Best Camshaft For 350 Chevy in 2021 | Editor’s Picks

If the engine is the heart of the vehicle, then it goes without saying that the camshaft is the veins and the arteries which keep that heart running.

Technically, the job of the camshaft is to rotate and create a constant supply of energy by rotation. That rotational energy is then used to push the springs and open up the valves, so that gasoline can enter the cylinders and be used up as fuel.

In some cases, a bigger camshaft is better for your vehicle. But today, we are going to talk about the best camshaft for 350 Chevy.

Remember, the size of the camshaft should always be proportional to the engine’s capacity.

Now let’s get straight into the discussion.

Best Camshaft For 350 Chevy Reviews 2021

We talk about 4 of the top cam sets for Chevy 350s below. Check them out quickly!

1. COMP Cams 54-470-11 LSR Rectangular Port 235/251 Hydraulic Roller Cam for GM LS GEN III/IV

You need a strong camshaft to get the most out of your car’s engine. Torque and horsepower are both driven by the deliberate and simultaneous work of the valves in the combustion chamber of the engine. 

With an operating range of 2200 – 7200 RPM, this hydraulic roller cam will be able to produce such an optimum balance between the torque and horsepower that your engine will perform much better than it did at stock variation. 

If you have an LS 6.0 or 6.2 engine, then this camshaft will be just the right fit for them because these have a rectangular port just as the port head of the LS3 and L92.  

The lobe separation of the cams is 113 degrees, which gives them a boost in the upper rev range so that the car is on its highest level of top-end power. There is a centrifugal blower of the shaft that has an intake duration of 235 and an exhaust duration of about 251, while the lift is about 0.050 inches. The big difference in the separation of the intake and the exhaust means that there will be great airflow between the ports. 

This is also helped by the valve lift is 0.621/0.624 inches, which employs a great level of responsiveness to the engine combustion. 

This is a great camshaft that derives the full advantage of their superior cylinder heads to boost the airflow between the cams so that your engine runs at top speed. 

2. COMP Cams CL12-600-4 Thumpr 227/241 Hydraulic Flat Cam and Lifter Kit for Chevrolet Small Block

If you want the biggest horsepower without spending top-dollar for it, then this is the perfect cost-effective solution for you. There’s nothing missing in this camshaft. It has a great motor inside, and the power to transform your chevy whether it’s in stock or has been modified already.

The angle of separation between the exhaust and intake lobes is just enough to avoid any choppiness when the vehicle is idle. At 107 degrees, there is very little chance for the exhaust gases to enter the intake valves and mess up the fuel to air proportions in the engine.

The valve lift will be between 0.479 inches to 0.465 inches in accurate measure.

The operating range of this hydraulic camshaft is 2000 to 5800 RPM. The range is big enough for street cars to change from high gear to low gear on a fairly smooth transition.

Also, there are three cam designs in this one block, and they work together to give you a massive gain in torque and horsepower.

You will get to notice this first hand when you start up the engine – the intake valve opens quite early, and the exhaust valves are kept open for a fair duration to ensure that the overlap between them is high.

This is characterized by the loud and powerful exhaust note you’ll hear when the engine is started.

3. COMP Cams 12-602-4 Big Mutha’ Thumpr 243/257 Hydraulic Flat Cam for Chevrolet Small Block

If the growling sound of a heavy, powerful idle makes your blood pump faster, then this is the perfect 350 chevy camshaft kit for you! You may have heard it on passing cars, and gotten envious already but we are here to tell you that it has much more benefits than that gorgeous and rough top performance idle.

These Thumpr Cams have been built to give your engine the wild boost that it needs. The chevy 350 cam kit has a unique cam design that boosts up the horsepower and torque of your car by engaging the valves for a longer duration.

You can’t see this with the hood in place, but the design of the rotating cams actually ensure that the intake valve opens up quickly at start up, and the exhaust valves simultaneously stay open to give you more time for the overlap required for that perfect hard-hitting sound at exhaust.

These camshafts are good for street cars and muscle cars. It has a compression ratio of 9:1, which means that there won’t be any risk of incomplete combustion that might clog up the pipes. This also means you’ll need less fuel to go the same miles, and you’ll produce much less exhaust gases than before.

Moreover, the operating range is 2200 to 6100 RPM, and this is the window in which your car will get the maximum boost in power and torque from these cams.

4. SB Chevy 283 327 350 400 Hi-Perf RV Cam & Lifter Kit .480/.480 Lift – 282 Duration

Seen as the best cam for torque chevy 350, this is a complete camshaft and lifter kit that will make the fuel and air mix to a perfect ratio so that your car is always at top performance.

The lift on the valves will be 0.480 inches, and this will help the comp cam kit chevy 350 to let more air into the engine. When the engine has a rich supply of air, it can burn fuel more efficiently, and the resultant clean combustion is what makes the car gain so much horsepower and torque.

Moreover, this chev camshaft has an advertised duration of 282 degrees, which is high enough for the car to have a super rough idle at start up. So if you want that big hard-hitting idle sound at exhaust, this is the thing for you to get.

The operating range of this model is 2000 – 6500 RPM, which makes these hydraulic camshafts great for street cars that need a good pick-me-up from the lagging performance of incomplete combustion cycles happening in their V8 engines.

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Things To Consider Before Buying Camshaft For Stock 350 Chevy

Choosing the best cam sets for Chevy 350 is not a plain task, but it’s also not as difficult as it sounds like. If you are a beginner, you will struggle at first making the decision and may get confused regarding which one to invest your money in. Here we have a definitive guide that will tell you everything you need to know to make the right choice.

