I am thinking about getting a cam for Christmas and am trying to choose between a couple. I think the best one would be the Crane Energizer 272 H10 cam. It is 216/216 .454/.454 110 LSA. It seems like a good cam that will give good low end and midrange power, a slight lope, and I should be able to keep my stock torque converter. I was also thinking about the Comp XE262 cam (218/224 .462/.469 110 LSA), but it is more expensive than the Crane and money is an issue. Besides, the Crane will make more low end than the XE262. What do you guys think? Are the Crane Energizer cams any good? Tell me what you think.

 

I've seen that Extreme Energy 262 version make pretty good power in 305 with moderately ported L69 iron heads. I'm pretty sure the car I'm thinking of pulls strongly all the way to, and maybe a little beyond, 6000 RPM. New valvesprings are a must too!

Just remember, yes you can "keep" your torque converter but if you want to get good gains, a higher stall converter is the way to go The stock cammed engine alone would benefit like crazy and adding a cam that might raise the powerband would need it more so.

The XE grinds are supposed to be "newer tech" also, ya know? Goodluck!

 

With a 305, either of those cams will cost you low rpm power. They will also almost dictate a looser torque converter. Thus we need a little more info about the car.

Is it carbed of efi?

What are your rear gears?

Is this your daily driver? If so, what do you WANT from a daily driver; good street manners or a car that is not very tolerable on the street but goes fast at the strip?

 

My car is carbed (see sig) and according to the RPO codes it has 2.73 gears. I'm not looking to make crazy power because it is a somewhat daily driver and definately not a track car. I'm looking to make decent power and keep a respectable idle (a slight lope would be fine). I'm not looking to be able to spin my car up to 6000 rpm, as I would never try that. My limit would be between 5000-5500. I would like a good performing street car, something that will be fast on the street and not slow at the track.

I had been looking at the XE262 for a long time, but decided that the Crane would give me more of what I want. I put both of them in desktop dyno and the Crane made more low-end, but a little less up top than the XE262.

 

Yes, the Crane would be better in your situation but the 305 head doesn't have a great exhaust port. So, if you can port and polish your current heads, it will help tremendously. Follow the link at the end of my sig if you would like to do that.

A better choice might be the Crane PowerMax series of cams, either the 260 (.427 intake lift and .454 exhaust) or the 266 (.440 and .454). They will help the heads even more by allowing more time for the exhaust to exit.

Your 2.73 gears would also indicate the latter two as the better choice

 

Just be cheap like us other 305 guys and run the LT1 cam

.447/.459 205 207

 

I wish I could run the LT1 cam because I know where I can get one, but that would mean expensive machine work or buying the expensive lifters to go from hydraulic to roller.

I might be able to get my hands on a pair of '86 305 TPI heads that I can port. If I can, I will probably go with the Crane cam that I originally thought about getting.

 

Oh yea stupid me, I didnt even see you had an 86!

 

I would say the first one would be a good cam. I had a Comp Cam 268H in my "L69". Similar to that Crane: 218/218, .454"/.454" (.484"/.484" with the 1.6 rockers), on a 110 LSA. It was a little weak from idle to 2000 rpms, but after 3000 rpms it would pull to 6350 rpms (with the proper springs). I just had 1-1/2" headers, gutted cat, flowmaster and 1.6 roller rockers. All in an A4 (stock converter) with 3.73s gears.

 

OK, but it was your 3.73 gears that made that cam tolerable. With 2.73s it just ain't gonna be any fun

 

Oh, I agree. That is why I recommend the smaller cam. If he is stuck on the two. But yes, with lower gears (higher numerically) and a better stall and he could go with the other one.