Are you looking for the best cam for a Pontiac 400? You’re in the right place.
Pontiac 400 has been one of the highest performance engines in sports cars. Those who own such powerful cars thrive on upgrading them to a better version. If you are one among them and want to enhance your motor’s performance by adding the best cam for a Pontiac 400, then you are at the right place.
A cam is an essential part of the engine as it determines its emissions, fuel economy, and performance. It should match with the build of your engine. Many manufacturers produce aftermarket cams.
They give you information based on the rear gear ratios, converter stall, and compression range.
Below we’ve reviewed the seven best cams for a Pontiac 400. Check them out here.
Best Cams for Pontiac 400 – Comparison Table
1. Comp Cams 12-602-4 (Editor’s Choice)
Comp Cams 12-602-4 is the best cam for a Pontiac 400 available on the market. It is a flat hydraulic camshaft with great sound and fantastic performance.
The RPM range of this cam is 2400 to 2600.
The idle is rough sounding with a lot of top-end power. However, the Comp Cams’ Big Mutha’ Thumpr series is known to give an outstanding performance.
Features
If you are a performance enthusiast, then this camshaft would be idle for your Pontiac 400. This product’s main feature is that it delivers on incredible exhaust note and is ultimate in modern performance. In addition, it is designed with experts who have been developing the Thumpr series of camshafts for over 30 years. As a result, you can see a significant gain in horsepower in torque.
Pros
- 2400-2600 RPM
- Higher torque converter
- Idle sound is rough, and take-off is smooth
- Great price
Cons
- Requires a very high idle
- Too much vacuum pressure
The cam is one of the best in its category, and that’s why we call it the editor’s choice product. People who have used this camshaft noticed the power difference, the throttle response was snappy, and the sound was aggressive.
2. Comp Cams 12-326-4
It is a beautiful sounding and outstanding performance camshaft designed for street machines. This hydraulic flat tappet-style cam provides optimum top-end performance for your Pontiac 400 motor.
Features
The camshaft style has a 2,000-6,000 basic RPM Operating Range. It has 110 Degree Lobe Separation Angle, which makes it great for street machines. It is best with aftermarket torque converters and 9.5:1 compression. You can use the cam with valve springs and mild ratio rocker arms.
Pros
- Great for street machines
- Perfect Fit
- The cam sounds excellent.
- Available at a great price
Cons
- No buyers have reported any cons of the product yet.
It is one of the best-sounding cams designed for street machines. Apart from its excellent performance and sound, buyers also like this because of its fair price. The cam fits perfectly in Pontiac 400 and works great.
3. Comp Cams CL51-221-4
The hydraulic flat tappet-style cam has an excellent performance in street carbureted applications. The cam has an aggressive lobe design that produces a fantastic throttle response. Additionally, its high-lift design provides extra lift to your Pontiac 400 motor for top engine horsepower.
Feature
The cam has quicker opening lobes with 110 Degree Lobe Separation Angle, which results in improved responsiveness and enough area under the lift curve. In addition, more vacuum allows the cam to show an outstanding performance with an improved 240/246 Duration at .050″.
Pros
- Produces great throttle response
- Rough idle
- Produces top-end horsepower
- Delivers greater than before engine vacuum
- Fairly priced
Cons
- No buyer has any complaints about the product yet.
The camshaft looks good and is available at a fair price. It possesses a lot of power with a loud throttle sound. It fits well with Pontiac 400 motor.
4. Comp Cams 12-433-8
This hydraulic roller tappet-style camshaft provides maximum performance, better throttle response, more engine vacuum, and top-engine horsepower. In addition, since the cam is not flat, you don’t have to worry about cleaning the cam lobes and filters. As a result, it gives a fantastic performance in the street carbureted applications.
Feature
This camshaft requires 9:1 compression and has a rough idle intake with gears and headers. The RPM Operating Range is 2,500-6,000.
It has a .520″/.540″ Valve Lift and 236/242 Duration at .050″ with 110 Degree Lobe Separation Angle. Since there is more vacuum, it assists power brakes and aids to improvement in the performance.
In addition, the Speedier opening flap profiles convey expanded responsiveness and more space under the lift bend.
Pros
- Excellent performance
- Valve springs match the camshaft.
- Roller lifters
- Great street-able upgrade
- Double roll timing chain
- Extremely responsive
Cons:
- We have not found any negative points about this cam.
If you are looking for a great camshaft that gives a fantastic performance, then this cam will be an ideal one for your Pontiac 400 motor. With a 2500-6000 operating range, the shaft speedily opens the lobes, thus improving the responsiveness.
