From OrigamiTB Wed Feb 16 12:31:30 2000
From: OrigamiTB aol.com

In a message dated 2/15/00 12:29:16 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
Jamie.L.Phillips us.ul.com wrote about valve-timing:

> In 1971 the 360 (2bbl) had its intake valves opening at 18 1/2 degrees.
> In 1972 the 360 (2bbl) had its intake valves opening at 14 3/4 degrees.

That doesn't jibe with what I found in Chilton's "AMX and Javelin" and 
Petersen's "Complete Book of Engines":

 1970 360 V-8 (both 2-bbl and 4-bbl):
 lift int/exh: 0.425/0.425
 intake open/close/duration: 18.50 / 67.50 / 266
 exhaust open/close/duration: 60.50 / 25.50 / 266
 overlap: 44
 (2-bbl) hp@rpm/torque@rpm: 245@4400 / 365@2400
 (4-bbl) hp@rpm/torque@rpm: 290@4800 / 395@3200

 1971 360 V-8 (both 2-bbl and 4-bbl):
 lift int/exh: 0.425/0.425
 intake open/close/duration: 14.74 / 68.75 / 263.49
 exhaust open/close/duration: 56.77 / 56.75 / 293.52
 overlap: 71.49
 (2-bbl) hp@rpm/torque@rpm: 245@4400 / 365@2600
 (4-bbl) hp@rpm/torque@rpm: 285@4800 / 330@5000(?!)

The '71 engine clearly had a "smog cam", with its long overlap and 
late-closing exhaust valve. The idea was to dilute the intake charge with 
exhaust gas, to lower the combustion temperature and pressure, reducing those 
nasty emissions. I don't believe that 5000-rpm torque peak, but it appears in 
both references, so maybe that's what the factory claimed (for reasons I can 
only try to imagine). Petersen's also shows slightly different (small 
fraction of a degree) valve-timings, but the data are identical otherwise.

++ Cornel Ormsby ++
not leaving Las Vegas