I have a 1969 cutlass and recently picked up a bone stock 1968 2 barrel motor fr it. It has #5 heads and 67,000 original miles.  I have a Edelbrock RPM intake, Electronic igniton distbutor and planning on headers.  I was looking for suggestions on a cam for it.  I plan on leaving the motor pretty much stock except for the upgrades mentioned.  I was thinking maybe a w-30 or w-31 cam kit?  Any advice would be appreciated.  

I am going to be ordering a W-31 replacement cam for my sons '72 this weekend. The Mondello part number is JM-18-20.  I understand that it doesn't have the exact W-31 specs because if you are running power brakes, you can have vacuum problems.  They consider it a "street" cam, but if you have ever heard one of those engines run, they are impressive.

Your '68 350 is one of the best ones you can have. You have the higher compression that was lost in 1972, so I would suggest one word of caution.  Depending on the surrounding air temp and grade of gas, you are going to have to watch predet especially with the cast iron heads. You will be in the 10.25:1 range which can knock pretty easily under the stresses of heat, compression, and the near beer they sell for gas nowdays.  Octane boost will help.  Tric racing gas even better.

I am also going to use the W-31 replacement in my '68 442.  I am in the process of freshening a 425 out of a '66 98.  It is a 70,000 mile engine, but I plan to go through it anyway. Eventually I will put the 400 out of the 442 back together, but I am having problems finding forged slugs that don't have to be custom built ($800 and some change).

You will like your Olds and it's great that you are keeping it Olds.  They are great engines if you build them right.

Bowser    

So you think a W-31 cam is overall a good idea?
These are on ebay a complete kit for $242.

FALCON PERFORMANCE ULTIMATE CAM KIT
This is the ULTIMATE cam kit with everything needed for a complete cam change. P/N CK1304. This kit contains a hydraulic flat tappet camshaft with the following specs:

RPM Range: 3200-6700
ADV Duration: 314/314
Duration @ .050: 244/244
Valve Lift: .475/.475
Lobe C/L: 110

Street/strip. Good mid-range. Needs headers & intake. W-30 cam, OE #402569.
Kit comes complete with the following components:

Hydraulic flat tappet valve lifters
Matched valve spring set
Chromemoly spring retainers
Hardened single groove locks
Double row roller timing set w/ 3-way crank gear
Cam change gasket set (valve cover gaskets &
Cam lube  

Agreed that Falcon has some nice stuff, but that cam wouldn't be smart for an Olds 350.  Oldsmobile engines produce power in the 2500-5500 RPM range. Spinning them any faster than that nets nothing. Everything that Modello sells keeps this fact in mind.

As for the W-31 replacement, all I can say is that standard springs and valve train are what are needed to use it. It uses flat tappet valve lifters as well. The JM-18-20 is $140.00 plus the price of lifters, and it is coming from an Oldsmobile specialty shop.

I'm not saying it's the best choice, but it's a good choice. Something that is going to spin an Olds 350 over 5500 RPM isn't going to give any extra torque or horsepower.  I will find out today if Mondello has a "kit" of somekind. Last time I just bought the cam. They might have kits now in which case I will purchase it and will let everyone know the total cost.

I guess its all opinion.  Bowser    

Thanks for all the info.  I would like to get a complete kit of some kind.  I am pretty good with motors but never did a camshaft job.  I guess I would feel safer with a kit.  How about competition cams?  

i have a 85 olds with a 350 rocket and a 350 turbo i need help dont no how to hook up the vacumme lanes it all mist up so if anyone can help ples wtihgt back (robert8) or email me at robertjack23yahoo.com  

If you could let me know everything that you recommend when doing the camshaft job.  Do I even need all that is in a kit.  Maybe let me know the Mondello part numbers and I will just put a kit together.  

How about if I just change the cam shaft with the one you suggested and left the rest of the components stock?  Lifters, pushrods, timing chain and gears, etc?  

On top of Bowser's recommendations...I just wanted to add that if your 350 is an original 2bbl motor, you've got low enough compression to not worry about octane boosters.  Its under 9.5:1 for the 2bbl motors (I don't have my Chilton's with me...so I can't tell you exactly what it is).  However, you may still have to run a lead additive if you haven't replaced the valve seats (though there are some who claim you don't need them in Olds motors because of the high nickel content...haven't checked this myself...and certainly do plan on running a lead additive in my 425 when I get it swapped into my Delta 88).  

I was under the assumption that the 2 bbl and 4 bbl motors were pretty much the same.  

They are...except compression and camshaft profiles...oh and there is no chance that those heads have the big valves either.  

I'm guessing that a camshaft upgrade would do wonders?  I have a 1969 cutlass factory 4spd car I am putting this in.  

Do you think this one is a good idea?
This is the ULTIMATE cam kit with everything needed for a complete cam change. P/N CK1303. This kit contains a hydraulic flat tappet camshaft with the following specs:

RPM Range: 1800-5800
ADV Duration: 329/329
Duration @ .050: 232/232
Valve Lift: .474/.474
Lobe C/L: 113

This is a street/strip cam with excellent mid-range. OE #402194, 350ci/325hp & 455ci/390hp W-31 cam.  

The old camshafts weren't so much lacking in duration as they were in lift.  Factory cams tended to have MUCH lower lift numbers than modern camshafts do.  So yeah, you'll benefit quite a bit with a cam swap.  I'd definitely go with what Bowser said.  

My Cutlass has an Olds 350 in it, but since mine's a daily driver, I've got a very tame cam in it (honestly its a bit too tame).  The rest of the motor is built up very well (around 10:1 compression, big block B cast heads, Performer RPM intake, adjustable valvetrain with roller tip rockers, hardened pushrods, etc, and a host of other things I don't care to go into right now).  But Bowser has been building these Oldsmobiles a lot longer than I have...he knows what he's talking about.  

I'm kind of on a budget.  I would like to get what I can out of it without spending a fortune.  It already turned into a frame off.  I just got the body back on the frame.