I received a couple new cams amongst many parts with my '70 El Camino. The cam I'm curious about is the Erson TQ30H. It's a .530 lift int/exh with 310/310 degrees of duration. The motor is an L78 which I hear likes to rev with the right combo. I decided I want to keep the rect. port heads to keep it original but want a somewhat broad power band as it will be a driver not a strip car. The car has 4.10's in it now and an early M-20. I haven't picked an intake and carb combo yet. Is anyone familiar with this cam? Any intake/carb combinations? I plan to run 1 3/4" headers with 2 1/2" duals and would like to see 400-450hp. Thanks anyone!

Imho, it should OK, nothing to write home about b/c I think for your application the HI FLOW IH at 296/228, 111/111, .542" or the TQ50H at 296/228/306/235, 110/?, .542" would be better..

Even the JB100 with the same spec's as the TQ50H but on a 108 LCA will do also if you want it to talk to you.. It's the Jet Boat cam..

I have a brand new HI FLOW AH at 284/218, (now called 220), 111/111, .542" lift that I installed in my 496 and never even put lifters on it before the dreaded, "more power, Scottie" bug bit me and I decided to go with a good old CC 282S solid!!

What is turning me off on your cam is the 310 duration! To me for a mild cam, that is a lot!! I am honestly afraid your dynamic compression ratio will be too low b/c the intake closing point per my sheet from them lists 82 ABDC!!! That's a bunch...

pdq67

PS., please go over to Pat Kelley's great Dynamic Compression Ratio calculator site that you can either pull up or get to through his sig. and play around with it and see what I mean..

http://www.mrgasket.com/ftp/pdf/erson.pdf

It's after the 20 and 40, 114 LSa. mild lift. L78 "light". Give it plenty of compression, with that 114 lsa, you'll need , oh, 10.1 to be in premium territory.

Like pdq said, learn the DCR formulas. Wouldn't want you to build a low dcr mill with big ports. Won't like the low end , even with 4.10s. You'll want to give that cam all of 8,0:1 dynamic compression to give it decent low end. The cylinder pressure will also help it keep it pulling a bit longer ( as will the heads). It'll be fun to drive, idle nice, and have a nice broad powerband. Should pull to 6000+.

But L78s cars are solid lifter, yes? Well, that's a whole different enchilada. smile.gif

Rpm or GM #163, 750 Holley. I'd try and fit a 1/2-3/4" open spacer under the carb, or hollow out an oem heat sheild. Summit painted or Dynomax ceramic headers fit your app well it seems. Go with them.

6000 is going to come up awful fast with 4.10s and a stick!

Back again,

Please ask Harold.

Maybe he can offer up his experience on how a cam like that will run in a motor like yours?

And further suggest one of his/Lunati's grinds that will do you better for reference alone if you don't want to replace it until maybe later, (if ever), since you already have it..

pdq67

Waht Gene said..
Or you could use this: http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=LUN%2D00026LK

click on "technical" for specs.
I think it would be a good match for a 4.10 geared,stick car with square port heads.

Thanks for all the input/advice. How much maintaining is involved with a solid lifter cam? Does anyone have opinions/experience with the Edl. Air Gap manifold or Weiand Stealth? I'll be tearing down the motor this week and sending it in to get checked out. I'm curious as to what cam is in there now. Thanks again.

Both are excellent manifolds for the BBC..just a matter of personal taste.The "air gap" effect can be achieved my using a regular RPM and using the GM lifter galley sheild and blocking off the exhuast crossover.

I honestly believe that lashing solid cams is over stated b/c I have found that I just used to let mine go until it got ta "sewing machining", and then at the next oil change, I lashed it.

And mine was a daily driver, little -097 solid cam that was in my junk 301..

I do suspect that if you install a hairy solid, then a set of poly-locks and flat-tipped rocker studs would be in order..

