Aftermarket Cam for stock 350

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Marcus

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Have a fully stock 350 4 bolt main. Looking into buying a rebuild kit that comes with a stage 2 cam. Curious on what everyone thinks about the stage 2 cam in a stock 350 4 bolt main. I’m not looking to get 400hp or anything crazy. Just a little something to put some ump into it. What do y’all suggest?
 

shiftpro

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Thank you for submitting your question.
I suggest you give us more info regarding your needs, equipment and ****, heads, gear ratios.
 

ali_c20

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Depends on what you want to achieve: low end torque? More horsepower at high rpms? Choppy idle?
 

Marcus

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1985 GMC K1500 with 3.42 gears. Everything is bone stock. Only thing I’m gonna do to it is take all the smog crap off. Take apart and rebuild it with all new gaskets, pistons, rings, cam, timing chain, freeze plugs, etc etc. I just want a little more hp and a deeper growl. Something to wake the weak low hp engine up a little
 

shiftpro

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1985 GMC K1500 with 3.42 gears. Everything is bone stock. Only thing I’m gonna do to it is take all the smog crap off. Take apart and rebuild it with all new gaskets, pistons, rings, cam, timing chain, freeze plugs, etc etc. I just want a little more hp and a deeper growl. Something to wake the weak low hp engine up a little
Sadly there is little that can be done with the smogger heads.
If you're putting in new pistons you can certainly raise compression. Nothing crazy requiring high test, but a step above stock.
If your bottom end is rouge and the crank needs to be reground, you might consider a stroker engine kit.

Do you have an engine builder close by?
 

Dave 84

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So I would do a cheap set of flat tops and cam!
 

Marcus

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I know of very reliable engine guy 10 miles from here. I’m know I’m taking the heads and crank to him. The engine is not the factory engine for this truck. It originally came in a 1975 Nova police car if that changes anything. I just want it to run good, breathe good, and bump a little hp and tq. Nothing crazy.
 

Marcus

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This is the kit I have been eyeballing. Just don’t know quite enough about all of the specific parts and numbers.

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Marcus

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Still trying to figure this out. Any thoughts on this kit? Should I get something else?
 

shiftpro

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I know of very reliable engine guy 10 miles from here. I’m know I’m taking the heads and crank to him. The engine is not the factory engine for this truck. It originally came in a 1975 Nova police car if that changes anything. I just want it to run good, breathe good, and bump a little hp and tq. Nothing crazy.

Oh well you have a great start. I was wondering because you mentioned you had a 4 bolt block... which I don't think you would see on an '85 smogger engine.

If you're springing for new pistons you will be taking the block to your engine guy too. You'll also want your block hot tubbed and scrubbed and your engine builder SHOULD be able to do this for you.

If you're going this far including getting the crank reground, I would seriously consider a stroker engine kit with the bigger crank.
 

Marcus

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I know that I should send the block off to have everything done but I don’t have the $$ to do everything from inside out top to bottom.
 

Marcus

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Oh well you have a great start. I was wondering because you mentioned you had a 4 bolt block... which I don't think you would see on an '85 smogger engine.

If you're springing for new pistons you will be taking the block to your engine guy too. You'll also want your block hot tubbed and scrubbed and your engine builder SHOULD be able to do this for you.

If you're going this far including getting the crank reground, I would seriously consider a stroker engine kit with the bigger crank.


Well I’m trying to do this on a budget to have a running engine that doesn’t leak, lack power, or have smog crap on it for now. I know for a fact that the block is solid but what is unknown is the cylinder walls and rings. Just trying to do everything right as possible on a budget. Hard thing to do these days
 

Oaasport

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@Marcus how much is your budget? This will allow us to further help you with getting some more go. Headers, exhaust, intake manifold can add a little power and give you that growl you want. It all comes down to budget.
 

Marcus

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My budget is like $600. The engine runs. Just has oil everywhere which I’ve cleaned the outside really well. Just want it running for now but I want a better cam in it cause it doesn’t have a lot of hp. There’s been no loss of compression at all. Just not quite enough hp and growl to it.
 

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