C1 - 3736097 Cam

[Brad K.]

Somebody settle an argument for me......Give me the lowdown on this particular breed of camshaft (3736097). I also need some words around a comparison of this cam and a later cam (I don't know the number) that is similar but with different valve lash clearances.
Thanks.........

[Duke W.]

Re: C1 - 3736097 Cam

Basically a good cam, which was considered a racing cam back in the fifties and powered Corvettes to several SCCA championships. It has mild dynamics so it's easy on the vavletrain. but it has more overlap than is really useful for a street engine.

I recommend it for small valve (1.72"/1,50") 283s, especially if you are restoring an original 097 cam engine. A good alternative is the L-79 cam which has about the same duration with more lift and less overlap, but it has hydraulic lifters, so you have to limit revs to about 6000.

I recommend the LT-1 cam to replace the Duntov and 30-30 cams on 327s and the '61 315 HP FI engine with 461 heads, but consider the Duntov or L-79 cams to be the best OE cam choices for small valve high performance 283s.

Duration at .050" lifter rise and points of max lift summary is as follows:

Duntov:220/220, 108/112
L-79: 221/221, 110/118
LT-1: 231/239, 110/122
30-30: 239/239, 110/118

Duke

[Clem Z.]

Re: C1 - 3736097 Cam

097 was the "duntov"cam used in solid lifter 283 engines,228/230 dur @.050,lift .395/.400, orignal lash was .012/.018 and later changed to .008/.012 for better top end. the 346,called the 30-30 because of the so called valve lash was the solid lifter cam used on the 327 engines,254/254 dur @ .050,lift .485/.485. the orignal lash was listed as .025/.025 but later change to .030/.030 maybe for better low end power

[Duke W.]

Re: C1 - 3736097 Cam

Duration at .050" lifter rise is a confusing measurement and makes hydraulic and mechanical lifter specs apples and oranges. For the 30-30 cam, Clem quoted the "industry standard" duration of 254 degrees, but this includes the clearance ramp height, which is not turned into duration at the valve. The valve does not start opening until the clearance is taken up, but essentially all lobe lift is turned into lift at the valve with a hydraulic cam.

My number - 239, which is 15 degrees less than the "specified" 254, is based on lifter rise ABOVE the top of the clearance ramp, so it can be compared directly to hydraulic cams. My specifications are based on analysis of GM cam lobe data, which is specified to six significant digits, every camshaft degree.

Duke