5. Comp Cams 51-232-3
It is another very high-energy hydraulic flat tappet camshaft with a reasonably good mid-range torque and low end. It has got a noticeable idle and street performance. The build material of the cam is cast iron.
Feature
The camp shaft is designed for street engines with a compression ratio of 8:1 to 9:1. The basic operating RPM range of the cam is 1500-5500 with 110 degrees of lobe separation. You will require valve springs with this cam.
Pros
- Good low-end and mid-range torque
- Amazing street performance
- High energy camshaft
Cons
- No cons found yet
If you want a cam that can increase the gas mileage of your Pontiac 400 and work well with power breaks, you can choose this high-energy camshaft for your street machine.
6. Comp Cams CL51-233-4
It is an excellent performance Magnum series hydraulic flat cam designed to enhance the performance of street machines. The cam is a fair idle that produces a tremendous high RPM power.
Feature
The cam has the hydraulic flat tappet style with a 2000-6000 basic RPM operating range. The cam is built of cast iron and produces a good mid-range torque. It has a 110-degree lobe separation which is suitable for daily performance use.
Pros
- Enhances the performance of your vehicle
- Provides maximum top-end performance
- Delivers more power compared to the standard cams
- It comes with a 1-year warranty.
Cons
- We found no cons for this product.
The aggressive camshaft is designed for performance-oriented street machines. Choose this cam to enhance the performance of your Pontiac 400 motor. Then, you can trust the company and buy the product without giving a second thought.
7. Comp Cams 12-232-3
Comp Cams 12-232-3 is a flat hydraulic camshaft known for a good economy, skiing, and outboard and inboard pleasure boat. It is also known for giving maximum horsepower. The low price is also an excellent factor in buying this product. In addition, the cam will have an excellent street manner on your Pontiac 400 motor.
Features
The build material of the cam is cast iron. The flat tappet style of the cam has a basic operating range of 1000-2000 RPM. The lobe separation angle is 110 degrees. The valve lift with factory rocker arm ratio is 0.447 (intake)/0.462 (exhaust). The lifter is included with the product, and the lifter style is also a hydraulic flat tappet. The camshaft works against a restrictive exhaust system providing a very broad powerband and maximum horsepower.
Pros
- Enhance your vehicle
- Great Performance
- Backed by manufacturer’s Warranty
Cons
- We found no issues with the cam.
Competition Cams is a trusted brand among cam manufacturers which produces cams for daily performance use. Known for its outstanding performance, this cam is a good buy for your Pontiac 400 motor.
How to Pick the Best Cam for a Pontiac 400?
Selecting a particular type associated with a camshaft on an excellent engine build is usually a crucial decision. You should pick the best cam for your Pontiac 400 before you order or machine any other components. Choosing the best Pontiac 400 cam requires responding to some basic queries, the main of which usually is the motor application itself.
A particular camshaft for Pontiac 400 determines the specific engine’s horsepower plus torque curves. Therefore, the cam has to match the application, yet all of the particular pieces will go into the particular valvetrain, the canister heads, compression proportion, and induction program.
Motor builders must look for out enough information from their customers. Sometimes, this information may come from understanding to perform engines built at different ranges.
Regarding picking the particular camshaft, one associated with the most commonly produced mistake is over-camming the engine along with too much raise and duration. Huge numbers look fantastic, and you also could have the customer who demands having the wildest cam he may find for his engine. But it usually is the very best cam for a Pontiac 400 for how he or she will make use of his vehicle?
Some ways are given below for selecting a performance camshaft concerning road racers, drag racers, and stock car racers.
Road Racing
Road racers frequently possess more than the typical four-velocity transmissions, and the ratios are frequently closer. That means the lobe separation may frequently be closer than average since the driver can keep up with the RPM to a narrow range than average. Specific figures are discussed in our buying guide about the best shocks for a 383 Stroker.
Drag Racing
Drag Racers should gear for peak RPM in the finish to be several hundred above peak energy.
Stock Car Racing
It will be imperative to know at what RPM the car leaves the corner. It is difficult for the driver to watch the tach in the corner with 5 or 10 cars close by.
Wrap-Up: The Best Cam for a Pontiac 400
You can put any cam you would like in your engine respective to what the cam grinder suggests. Whatever you may find will be that whenever you get into bigger cams, the power band techniques up the RPM scale, you give up lower finish torque, so the bottom part finish RPM suffers and get upper finish horsepower gains.
That will be why the cam grinders recommend higher stall converters and more gearing so your engine will jump right up to an RPM on which the cam is designed to fit on.
The winner from the above list of the best cam for a Pontiac 400 is the Comp Cams 12-602-4. Buyers have liked it due to its great sound and fantastic performance. The cam is suitable for those who want a smooth take-off at a fair price.