[BVR421]

Step aside Bret I want to pile on. (8-)
You are paying Butler an arm and a leg for a new street motor. You trust him to build it right but you would prefer our opinion over Butlers for cam selection? Whats up with that¿ LOL
That cam should work with 3.90 gears but like Chief said, the springs have to match.
Get Butlers opinion too. Trust your engine builder!

should be an animal 455! easy low 12s/11s

[79TA455STROKED]

I am just asking for feedback on the xe294.
The edl heads do not have the springs they come with in them.I bought the heads from butler and they port them,install larger exh valve,and install springs that are based on the cam.At the time i ordered the heads,my plan was to use the xe284 with 1.65.Now i am switching to the xe294 and am told the springs would not have to be changed.I relize the harland sharp 1.65 are really 1.72 but that still does not bring me to close to the limit of the springs that are installed in the heads.I went over this with jim butler himself when we were discussing the cam change and i do trust them.They have been great to deal with.Maybe i should have went in to more detail about the heads so im sorry.Butler gets them as bare castings and then installs valves,springs,etc based on the build.So i did not base my cam on springs that come in out of box edl heads but i am basing my cam change on springs that i had heads built with.Sorry again for the confusion.Just looking for someone with some exp with the xe294.

[71 Ventura II]

The XE294 was mentioned in Jim Hands book. I don't remember what his take was but you can look it up. I don't think the XE294 is going to be a very good "street" cruiser, but may run like a big dog at the track if you have enough gear, converter, and head flow. Part of my hesitancy to the cam is the fact not many people I've seen here on PY run it. Some times this is a sign?

Found it while I was typing...

Quote from Jims book on the XE294
"The longer duration cams usually show more peak horsepower, and this one did. But the average power is down due to the poor low-RPM output. A car that only runs up to a moderate RPM will actually run slower with the big cam!"

Also, stated when comparing the Comp XE294 to a cam w/.234/.244 on a 112 lsa. When looking at the average power numbers from the usable RPM range. The XE294 in his 473 engine averaged 534 ftlbs and 440 hp with a peak of 520. The smaller cam averaged 546 ftlbs and 445 hp with a peak of 508 hp. Concluding the comparison by saying the larger cam would result in a SLOWER 1/4 mile ET in his 4040 lb wagon.

I'm not saying the XE294 won't run well, but if not set up with all the right drivetrain pieces to make it work, it could end up being an awesome SOUNDING cruiser. IMHO JD

[MrPushrod]

Originally Posted by 79TA455STROKED

My combo being built by butler.
455 .030 over
0 decked(10:1)
4 bolt mains,studded
4.250 eagle crank
6.8 eagle rods
ross pistons
edl heads ported by butler(290-300cfm)
tomahawk intake(port matched to heads by butler)
XE294(250,256 dur @.050)(571,576 lift with 1.65 rockers)
harland sharp 1.65 rockers
tci 3200-3500 converter(10 inch)
th400(tci competition series,full manuel)
3.90 gears

I was originally going with the xe284 but changed to this xe294.do you think i made the rite decision?I see alot of feedback on the xe284 but dont see much on the xe294.Does anybody have any exp with this cam?The car will be driven on weekends,track,shows.I dont want to go with a solid cam!
What do you think this car can run wih some good traction?

Our motors are almost the same, I have that cam, it's a hyd. flat tapp right?
I have ported 670's. At sea level my car will go 11.50's on the motor and 10's with a little nitrous. I have a stock bottom end, crappy TCI converter and a non shifting tranny.10:1 comp. I love that cam.

[Skip Fix]

The 294 would be a good racing type hydraulic. If you have it ground you can have it on a 112 or 114 lobe sep to smooth it out also.

When you look at Jim's recommendations you also have to look at the rpm range he uses also and the heads he's using. Anything bigger than his 234 is going to shift the power range above his 5500 goal. That's not a big deal for some folks. Also using a higher flow head(ported E heads) to use more cam as you are using a higher rpm range goal.Not sure which heads Jim used to compare them. A single plane intake also shifts it but fits with the rpm here. Most of us don't have a 4040 vehicle also.

You didn't say for sure but I assume the 79 TA is the vehicle?? With E heads and no A/C should be close to 3750-3800lbs.

I don't know which Lunati lobes the 294 is on but the XE lobes has alot of 0.050 compared to others even the UD lobes. I think it will make plenty of power for you , but I also think the 284 with high ratios will get you there also and be plenty rowdy enough for you. Mid 11s easily. in my 400 I used a similar spec UD and picked up a little over the smaller cams I was using, but used a 112 lobe sep also.

I'd look at the Torker II also, short enough for a Shaker. The runners are longer and a bigger plenum than the Tomahawk. The Tomahawk has some fuel distribution issues without using spacers, I assume you want the Shaker.

