $100 towards a new solid compcam