Camshaft Suggestions

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Old Feb 24, 2026 | 01:51 PM
  #1  
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Camshaft Suggestions

Looking for suggestions for a cam for this setup.. I want to be sure I still have vacuum for power brakes and can idle at a red light comfortably especially for A/C.

Olds 455 'F' block - bored out to 4.185
Pistons: DSS Racing FX Series forged flat top, 4.185" bore, -12cc, 1.75" CH
Rods: Scat H-beam 4340 forged, 6.735" length, ARP 8740 bolts
Cylinder Heads: Edelbrock 61025 Performer
Lifters: COMP Cams Evolution Roller Lifters 85701-16
Crankshaft: Original, undersized journals, polished and balanced
Rockers: Harland Sharp roller tip, 1.6 ratio - S5016
Intake: Edelbrock Performer
Pushrods: 3/8"
Oil Pan: 7 Qt Milodon
Oil Pump: Melling HV Pump
Timing Set: Comp Cams 3113 - from 2004
Carb: Holley Street Avenger 770 CFM (may have to upgrade to more CFM but using this for now)
Distributor: MSD Pro-Billet Ready-to-Run with older MSD 6AL box
Headers: Hooker Super Competition
Exhaust: Pypes 2.5" X-Pipe
Torque Converter: Coan Engineering 11" Pro Street, 2800-3200 estimated stall
Transmission: TH400 with Trick Kit
Rear End: 3.42 Gears with Positraction

Edit: +12cc on pistons. Compressions will be around 10.6-10.7 with a .040" head gasket

Last edited by DanM; Feb 25, 2026 at 10:12 AM.
Old Feb 24, 2026 | 06:05 PM
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Maybe use a font that is readable?
Old Feb 24, 2026 | 06:53 PM
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Originally Posted by DanM
Looking for suggestions for a cam for this setup.. I want to be sure I still have vacuum for power brakes and can idle at a red light comfortably especially for A/C.

Olds 455 'F' block - bored out to 4.185
Pistons: DSS Racing FX Series forged flat top, 4.185" bore, -12cc, 1.75" CH
Rods: Scat H-beam 4340 forged, 6.735" length, ARP 8740 bolts
Cylinder Heads: Edelbrock 61025 Performer
Lifters: COMP Cams Evolution 85701-16
Crankshaft: Original, undersized journals, polished and balanced
Rockers: Harland Sharp roller tip, 1.6 ratio - S5016
Intake: Edelbrock Performer
Pushrods: 3/8"
Oil Pan: 7 Qt Milodon
Oil Pump: Melling HV Pump
Timing Set: Comp Cams 3113 - from 2004
Carb: Holley Street Avenger 770 CFM (may have to upgrade to more CFM but using this for now)
Distributor: MSD Pro-Billet Ready-to-Run with older MSD 6AL box
Headers: Hooker Super Competition
Exhaust: Pypes 2.5" X-Pipe
Torque Converter: Coan Engineering 11" Pro Street, 2800-3200 estimated stall
Transmission: TH400 with Trick Kit
Rear End: 3.42 Gears with Positraction

Old Feb 25, 2026 | 02:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Fun71
Maybe use a font that is readable?
Its just fine using the dartk theme lol
Old Feb 25, 2026 | 04:05 AM
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What is the planned use of the car ?
Old Feb 25, 2026 | 06:08 AM
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Mostly street and cruising, which is why brakes and a/c are important
Old Feb 25, 2026 | 07:03 AM
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That's a tough one. If I am doing the math right you are at almost 11.75 to 1 compression ?? I think its going to be hard to get a cam with the characteristics you want and still run worth a darn. I would have to call a couple of the cam manufacturers and ask their advice. Almost certainly going to have to be a custom grind.

How about an electric vacuum pump for the brakes ?