I will find out more once I get my big engine with the CC 282S in it installed and up and running...

pdq67

I would use Crane "Kool-Nuts" for stamped rockers is all. I would not rely on standrd rocker nuts. New, you might have to set the valves a few times for sure. Think I did mine 5 times, with 2 changes or 7 total. But it's a lot hairier cam. HOWEVER, once it broken in and takes a 'set', I bet you don't touch them at all. The old Crane LS6 type cam I ran NEVER went out. Oh, the only time it went out a freckle was do to pushrods mushrooming. May have had some valve float at 7500 rpm. ?? swapped rods and away it went for another season. NO ADJUSTMENTS REQUIRED.

IMHO, that Erson will be the same way. You won't have to touch them at all, AFTER a flurry of activity during engine break-in.

This Erson is a hydraulic. The below is from their tech site.
"310/310 adv dur, 226 @ .050, .530 lift, the lobe sep depends on the year it was ground the date should be stamped on the back. 1997 and ealier it is 11 + 4, after it is 114 + 4.This is a hyd flat tappet.Tom"
I'll check the date on the cam tonight. I'm not dead set on this cam by any means, it's just free($$) at the moment. I would like to use roller tip rockers as well and if I can use one source for the cam kit, rockers, intake, and carb that would be great. If anyone can argue the expense of roller rockers versus performance, over stamped steel let me no if I should save a buck there too. I'm new to the in depth side of picking a good combo (DCR, LSA etc.) so I appreciate the help and the education. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Please don't waste your money on roller tip rockers..they will NOT provide any performance or reliablity gains.Stick with factory or replacement rockers.You can get severe duty BBC rockers here: www.competitionproducts.com (http://www.competitionproducts.com)
$67 delivered to your door with balls/nuts too.
I run them on a 396 I have and in my 70 SS454..car sees plenty of street and strip miles a year too.Don't let someone tell you the roller tips have more accurate ratios either..unless someone is going to compare one set to the other and provide numbers,and I doubt anyone has that info.If I was a running a cam over .600 lift I would go to full rollers.Anything under .600 stick with factory...IMHO and experience,and I've never broke a stock BBC rocker either.People can argue the point,but most of the time,its just for them to justify spending more money on parts they don't really need :D

Mr 4 Speed, I downloaded the catalogue from their site. Looks like good parts and prices. I'm real curious now about the Merlin intakes. Part# 063020 with a 1500-7000 RPM range? Not too hard on the wallet either. I'll take your advice on the rockers too. As much as I want to keep those 4.10's for now, I'm sure a few trips down the freeway will chage my mind. How much of a role do your rear gears play when building a motor? Which 4 speed do you run?

70ECam,when I joined this site 5 years ago,I owned 3 big block/4 speed cars at the time..now I put around in a 2.73 geared TH400 sled :D
Not because I wanted to,it just kinda worked out that way.
I think the Performer RPM intake for square port heads would be cheaper than the Merlin intake.Performance wise,I'm sure there would be no difference.The RPM will set you back about $200
Now as far as gear goes,you can never have too much with a stick,until you get on the highway smile.gif
3.73's would be ideal,but with 4.10's,you can run a 28" tall tire,and be reasonable for the highway.

I guess if I use the RPM I can polish up the old finned Edelbrock valve covers that came with the car, I like the look of 'em. 427L88 recommended a 750 Holley. Which part# and what is the 950 HP I've seen mentioned quite a bit? Can we talk ignition and distributors now? I'm putting together a budget for this motor build and a boatload of body work so I'm trying to put a price tag on most of the initial parts. Thanks again. graemlins/beers.gif

I would stick with a 750 double pumper for your combo..you don't want or need a 950 HP on a 396 thats street driven..even with the big port heads and 4 speed/4.10's
For a distributor,just a gool 'ole HEI will be fine,thats all you need.If you need a rev limiter (good idea with a stick IMHO) then hook up a MSD 6AL box to the HEI..which has abuilt in rev limiter.

70Ecam, the 750 double pumper is the one I run on my 454, street driven. It's #4779 if you're looking for that one. You'll get a lot of great info here. John