Which cam???
 

Hello all.
rebuilding a Gen V 454 EFI engine.
stock everything except .30” over pistons.
exhaust and everything will remain the same.
wet exhaust.
which current cam would match the specs of the factory 1995 385hp 454 EFI cam that was in my engine or come closest?
Don’t want to get radical or worry about reversion and really don’t want to go smaller as I don’t want to lose hp.
thanks.

Are you converting to a hydraulic roller cam or are you gonna attempt to install another flat tappet hydraulic?

Flat tappet hydraulic

have you installed a flat tappet hydraulic in last 10 years, between lifter quality, cam cores etc I WONT do it at my shop, I'd tell you to reconsider unless you can find something real old nib and same w lifters. Local guy who also builds engines has had a 30 to 50% failure rate in past couple years even with fanciest lifters you can buy, lots of zinc, breaks in on outer springs, the whole deal

I have not to be honest.
what would be involved in changing up to something more up to date reliable?
do you have a cam you could recommend that won’t break the bank?

What Smitty said!

A flat tappet will most likely lead to premature destruction and another complete teardown, clean-up, and rebuild.

A suggestion would be to find a stock replacement Gen VI roller for real cheap (someone may have one on here... post in the "parts wanted" sub forum - they may even give it away), use a GM Gen VI timing set (comes with the retainer plate and bolts), and then your choice of a good set of link-bar roller lifters.

Specs on the MPI cam (from posts back in the day):

288*/288* seat
224*/224* @.050"
.483"/.483" valve
115.5* LSA
109* ICL
122* ECL

Springs:

1.487"
110# @ 1.88" installed
261 # nose
316# rate

As you can tell, the specs are very mild. This should be compatible with your current EFI setup (others I'm sure will chime in to confirm).

Attesting to the above. In my eyes flat tappet is dead, too many failures recently, my rebuilds included. Bite the bullet and go roller, you will also enjoy a boost in HP curves too

Had no idea they built EFIs with out rollers!

Its strange how some engines youd think would or should have had them dont. The 1986 to 1995 5.7 is same way, 1 piece crank seal, certain ones got hyd rollers, trucks and boats did not but like the Gen V BBC, at least they have provisions for the spider hold down for dog bone lifters.

Yeah I’ve got an 88 K5 that would have originally had TBI but I was surprised it has flat tappets.

I have a SBC 5.7 out of a '94 Suburban that had an engine replacement from a warranty issue. The replacement was also a FT cam engine.

Corvettes got rollers in 86 and the blocks are common, so they at least have had provisions for the spider ever since they got efi

So making a few assumptions here, mainly that you have no desire to retune stock ecm and aren't looking for more hp, if you dropped a stock gen 6 hyd roller in you'd have the upgrade of a hyd roller without worries of retuning, reversion. I can post a link to a stock 502 mag cam, I think they can be had for around 350$ or less new

You are correct on the assumptions.
I am going to be flipping this boat come spring unless someone offers me what I want for it.
I really want it to be as close to factory as possible.
want to be able to get back what I have in it.
now I do have another boat (Baja Bandit) that currently has no engine and will build one for that after this one goes bye bye.
that one I will most likely build a Gen 6 roller motor for.

This is the stock 454/502mag factory hyd roller cam:
Melling 22223 High Performance Camshaft https://share.google/whQ1GHn77z1pK1qmQ
Melling 22223 is the part number if you don't find a mint used one for 75$ or something

Thx
I’ll keep that one in mind for the next build.

that melling part # IS the stock gen 6 factory hyd roller.

👍🏼