HELP! 440 Wedge Can't keep up with a Saab 9-3 HELP!!!!!

Gentleman, something seems to be wrong with my 64 Plymouth running a 440! I have an Eddy 1411 running 0.116 primary and .119 secondary. It seems to cruise fine, but won't get out of it's own way when you step into it!

Gentleman! Here’s what I’m running.

440 bored out 0.060”
Chrysler electronic ignition
440 fuel pump
TRW forged flat top pistons 10.5:1
2.14 Intake 1.81 Exhaust

Comp Cam
Valve Adjustment Hydraulic

I'm attaching a copy of the cam grind.

Any ideas? It also seems to run a bit hot as well.

What intake do you have on the engine and what gears do you have in the rear differential?

I have 3:23's.

Edelbrock RPM performer intake manifold.

I also have the Max Wedge/Superstock exhaust manifolds with three inch mandrel bent with flowmaster mufflers.

How much timing are you running? Is the advance mechanism working properly?

How bad is the detonation?
Just off hand, it looks like the cam (which is smaller than a stock cam) is way too small and with 10.5:1 compression the engine will be sensitive to detonation. The carb jetting actually looks rich too?
Changing to a larger cam should really help.

Wow, the duration of that cam is essentially the same as a stock 440 cam. Not even a HP/6-pack cam, but a stock passenger car 440 cam. That is a very small cam if you've got 10.5 of compression you could do a lot more cam, even with those 3.23's.

Your cam is 212 @050 and I think they say the stock lo-po cam was 210 or so with almost as much lift as your cam. That cam is really a waste with a RPM intake, big-valve heads, 3" exhaust. I would be looking at something more like the lunati voodoo 60303 which is 226/234 @050 or the comp xe275hl 231/237. The comp I mentioned may be a bit much for those gears with a stock converter though.

In any event, there's probably more in your combo than you're getting. Did you dial in your ignition timing? Should be getting ~15* initial and 36-38 total, all in by 2500-3000rpm.

Then start trying to dial in the carb. FWIW the 1411 carb is the electric choke version of the infamous 1407, which definitely has its share of haters on this board, though some people claim to have good luck with them. If you bought the carb new I hope you at least went through it on the inside, they have a reputation for spotty assembely quality. Do you have a jet kit for the carb yet? If not I'd add that to the shopping list. Hard to tune for WOT without a good assortment of jets/metering rods.

How does it act when you floor it? What do the plugs look like? As said what(ign) timing specs? 10.5 advertized or measured CR. Any compression test #'s to post?

I'll get the numbers to post after Wednesday. I'll also do a compression test and post those numbers too. Can you check back with me after I post later this week?

BTW - how much more HP do you think I would gain by changing to a larger cam?

well you lift is pnly at .440"...that is smogger motor material there

So... If I were to put a new cam in, this would wake up? What do you think the HP increase would be?

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So... If I were to put a new cam in, this would wake up? What do you think the HP increase would be?

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Hard to predit exactly. Depends on the rest of the combo and your tuning abilities. Could easily be 30-50hp there waiting to be exploited.