cam for a 540
 

Need to put a larger cam in a 540 and would like to know what size people are running. The motor has merlin heads with 345 intake runners, dart intake and holley 950. The cam I am running now is a comp hyd. roller part number 01-775-8 lift is .591 intake and .601 exhaust. The motor is bolted to a bravo 1. Thanks for any info.

Mine is a crane 741 cam. The current number is HR-306-2s-14 IG. This cam has the following specs: 244i 256e duration, 114 degrees of separation, .632" lift. Your heads and carb suggest that your existing motor is making more than my 600hp, and proably at a higher rpm. If so, then you may consider stepping up to the 751 cam-but you'll be spinning it pretty hard.

MY SET-UP
 

Crane 741 here also but I thought it was on 112 not 114

My 540's have Crower hydraulic rollers 236/244* on 114* lobes, fully ported Dart Pro-1 aluminum heads that oringinally started out at 310cc intake runners....with full port (guessing) they are now probably about 320cc. Engines make about 682hp @5500rpm (about 699hp @5700rpm) and 694 foot pounds of torque @4800rpm. My cam is very simular to MIKEHTMSR24'S Crane 741 hyd roller cam as well. You can usually get away with a smaller cam with well ported heads. Typically, I here of some guys running larger 244*/256* cams in a 540" engine which is okay, but I actually prefer running a smaller cam that I can get away with for smooth idling/drivability.

I agree with KAAMA. The heads are critical. I ran a 540 not too long ago with Hendrick Motorsports modified Chevy aluminum heads, 9.0:1 actually measured compression. The cam was a Comp Cams 288AR8. It likes valve springs and is solid roller so it needs attention but it made 724lb-ft at about 5100rpm and 721hp at about 5650 on Hendrick's dyno. Solid is better IF you don't mind adjusting valves and the maintenance!

Thanks for the input. I sold the motor to a friend and he wants something more than the cam I had in the motor.

HEY BLOWN 1500 DID YOU EVER GET OFF THE BLACK TAR HERION?? YOU DO THINK BETTER ON IT !!!!!

What is that?-----Chewin' tabaccy??? :crazy:

YEAH MARK HE'S BAD ;) ;) WILL P.M. YOU SOON

BOBBY

Yea, Bobby, I got over that but my brain was already fried!!!!:D :D

IF YOU ASK AND GET THE 741 CRANE GROUND ON A 112 IT WILL RUN TONS BETTER IN BOATING APP. :D

Bobby Daniels do you mean the Crane cam 651 rather than 741? The 651 is on 114 and the 741 is on 112 acording to there info. Also would this reccomendation to narrow from 114 to 112 be for N/A motor only and not Blown?

Cord those specs match 651 cam not the 741?

Not to doupt anyone just trying to make sure I get it right.

Yep, looks like turbojack and others were right. I posted the numbers for the 651 cam. My bad. Here are the numbers for the 741 cam:

grind number: HR-296-2S-12 IG
duration @ .050: 234i, 242 e
separation: 112
lift: .610i, .632e

http://www.cranecams.com/master/apps/chevy52.htm

When ordering a certain cam grind/duration from the cam manufacturer, you can always have the cam manufacturer grind the cam with any lobes seperation you want i.e. --- 110* or 112* or 114*, etc. while still retaining the same intake and exhaust duration numbers. :)

Bobby, you never cease to amaze me!!!!!!!
All the major cam grinders will custom grind almost anything you want-just call them. Crane may have the version mentioned in stock even though it isn't in the catalogue.