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Towing cam for 5.9 magnum #2882853
02/01/21 06:14 PM
02/01/21 06:14 PM
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njmopar Offline OP
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I finally dug into my misfire on my 96 Ram 5.9 Magnum. As I suspected from leak down testing, I have a burnt exhaust valve on cyl 1. I got the drivers head off yesterday and can visually see. Going to do the intake plenum block off plate as well.

Since I am going to be this deep in, considering a new cam. 93K miles and bottom end is in good shape. I use the truck a lot for towing camper and car trailer, so for me a towing cam would be good. I do have a SCT tune, but will keep the stock intake and heads (assuming they are not wasted). 3.92 gears.

In talking with Comp and Hughes they are saying these cams.
http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/...arch=0814&submit=Go&partid=30212
and
https://www.compcams.com/xtreme-ene...ulic-roller-cam-for-chrysler-magnum.html

Anyone have feedback in towing use?

Side question, on these engines, when the crank damper is at TDC, should the distributor rotor point exactly at the “Cylinder 1” marking on the plastic inner cover? Mine is slightly before and unsure if this is correct. I do note a tiny bit of timing chain play if I reverse it, but not that much.

Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: njmopar] #2882870
02/01/21 07:00 PM
02/01/21 07:00 PM
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I would run the comp cam over the hughes for longevity, I ran one similar to the hughes you listed but every 20,000 or so miles it would start poking pushrods through rockers and wouldnt quit till I threw another set in it. It ran awesome except for that. Of course you could buy good rockers but then your spending a lot of money witch brings me to my next idea...

I don't know if you can find any but a set of R/T or RHS heads are a great upgrade for a towing 5.9, more airflow even with the stock cam, press in hard seats that won't get hammered away and the injector can actually spray the fuel on the back of the valve instead of the side of the port (improves performance, MPG and emissions) you could probably find someone to give you a 318 magnum cam and its a slight upgrade over the 5.9 cam combined with thin head gaskets for a compression bump is a nice upgrade for a 5.9. I know first hand that is a real good combo, helped MPG and power.


I am not causing global warming, I am just trying to hold off a impending Ice Age!



Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: njmopar] #2882903
02/01/21 08:33 PM
02/01/21 08:33 PM
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I have the hughes cam in my hightop van. Full rebuild on the 5.9 with it and EQ heads and it is a MUCH better engine. Pulls like a freight train compared to the sick pig that it was. Still gets the same 11mpg though with my right foot into it. I don't think you can go wrong with either one as the stock cam is tiny. 35k miles and knock on wood no problems so far. Mine was a regrind so I did have to get longer pushrods.

Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: njmopar] #2882917
02/01/21 08:59 PM
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Go to utawesomeperformance.com Marty knows Magnums. I have his UTP 500 cam in my LA 360 with stock magnum heads and this cam pulls really well. Send Marty an email an he'll get in touch with you. You would need a tune with this cam because of the 108 LSA but it's worth it. What I don't like about the Comp and especially the Hughes cam is they have too much lift. Stock magnum heads quit gaining air flow at about .450 lift, anything over that starts causing turbulence. The UTP cam gives you more duration than either of those cams and the tighter LSA improves the lower end torque.


"Follow me the wise man said, but he walked behind"


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Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: Guitar Jones] #2882926
02/01/21 09:42 PM
02/01/21 09:42 PM
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Thanks for all the feedback everyone.

Is this the cam you got from UTA?
http://utawesomeperformance.com/store/p39/UTP_RV_Camshaft_Towing.html

Last edited by njmopar; 02/01/21 09:49 PM.
Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: njmopar] #2882953
02/01/21 10:40 PM
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Originally Posted by njmopar
Thanks for all the feedback everyone.

Is this the cam you got from UTA?
http://utawesomeperformance.com/store/p39/UTP_RV_Camshaft_Towing.html

No I used the UTP 500
UTP 500


"Follow me the wise man said, but he walked behind"


'92 D250 Club Cab CTD, 47RH conversion, pump tweaks, injectors, rear disc and hydroboost conversion.
'74 W200 Crew Cab 360, NV4500, D44, D60 and NP205 divorced transfer case. Rear disc and hydroboost coming soon!
2019 1500 Long Horn Crew Cab 4WD, 5.7 Hemi.
Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: Guitar Jones] #2883069
02/02/21 12:04 PM
02/02/21 12:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Guitar Jones
Go to utawesomeperformance.com Marty knows Magnums. I have his UTP 500 cam in my LA 360 with stock magnum heads and this cam pulls really well. Send Marty an email an he'll get in touch with you. You would need a tune with this cam because of the 108 LSA but it's worth it. What I don't like about the Comp and especially the Hughes cam is they have too much lift. Stock magnum heads quit gaining air flow at about .450 lift, anything over that starts causing turbulence. The UTP cam gives you more duration than either of those cams and the tighter LSA improves the lower end torque.


