Is the 204/214 cam the right choice for my combo???

J

Jeasen

New Member
Joined
May 25, 2001
After reading a couple of camshaft threads and doing a search I decided to try the 204/214 cam from Speed-Pro. I have the cam sitting here in the box and now I am questioning my choice. I have my motor out to change the head gaskets and also removed the pan to install a new rear main seal and inspect the bottom end. Bottom end looked very good but I found bad looking lifters and a marginal camshaft. The current cam is a Modern Muscle Car 208/208. I decided to change it out. My goals are the high 11's with the current combo. TA49 turbo, bluetops, 3" single exhaust, home ported heads, big neck intercooler mod, and various other small mods. I am adding a new 3000+ stall torque converter. If this cam is a good choice should it be installed straight up or would advancing it be the thing to do? All opinions and comments are welcome.
Thanks, Jim
 
What the hell! If you ask 20 people you will get 20 answers:rolleyes:

I picked up a 204/214 for my motor so you wouldn't be alone. Red's Hot-Air went 121 MPH with that cam and a 49. I basically wanted to cover the range. So far 210/205, 218/218 and the stocker. Add the 204/214 to it and maybe I will come to a conclusion on the cam department. So far everything is telling me it doesn't matter which one as long as it doesn't go flat:D
 
Well I really was not impressed with the 208/208. My car would pull well past the 5500 RPM mark but just did not go like it should. I thought I would try something different. From what I can tell the 204/214 is just a bigger version of the stock grind. The stock specs are 193/197 lift with 281 intake duration and 278 exhaust duration, the lobe centers for the stock cam are 104 intake and 110 exhaust. The 204/214 specs are 448/472 lift with 280 intake duration and 290 exhaust duration. The lobe centers for this cam is 107 intake and 117 exhaust. Maybe this cam would help with the exhaust back pressure?? I could give up some low end tire spinning torque for a flatter/longer torque curve. I would like the car to pull harder through the mid range and on the big end. I went 110 MPH in the quarter with the 208 cam. Please keep the opinions coming. Thanks.
 
I forgot to mention that I drive my car every day (when it is running) and it makes an ocassional trip to the track. I thought that bigger would be better because when I reach the high 11's then I will want to see the low 11's then the high 10's. You guys know how it goes.
Jim
 
If I read your signature correctly, you have a cam that needs ported heads and larger injectors to keep up.

You have given up the bottom end of the range for the top end but the parts are not there to complement the cam.

It should be running in the 11s as it is even with a stock cam.

I would think with a cam that is better suited for the injectors and heads, you could dip into the 11s on 93 octane and alky.
 
Steve, the 208/208 is trash and I do not want to go that way again. My heads have a mild home port job and I plan to go to bigger injectors in the near future. I don't think buying a stock cam is the right choice! Should I go with the 206/206 cam then?? Will it take me into the high 10's with the right combo? I want to make the right choice. I don't want to do this again because the cam is not big enough. Any other opinions out there??
Jim
 
A 206 will take you to the tens with better heads, better IC, big enuf injectors Probably 55# altho I prefer larger) and a TE45.
 
Jim, I got your message...I just got home...I decided to go with the 206/206 for the reasons that Steve Wood said...There have been a lot of people running low 11s-high 10s with the stock cam and personally, I didn't see the need to go any bigger than the 206/206...

My other thoughts on this whole deal was to keep the lift and duration numbers smaller in the hopes that the cam wouldn't wipe a lobe...The bigger the lift numbers the more load it puts on the spring and lifters...By staying smaller, you get less load on the springs and lifters...At least in my convoluted way of thinking...I may be wrong, but I think I will try mine to see if it'll last...I do have a question out to someone about something else I may try, but I want to see what this person thinks about it before I do it...It is something that just popped into my head while emailing him back and forth about the oiling systems on these motors...

I'll email you my cell number...Give me a call anytime tomorrow...I'll probably be junkyard diving for a couple of parts that I may experiment with for a little project that I might try after reading someone else's attempt elsewhere on this BB...

Talk to ya later...
 
hm...i have a mm 208 cam and lifters out in the garage that went 9.9x's @ 136 in a certain green gn...must be the air here in the northwest:D.
 
Plug that 204/214 bumpstick in there and let us know how it goes. This board needs more "non-conformists" :)
Actaully I am interested because I am nearing completion of a similar combo. Before I yanked the engine I was running 12.20's with just blue tops, big neck, a 49, and 180,000 miles.

Burge
 
I want to thank everyone for their replies. Any other opinions out there?? 125 views and less than a dozen opinions?? What do you think I should do???
Jim
 
Do what you want to do...then it will not be anyone else's fault if it does not run the way you expect! That is my technique. :)
 
I ran a 208-208 for a while(my first cam after stock.) I now have the 204-214. The 208 powerband seemed a little flat at the top end, I like the 204 better. I think the extra exhaust duration and lift helps.
Oh, I'd just run it straight up.
 
Originally posted by Steve Wood
minus 8, plus two
Click to expand...

Be that as it may:) , which one has better low end and which one has better top end? After reading this post I am thinking about trying a 204/214, but was considering a 212/212 before.
 
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