RPM Range

The camshaft is dependent on the engine. It actually makes the engine’s work smoother, so it should definitely be a complement to it. To know which cams you need, you have to know the operating range of your engine.

In other words, you have to know the RPM range at which the engine produces its maximum power. So, if you want to get the best cam for stock 350 chevy, you’ll have to keep the RPM range in mind.

Valve Lift

The main function of the flat tappet cams is to keep rotating so that they can mechanically open the valves leading to the engine. When the valves open, air flows into the engine and mixes with fuel for a good combustion that makes the car run with more torque and horsepower.

The valve lift should also be just right with the engine. It cannot be too high or too low, because then the camshafts would get locked up in position due to overperformance.

Compression Losses

If you have a 383 stroker auto transmission carburetor, then this part is important. You have to choose a set of camshafts and lifters that does not allow any compression losses. Compression losses are, basically, leaks that tamper with the air to fuel ratio. So you don’t want that.

One way to prevent this is to get chevy 350 thumpr cam that reach the peak lift height very quickly when the cams hit the valves, and then quickly close once the air has entered so as to prevent the lift from exposing the exhaust valves more than they should be.

However, when you are looking for quick closing cams, you also have to keep in mind that the cams don’t bounce once they hit the ramp they snap into. The cams should close quickly, and completely efficiently to prevent any losses of compression. So, check if the product has long exhaust duration. Also, get an idea about the manifold vacuum.

Price

350 Chevy is a popular engine. So you will get a lot of different camshafts in the market for it. These products are differently priced, and a lot of them are quality ones from reputed brands. The advantage of buying from a well-known company is that they ensure top-notch quality.

It gets tricky to choose, but if you keep an eye on the basic specifications of the camshaft kit and match it with what you need, you’ll be able to get a win on this purchase and find the best rv cam for 350 chevy.

There are some street cams which are relatively straightforward in specs, but they will give you anything you need and enhance your experience as a driver. There are a lot of budget options you can use, where you will get a low RPM operating range, but the performance, output, and torque will still be high due to the size of the shafts.

The more expensive models will give you the same RPM operation at low speeds as the budget ones, but they will also be equally good at high speeds. With small models, the operation range at high speed will not be as high.

But that’s a compromise that you can technically make do with.

Performance

In the case of performance, there are two basic types of chevy 350 camshaft upgrade.

Some 350 cam kits give you a good boost and a mid-level RPM for operations, and the combination of these two will give you good overall performance at different ranges.

On the other hand, there are some camshafts that are going to give you very high operating ranges and very high performance no matter what speed you are on. These are obviously more on the expensive side, but they will allow you to get the highest level of performance and efficiency. And if manage to couple them with a quality carburetor and muffler, then your exhaust system is going to benefit a lot.

First, you have to know how much torque and performance you want from the cammed 350. After that, you can go in, look at the power and operating range specifications of different camshafts, and choose the one that will give you your desired torque and performance.

Go with a heavy-duty camshaft if you want a massive upgrade on your torque and performance. If a small improvement is what you are looking for, then go with the lower range 350 cams.

Compatibility

Check the compatibility of the camshafts with your engine and transmission before you buy it. To match compatibility correctly, you will have to know the specifications of your engine thoroughly.

Get the engine’s size and all other information that came with it. Then compare them; if they match, you’re good to go. If they don’t match even the best street cam for small block chevy won’t be of any help.

Lobe Separation Angle

Lobe separation refers to the biggest angle that will form between two cams when they are lifted. This angle will determine the time synchronization between the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves. So it’s important that you know this.

For reference, when the cam lobe separation angle is 0 degrees, the exhaust system, and intake valves will open and close at exactly the same time. They’ll be completely in sync.

If lobe separation is off, the timing of the valves will also be off. And if that happens, the engine won’t perform well.

 

FAQs About Camshaft For 350 Chevy

1. How will a camshaft improve my car?

A good camshaft kit will improve the torque curve and throttle response of the car and increase horsepower by letting a rich mix of air and fuel into the engine for combustion to be completed fully. This will also improve the fuel economy and gas mileage of your car. If you also get a 2 barrel carburetor for your chevy 350, then it would improve your car further. In addition, a good cam will add durability to the engine as well. However, a camshaft may make your car sound louder as the combustion chamber that uses pistons remains open for a long time which results in more sound.

2. What is an “over-cammed” car?

If the valves open too much and stay open for a long duration without the supporting level of compression in it, then you can say that the car has been over-cammed.

3. How to fix an over-cammed car?

You will have to replace the camshafts you’ve installed in it. Because they are probably not compatible with the engine’s potential and power.

4. Are long durations better than short ones?

Long durations mean that the vehicles will have a rough idle.

5. My car is not running properly with my new camshafts, what’s the problem?

If you have installed a compatible camshaft then maybe the problem lies with the timing of the cams. In that case, you have to take them out, inspect them and reinstall them carefully before you start the automobile again.

6. What is the biggest cam for stock 350?

The biggest cam will be the COMP Cams CL12-600-4 Thumpr 227/241 Hydraulic Flat Cam. This can also be regarded as the best cam for stock 350 chevy.

7. What is the best sounding cam for the stock?

That depends entirely on your preferences.

Conclusion

Nothing can give your car a good boost in performance than a set of high-quality camshafts.

And with an engine like the Chevy 350, you’ll need to get the best camshaft for 350 chevy. Nothing less than that will be an improvement on the car, but it might do some damage. We hope you have gotten some ideas on cams after reading this article. Good luck!

And if you have any questions regarding chevy 350 cams, let us know in the comments. Also, to find Best Turbo For 12V Cummins, check this article of ours.