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Cam in 2019 challenger RT

8K views 21 replies 9 participants last post by  Party340 
#1 ·
So I am new to big mods on cars and I’d love to put the 274 comp cam into the 5.7 but I guess I don’t even know where to start as of now... what is the first 5 things I should do to prep and get ready to install this and where and who would be a good person to go to for tuning (location, Nebraska)
 
#3 ·
if you're planning on using on the street, I'd recommend a 266 cam at the most.

Even Comp recommends the 274 for stroker engines - you'll have better results with other cams.

There's folks I know with 392s that after doing the swap consider changing out to something other than the 274 they put in (again, street driven primarily)
 
#4 ·
Im going to run the 274 cam. If you have the rest of stuff to run it, its great in a 5.7. For best results you need to have headers, long tube preferably, intake that can support the top end, cam phaser lockout or limiter, unlocked pcm to be able to tune it, valve springs, pushrods to handle the new valve springs, if its automatic then you need lifters, gaskets and fluids. Water pump, thermostat, belt wouldnt hurt to change also. Components are off to do the swap and its cheap insurance.
If your on a budget then go with the 6.4 or 6.2 cam. Most wont upgrade the rest of whats needed to run the 274 cam in a 5.7 and they get poor performance. But if you have the rest of the mods then it will definitely wake the engine up and out perform the stock(6.2,6.4) cams.
 
#5 ·
The problem with that cam is not the duration but the installed intake centerline. Ideally you would want it at 106 or so but instead you are stuck with it being 111 or so because of piston to value clearance. This causes a dramatic loss of power in the low rpm range. Not good for a heavy car with a smallish displacement. Pistons with generous valve relives and a custom cam with a 106 ish intake centerline and similar lobes would work much better but that ain’t cheap.
 
#6 ·
You must be use to old school engines. Ive run sbc's with 104 and love them. Use to advance a cam 4° also. But these are new engines and have VVT. The phaser makes all the difference in the world. The 274 is actually 116. Run a limiter that allows the ecu to advance and retard it 4° both ways.
Ill be setting mine up with a cam degree wheel. Should be interesting, will find out soon
 
#7 ·
There's definitely better options than the 274, like the new HRT cams and custom grinds, but everyone has their own opinion. I'm very happy with my 392 cam. For a stock displacement daily driven car I didn't see any reason to run a bigger cam to get that extra 5-10 hp up top when I'm just gonna go boosted anyway and make another 100.
And I HIGHLY recommend long tubes with the cam, they go hand in hand.
 
#12 ·
Notes from Comp regarding the 274 cam:
Comp's Listed Application: HYDRAULIC - Requires either added displacement or high RPM modifications in street/strip applications
RPM Operating Range: 2400 to 7400 expected

the other item ^^^ is note the operating range. a lot of street driving has you @ 1,500 - 2,500 rpm. That cam is a big hit on low end power and the redline on a stock 5.7 is 5,800 rpm.

(for reference redline on stock 392 is 6,400 rpm)

the oiling system as well as rotating assembly are the limits for redline - not intake or exhaust capacity.
 
#14 ·
the phaser has a spring inside of it as well - so w/o the VVT oil control solenoid, I'd imagine the cam could have some retardation in timing with the cam going against the the force of the valve springs.

The VVT probably is using PWM to manage oil pressure for the phaser operation, since oil pressure in the engine fully warmed up will be ~ 28 psi (idle) to 60 psi at redline.

Maybe more of that (momentarily) with quick increases in rpm
 
#16 ·
I wouldnt lock out the vvt. Then , yes youd probably loose some bottom end torque. Limiter will allow it to still function(some) properly and will maintain the torque at bottom end. Heres my cam degree kit, havent had a call for it lately. Most dont get it done and just run them straight up. If your after every hp then i highly recommend having it done.

995104


Gauge Clock
Metalworking hand tool Gauge Auto part Machine tool Machine
 
#18 ·
I wouldnt lock out the vvt. Then , yes youd probably loose some bottom end torque. Limiter will allow it to still function(some) properly and will maintain the torque at bottom end. Heres my cam degree kit, havent had a call for it lately. Most dont get it done and just run them straight up. If your after every hp then i highly recommend having it done. View attachment 995065 View attachment 995066 View attachment 995067
You would not loose bottom end by locking it out but you would loose top end.
 
#17 ·
The limiter keeps the exhaust valve from hitting the piston. The high installed intake centerline keeps the intake valve from hitting the piston. So you still need valve relifes if you advance the cam with a timing sprocket even if you lock the cam down. Or you need a less aggressive cam lobe. If you have a 09 car like mine you have tons more tuning options with Hp tuners if you turn off the vvt. If it’s turned on none of the VE tables respond to changes. You have to log injector pw and scale the injectors accordingly. This takes a lot of time and most tuners just turn the vvt off on these oddball years and use the VE tables. I have a 426 stroker with a comp 270 that put down 520 hp to the wheels. My cam starts to retard at 4200 rpms up to 6 degrees at redline.
 
#19 ·
Locking it out basically turns it into a non vvt engine. So then you get no advance or retard. Both would suffer instead of letting the ecu do its thing at low and high rpm's

The factory only retards it 9° at wot. Its got a total movement of 38° total. They use it for low end torque also. Lock it out and you get no movement at all.
 
#21 ·
There is no need to worry about bent valves. These cars have had cam swaps for years now. And the majority of the good timers know what to do and how to do it. If you aren’t tuning this yourself. Find one of the good timers and you will be fine.
 
#22 ·
As long as they use a limiter and the cam is degreed in it will never bend the valves because of the tune. It is physically impossible. The only way it could bend valves is if the timing chain is a tooth off which would be caught by degreeing the cam or if you overrev it and float the valves.
 
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