Cam Question

flatbed5.2 · May 15, 2012

I'm new to forums(first post EVER), so forgive me if i am not up to speed. i have a '98 ram 1500 with the magnum 5.2L. it has about 120Kmiles on original motor and trans(runs great, quiet and smooth after the tune-up). i purchased it barely less than a year ago. it originally came from upstate NY, didnt come to VA til '10. it was my daily driver until about a month ago when i decided to turn it into a project truck. its full for cancer(rust) in the rear quarter panels and rocker panels. the frame needs some tlc too, as far as rust goes.

What id like feedback on today is recommended modifications/changes i need to do so i can put my Comp Cam XE 268-H in. ive been looking around on forums and cant find any info i need. any suggestions? thanks a mil!

talon6 · May 15, 2012

give me a link to the cam you are talking about.

flatbed5.2 · May 15, 2012

20-223-3 - Xtreme Energy

Hope this is what you asked for...

talon6 · May 15, 2012

custum tune to get it to run correctly. adjustable roller rockers, able to measure push rod length, bigger springs. is this what you are asking?

is your truck 2wd reg cab? thats i big cam for a 4x4 quad. it wont have alot of torque off the bottom.

flatbed5.2 · May 16, 2012

my truck is a 4wd reg cab. im not trying to make it into a muscle truck or anything. i got this cam from a trade and just want to know what would be good to along with the cam install. ive heard several people saying put 360 heads(bigger valves) on it, but others say that doing that drops the compression drastically. i just want the truck to have a nasty lope and the occasional extra hp/tq. not trying to race it..............yet :naughty:

talon6 · May 16, 2012

if i was gonna run that cam i would use these heads and have them milled to up my compression, if i wasnt planning on running any boost.these are what heads i am using. good heads, for a good price.

NEW DODGE EQ MONSTER MAGNUMS 318/360 CYLINDER HEAD | eBay

talon6 · May 16, 2012

no.i would use these heads. my mistake. little less spring, and little smaller combustion chamber than the ones above. you donnt want to over spring your cam. and a little cheaper too.

NEW EQ IRON RAM DODGE 318 360 CYLINDER HEAD COMPLETE | eBay

flatbed5.2 · May 17, 2012

besides being new heads, are they any different than the ones that are on my 5.2?

talon6 · May 17, 2012

bigger stainles steel valves, little better flow, much better casting. there have been a few people that have had the stock mag heads crack between the valves.

flatbed5.2 · May 17, 2012

oh ok. so if i get my hands on a set all i gotta do is get head gaskets and time it up and im good?

talon6 · May 17, 2012

you should really have adjustable rockers and a way to check pushrod length. cause more than likely the p-rods will be different. and with 120k i would get new lifters.

if you have never done this before i would suggest you find a buddy that has, and you do the work while he watches.

Hotroder383 · May 18, 2012

Umm, you are not gonna have much luck with new cam and heads if you don't get it chipped also. The comp isn't gonna know what to do with new cam, i.e. timing, fuel curve etc with out being told via http://www.sctflash.com/ or some such aid.
And I agree if you have not done this kind of wrenching before get help, cause there are way too many little things that can screw ya in the end.

flatbed5.2 · May 18, 2012

yeah i got an older friend down the road from me. its kind of hit-and-miss with him as he owns his own business. i dont have the money to get it chipped(yet), honestly i really just want to port and polish the heads, slap the cam in, and put my felpro gasket set in thats been laying around and call it a day. the cam came with a set of hydraulic lifters(was part of the kit)...so...

wheres that leave me? lol. i should probly get a new plenum kit right? i never heard of this "thing" til i owned a dodge

talon6 · May 18, 2012

it will probably run.maybe. as long as the pushrods arent to long.you definitaly want to check piston to valve clearance before you fire it up.or possibly BOOM.
you just wont be seeing the full potential without getting it tuned. sct is what i use also. get my tunes via email.

just take your time. get everything you need. then do it. donnt rush it or you will be dissapointed in the outcome.buy as the money becomes avalable it took me probably 6 months to get all my motor stuff together.

hughes engines for the plenum kit.

flatbed5.2 · May 19, 2012

whats the easiest way to check p2v clearance? i saw on another forum where someone suggested putting a thicker headgasket on to compensate for a few different things. i agree with everyone's suggestions on my topic, im just trying to go about this the absolute cheapest way w/o damaging my engine which runs great as is

talon6 · May 19, 2012

RHS - How To Check Piston To Valve Clearance

Hotroder383 · May 20, 2012

I hate to say this but you would honestly be better off just leaving it as is until you can get the things you need. I know the feeling of using what you got and wanting to do some trick stuff but the things your wanting to do HAVE to be done right or, at best your motor won't start, at worse you smack a piston, bend a valve and smoke a hole in the piston. Then it is game over.
May I suggest looking into building your own cold air intake? Maybe going for more spark from a hotter coil. or buying a cheap turbo muffler and putting it on yourself. These are all things that can be done on the cheap, by yourself with little wrench exp and actually increase performance while not taking the chance of locking up your engine.

talon6 · May 20, 2012

Hotroder383 said:
I hate to say this but you would honestly be better off just leaving it as is until you can get the things you need. I know the feeling of using what you got and wanting to do some trick stuff but the things your wanting to do HAVE to be done right or, at best your motor won't start, at worse you smack a piston, bend a valve and smoke a hole in the piston. Then it is game over.
May I suggest looking into building your own cold air intake? Maybe going for more spark from a hotter coil. or buying a cheap turbo muffler and putting it on yourself. These are all things that can be done on the cheap, by yourself with little wrench exp and actually increase performance while not taking the chance of locking up your engine.

x2. very well said.

flatbed5.2 · May 20, 2012

yeah, advance auto sells a complete cold air intake, been considering MSD ignition, and its going to be straight exhaust(no muffler) from the cat back into dual 5" or 6" stacks from Black Cloud Diesel. i know ill probly catch hell for putting stacks on a gasser, but i go for unique instead of following the crowd

Mopar1973Man · May 20, 2012

flatbed5.2 said:
yeah, advance auto sells a complete cold air intake, been considering MSD ignition, and its going to be straight exhaust(no muffler) from the cat back into dual 5" or 6" stacks from Black Cloud Diesel. i know ill probly catch hell for putting stacks on a gasser, but i go for unique instead of following the crowd

The only hell I give to people with stacks... Is the fact either gasser or diesel when you got stacks in the bed of your truck its a good sign that you don't work with your truck for a living. I think stacks look cool but there is no room in the bed for stack when you haul for a living.

Cam Question

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