[MrPushrod]

Any one who says this cam wont work is more than welcome to come and run
me with their big solid roller high compression motors. I've already embarrased
some really fast guys this year with my little budget build. Here's a video of
my car waxin an 11.90 tempest, he has a 12:1 468 bbc with a nice solid
roller cam. I put the hurt on him in this race. I let off the gas at the big end.

[79TA455STROKED]

Thanks guys,
The car is a 79 ta.I corrected the numbers on the cam figuring the 1.65 harland sharps are really 1.72 and came up with these lift numbers.
.594 int
.600 exh
Dur at .050 is
250 int
256 exh
Jim butler seemed to really like the xe series cams and said either the xe284 or xe294 would be good with my combo.The xe294 would need a little more converter than the xe284 which is fine because i believe im am going with a continental converter.Between the converter,3.90 gears,and these good flowing heads,i hope this cam really works well.
As far as the intake,i was debating between the tomahawk and torker II but ended going with the tomahawk.I had it port matched to the heads and butler also did a little work in the open plenum area.I am using the shaker and if i have the room i can always try a spacer.
MRPUSHROD,What is your combo,i know you said you have basically the same motor but i am curious.Your car seems to haul ass and i would love to see mid to low 11's on motor.That is my goal.

[MrPushrod]

In that video I was on a 150 shot, this was in Reno, Nevada at 5500' elevation.
That would have been a 10 if I hadn't let off, my transmission
didn't shift on the nitrous. Here's my combo:
455 10:1, stock rods, forged pistons, stock crank.
670 heads ported,torker2 intake, 1.65 rockers, same cam as you.
Basic 400 tranny with a shift kit. Bop 10 bolt 3.55 gears with stock axels.
275/60/15 drag radial, Cal tracs, huge nitrous kit. Holley 950hp carb with
no real tune on it....jetted it, new power valve, and set the idle.

[79TA455STROKED]

Do you have any clips or video of that car idleing?I would love to hear that car running.Those are some impressive numbers you are running.I wont be using nitrous but if i can run some mid to low 11's on motor i would be a very happy man.I am picking up a car lift this weekend from a friend to put in the garage.When i have it set up,i will be insalling some subframe connectors and cal-tracs to go along with the solid body mounts i installed.

[MrPushrod]

I don't have any idleing videos I could post up. Possibly I could get one next week or on saturday. I'll do my best, you'll love how the cam idles, our cars
should sound exactly the same. Make sure you order the landrum leaf
springs from cal tracs as well. Second row down on the right. http://www.calvertracing.com/gallery/g_page12.htm
You'll need subframe connectors, that's a good idea. Put some nitrous
on it and run 10's. My motor in a 3600# GTO went 10.70's on a 175 shot.

[79TA455STROKED]

Sounds good man,look foward to hearing that beast.
Ihave already put hotchkis suspension on my car so i will just be adding the cal-tracs bars.I knew your car looked familier,i seen it on the caltrac site before.Very nice.

[MrPushrod]

I'll see if I can get a few more vids up.
Good luck with your car, post some vids when it's done.

[Skip Fix]

Either choice would be good. The UD I havesimilar to the 284 has my 78 TA running 10.99-11.00 all day long no spray on a 9" slick.

[79TA455STROKED]

Can you tell me the numbers on that cam Skip.What is the rest of your combo?

[jmax]

I also am running the xe294 cam with 87cc e-heads. I haven't had it together very long and don't have any track time with it yet. It has a rough idle at 950 rpms. It has very low vacuum at idle, 4.5 - 5", which has made tuning the carb a joy! As far as driving on the street, it doesn't have the best low rpm throttle response and driveability (compared to my old combo of 6x-4's/RA4 cam/Performer intake/3200 converter), does require a little more gas to get the car moving, and will cost you $20 every time you fire it up. Still using the same converter as before, just flashes higher now to 3500 rpm, and still doesn't seem to be enough. It seems to need about 4000-4100 stall. At wide open throttle, it pulls very strong. I'm shifting at 5500 rpms due to stock rods (with arp bolts), but it's still pulling very hard at that point.

[Skip Fix]

78 TA 3750 lbs 1970 455 2 bolt block 0.030 20cc dish Ross, SCAT rods, factory crank, 72cc E heads KRE CNC ported 320 cfm 2.11/1.66 1.800 installed height UD springs. UD/Lunati 296/304 (239/247 @ 0.050) lobe lift .3383/.3533 112 LS, 107 IC. Currently 1.8 Crower/1.7 (1.65 HS)rockers. Torker II welded to match tall ports. Out of the box Holley 850 other than has two 30cc pumps(to compare to my Demon). Super Comp 2'"/3.5" headers into a 3" Dr. Gas X crossover into 3" welded Ultraflows and Torque Tech 3" tailpipes. 10" "Hand" convertor, TH350 4.10 8.5 10 bolt. 30x9x15 Hoosiers. 6 cyloinder front srpings, Tri City rear springs. Bilstein shocks. Idles at 12" neutral.