Guitar, do you have any experience with the plenum plates Marty sells for the beer barrel intake?

Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: mgoblue9798] #2883096
02/02/21 01:20 PM
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If you are going to replace the plenum plate you can get the same thing off ebay and save a few bucks. All it is a 1/4 inch piece of aluminum. You can make one yourself if want to put the time in it. And the distributor does not adjust timing it is for fuel sync. You need to have #1 cyl on the compression stroke and it should look like this...

[Linked Image]

Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: Moparite] #2883143
02/02/21 03:14 PM
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The problem with a flat homemade plate is it is so close to the mouth of the port it can restrict flow if it is not recessed like the good plates or even the factory steel one. I would spend the money on a hughes air gap intake before I would waste money on a different plate. The air gap intake has slightly different injector targeting that helps get the fuel closer to the back of the valve, it also keeps the air and fuel nearly 100 degrees cooler (the factory beer barrels real problem is the cam/lifter oil cooking the air and the thermostat passage cooking the air to the front cylinders not the runner design) so it still makes good TQ in spite of not having nice long runners but has the added benefit of not restricting air flow at higher RPM all this while not having the leaky plate to worry with. You can use the factory plate with a thin bead of right tuff and it will not leak again. On a couple trucks I did a plenum gasket on I used some spare valve cover bolts with the stud sticking out of em in place of 4 corner bolts on the plenum, then added a spare plenum plate onto those with 4 nuts to secure it about a 1/4 inch below the factory plate and it lowers intake air temps about 10-15 degrees by shielding it from so much direct contact with the hot oil. I alsso have thought about grinding away the entire coolant passage and thermostat area on a manifold and adding bungs to the atatch some hoses to a remote thermostat housing butt I never got that ambitious.


I am not causing global warming, I am just trying to hold off a impending Ice Age!



Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: HotRodDave] #2883152
02/02/21 03:38 PM
02/02/21 03:38 PM
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I know distributor sets injection timing, and has to be fine adjusted with scan tool. Thought it odd that mine does not line up exactly with that mark, and I know I never messed with it (owned since new).
This was on the UTA site, http://utawesomeperformance.com/magnum-camshaft-faq.html
My rotor is at just about the 8:30 mark as they state.

I dont have unlimited budget for this truck, so Airgap is out of range. I was thinking of getting this shield from UTA to prevent the oil hitting the intake issue. http://utawesomeperformance.com/store/p42/CNC_Intake_Manifold_Valley_Pan.html

Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: njmopar] #2883176
02/02/21 04:18 PM
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That would help some for sure but I call bologna on 40-50 degree IAT drop. That don't stop all the contact with the oil and a huge part of the heat comes from the coolant passage on the front sharing a huge common wall with the plenum. Besides you could make that up yourself in a few minutes.


I am not causing global warming, I am just trying to hold off a impending Ice Age!



Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: HotRodDave] #2883181
02/02/21 04:22 PM
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Wow I just checked hughes website, the manifold is only $400 but is on back order, I am getting very close to starting another superduperMPG318 project and was hoping to grab one myself, may have to dig into the remote t-stat again and maybe make my own shield again for the bottom, maybe even ceramic coat the plate...


I am not causing global warming, I am just trying to hold off a impending Ice Age!



Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: HotRodDave] #2883341
02/02/21 10:17 PM
02/02/21 10:17 PM
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I misspoke. Not plenum plates, I already have those. These things:


http://utawesomeperformance.com/store/p40/Kegger_Intake_Manifold_VRP_%28Volume_Reducing_Plates%29.html

Last edited by mgoblue9798; 02/02/21 10:22 PM.
Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: HotRodDave] #2883362
02/02/21 11:17 PM
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HRD take a closer look, the $400 manifold doesn't have injector bungs. You would have to weld them on for FI. The kit one with bungs already welded for the stock magnum engines is $650.

Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: Guitar Jones] #2883364
02/02/21 11:23 PM
02/02/21 11:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Guitar Jones
Go to utawesomeperformance.com Marty knows Magnums. I have his UTP 500 cam in my LA 360 with stock magnum heads and this cam pulls really well. Send Marty an email an he'll get in touch with you. You would need a tune with this cam because of the 108 LSA but it's worth it. What I don't like about the Comp and especially the Hughes cam is they have too much lift. Stock magnum heads quit gaining air flow at about .450 lift, anything over that starts causing turbulence. The UTP cam gives you more duration than either of those cams and the tighter LSA improves the lower end torque.

Got a reply from Marty and I guess based on my specs he is recommending a custom grind.
“ I would suggest if you are using stock heads, stay with a 212/212 114 lsa. Keep the lift at 0.456 so you can use stock springs and rockers. If you decide to order that cam from me, I will send you the tune for free in unlimited and any octane you use.”

Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: njmopar] #2883455
02/03/21 10:08 AM
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Originally Posted by njmopar
Originally Posted by Guitar Jones
Go to utawesomeperformance.com Marty knows Magnums. I have his UTP 500 cam in my LA 360 with stock magnum heads and this cam pulls really well. Send Marty an email an he'll get in touch with you. You would need a tune with this cam because of the 108 LSA but it's worth it. What I don't like about the Comp and especially the Hughes cam is they have too much lift. Stock magnum heads quit gaining air flow at about .450 lift, anything over that starts causing turbulence. The UTP cam gives you more duration than either of those cams and the tighter LSA improves the lower end torque.

Got a reply from Marty and I guess based on my specs he is recommending a custom grind.
“ I would suggest if you are using stock heads, stay with a 212/212 114 lsa. Keep the lift at 0.456 so you can use stock springs and rockers. If you decide to order that cam from me, I will send you the tune for free in unlimited and any octane you use.”

Marty has spent a lot of time sorting out magnum modifications.
My engine is carbed with an air gap intake, 650 carb and long tube headers. So I don't have any experience with the plenum reducer plates. I was going to keep the engine injected and use the plenum reducer plates along with the oil shield but I didn't have a 5.9 short block, only a 5.2. My 360 LA was a reman .040 over block so I decided to keep it, put the magnum heads and front accessory drive on it and use a carb.
I also used the Hughes valve springs, 1110? I think and their retainers. I originally used some 1.5 SBC roller rockers because the original plan was to use a solid roller cam, but later upgraded to stainless 1.65 rockers for SB Chevy. They work just fine since this isn't a race engine. I still want to put the solid roller in it but I think it's just too big with 246/246 duration at .050 even though with the 1.5 rocker it would only be .498 lift. I may still put the solid roller lifters on this hydro roller cam though as the Morel retrofit lifters have been nothing but trouble.


"Follow me the wise man said, but he walked behind"


'92 D250 Club Cab CTD, 47RH conversion, pump tweaks, injectors, rear disc and hydroboost conversion.
'74 W200 Crew Cab 360, NV4500, D44, D60 and NP205 divorced transfer case. Rear disc and hydroboost coming soon!
2019 1500 Long Horn Crew Cab 4WD, 5.7 Hemi.
Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: mgoblue9798] #2887322
02/12/21 05:01 PM
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Sorry but those plenum reducing plates are worthless. There is no fuel to keep suspended so no issue there, they may help throttle response but those engines have no issues there either, they are very responsive, also with a smaller plenum volume the cylinders will have more effect on each other than when they have a larger volume especially those cylinders breathing from a corner, what are they supposed to do when the cylinder right befor it in the firing order just sucked all the air out of that corner right before it started trying to pull in air? The large plenum reduces that effect, so in my opinion they are a waste and actually counter productive. If you wish to increase the rpm you can cut down the runners some but again you would actually be increasing the plenum it pulls from witch is not a bad thing. A bigger plenun volume helps smooth out the flow through the throttle body making a small throttle body seem just little bigger. That big plenum is not hurting a thing.


I am not causing global warming, I am just trying to hold off a impending Ice Age!



Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: HotRodDave] #2887656
02/13/21 03:10 PM
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HRD I want to send a PM, but your inbox is maxed out.

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Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: HotRodDave] #2887731
02/13/21 06:26 PM
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Originally Posted by HotRodDave
Sorry but those plenum reducing plates are worthless. There is no fuel to keep suspended so no issue there, they may help throttle response but those engines have no issues there either, they are very responsive, also with a smaller plenum volume the cylinders will have more effect on each other than when they have a larger volume especially those cylinders breathing from a corner, what are they supposed to do when the cylinder right befor it in the firing order just sucked all the air out of that corner right before it started trying to pull in air? The large plenum reduces that effect, so in my opinion they are a waste and actually counter productive. If you wish to increase the rpm you can cut down the runners some but again you would actually be increasing the plenum it pulls from witch is not a bad thing. A bigger plenun volume helps smooth out the flow through the throttle body making a small throttle body seem just little bigger. That big plenum is not hurting a thing.

Maybe, but maybe not. I know Marty has tested them. Those engines do have good throttle response in stock form probably from the small camshaft and higher velocity ports. With a bigger cam and higher flowing ports they may indeed do some good. I know what a difference too much plenum volume can do to slow the velocity in a race engine. Might be one of the reasons Indy's mod man intakes don't work to well on some applications.


"Follow me the wise man said, but he walked behind"


'92 D250 Club Cab CTD, 47RH conversion, pump tweaks, injectors, rear disc and hydroboost conversion.
'74 W200 Crew Cab 360, NV4500, D44, D60 and NP205 divorced transfer case. Rear disc and hydroboost coming soon!
2019 1500 Long Horn Crew Cab 4WD, 5.7 Hemi.
Re: Towing cam for 5.9 magnum [Re: njmopar] #3205020
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OP, what was the final out come? What did you finally do?

Thanks - Cris







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