I think the performer intake might be a killer too.
Old Feb 25, 2026 | 07:40 AM
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Your going to want to stay below the high 230@50 and have a min of 110 LSA. Your 770 will be more than enough. Your going to have to run 92 or better octane and its best to have a non aggressive timing curve.
Old Feb 25, 2026 | 08:20 AM
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Should be +12cc on the pistons as it has a dish/valve reliefs. Compression will be around 10.6 to 10.7. Head gasket adds .040"
Old Feb 25, 2026 | 08:26 AM
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Roller or flat?
Old Feb 25, 2026 | 08:28 AM
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Originally Posted by DanM
Should be +12cc on the pistons as it has a dish/valve reliefs. Compression will be around 10.6 to 10.7. Head gasket adds .040"
How deep in the hole do the pistons sit ? What are the head CC's ?
Old Feb 25, 2026 | 10:11 AM
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Roller Rockers/Lifters

Block has been zero decked, heads are 77ccs
Old Feb 25, 2026 | 10:48 AM
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Originally Posted by DanM
Roller Rockers/Lifters

Block has been zero decked, heads are 77ccs
So you KNOW it’s zero decked or they told you it was?
Old Feb 25, 2026 | 11:21 AM
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I guess I havent checked to be 100% sure, but I just got the block back from the machine shop and that was one of the things they were supposed to do. The surfaces were definitely milled.
Old Feb 25, 2026 | 12:06 PM
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Originally Posted by DanM
Should be +12cc on the pistons as it has a dish/valve reliefs. Compression will be around 10.6 to 10.7. Head gasket adds .040"
Yup. Not sure what I put in the computer earlier to come up with 12.7 lol 10.88 is what I am coming up with now.
Old Feb 25, 2026 | 07:17 PM
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Originally Posted by DanM
Roller Rockers/Lifters

Block has been zero decked, heads are 77ccs
You can take as little as .005"-.007" off the block to leave "mill marks" and still be .020" in the hole. Did you or the machine shop actually CC the heads ?
Old Feb 26, 2026 | 05:20 AM
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Originally Posted by DanM
I guess I havent checked to be 100% sure, but I just got the block back from the machine shop and that was one of the things they were supposed to do. The surfaces were definitely milled.
Ok. Simple question, do they have the rod, crank, and piston info to determine what “zero” deck would be? I’m curious.
Old Feb 26, 2026 | 05:30 AM
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Yes, they had all the parts when it was done, and also did a crankshaft balancing with all the parts.

I will verify when I assemble it later, but assuming for now that it was done.

Last edited by DanM; Feb 26, 2026 at 08:15 AM.
Old Feb 26, 2026 | 08:08 AM
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That's the cc spec given from Edelbrock.

Originally Posted by OLDSter Ralph
You can take as little as .005"-.007" off the block to leave "mill marks" and still be .020" in the hole. Did you or the machine shop actually CC the heads ?
Old Feb 26, 2026 | 08:15 AM
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They’re normally pretty close, maybe a cc or so off but normally pretty good.
With a 10.6ish comp ratio, your cam choices could go fairly large and still have decent vacuum. Just make sure you degree the cam correctly upon installation.
Old Feb 26, 2026 | 08:40 AM
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Is there a can you might be able to suggest, or have an idea of what durations/lift/etc would be good?

Originally Posted by cutlassefi
They’re normally pretty close, maybe a cc or so off but normally pretty good.
With a 10.6ish comp ratio, your cam choices could go fairly large and still have decent vacuum. Just make sure you degree the cam correctly upon installation.
Old Feb 26, 2026 | 09:01 AM
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Originally Posted by DanM
Is there a can you might be able to suggest, or have an idea of what durations/lift/etc would be good?
Dan,
I would reach out to a couple of the cam manufacturers with all of your specs and ask them to make a recommendation. I doubt that anyone here has a car/engine combination exactly like yours so it is very difficult to give you suggestions.
Old Feb 26, 2026 | 10:35 AM
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Originally Posted by DanM
Is there a can you might be able to suggest, or have an idea of what durations/lift/etc would be good?
I have a grind that’ll work well in that, with plenty of lift to make use of the heads.
let me know if you wanna move forward with that.
Old Feb 26, 2026 | 03:37 PM
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sent you a DM @cutlassefi

Originally Posted by cutlassefi
I have a grind that’ll work well in that, with plenty of lift to make use of the heads.
let me know if you wanna move forward with that.
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