Well, sometime in June, I'll be swapping http://www.citycratemotors.com/View-...hp?ProductID=3 into my '91 RS. I already have a rear end with 3.73 gearing, and a 700r4 transmission built locally, with a guarantee for up to 500 crank horsepower. I'm really not looking for that much, but I'd like around 350 horsepower to the wheels. I know it can only be a guesstimate type deal, but does anyone have a suggestion on what cam to get that will put me in that area? The engine will be built to support the steeper cam, and will be warrantied for the steeper cam, I just need a few suggestions on good brands. This will be daily driven, which, since I live on campus, consists of probably 5-10 miles a week. If possible, I'd like to keep the cam in sub $300 range. I understand if that won't get me the kind of numbers I'd like, if not, what are some good bang for the buck camshaft brands? Thanks in advance guys.

....people won't tend to want to answer this question. There is sooooooo much cam information on the 'Search' function. Didn't the manufacturer give you a couple cam recommendations with your order? That's were you should have started.

As a future suggestion; don't ask for help and then appear to be to lazy to list the engine spec's yourself by only posting a 'link'. Perhaps you could give us 2-3 of the company's top recommendations for this engine and your drivetrain and see which one some of the 3rd Gen engine scientist's pick overall. We'd need to know your total intake package, the exhaust, where you want your power for 70+% of the time.....
Nitro

It's a dealership, they didn't give me any recommendations...I'm glad you could spend so much time telling me how bad my post was...

your gettin a ZZ4 crate motor. thats generally a given 345 crank hp motor even tho its rated at 355. not bad. should dyno near 280-290 whp as is in that car.

to get near 350whp, you can try a cheap upgrade, the LT4 hotcam, but i think that will only get you around 320-330 with those heads. CC503 cam from comp cams is probly the best bet for near 350whp. You will need longtube headers and perhaps a better intake. that motor will not need any more mods to handle that power. it will support 400whp.

Next size up is the comp cams 282hr roller, a 230/236 duration cam that will rev up near 6300 or so in that car. should easily put down 350whp.

But yes, there are a ton of posts on this board with cam related questions. Search first, get an idea of what is out there and then ask questions, its better for the board

Thanks for actually helping, rather than just telling me I was wrong. I'll look into the cc503. Headers haven't been purchased yet, I've got $5-600 to spend on them, so I'll see what I can get.

check the classifieds to find good deals on stuff. 500-600 will get you a set of longtubes but you will need a custom y pipe to run it, which could be 100-200 bucks at a shop.

i have a set of shorty headers for sale with y pipe, it will make decent power but you'll probly need to run that bigger cam to get your goals with stock L98 alum heads that the ZZ4 has.

Well, I mean, technically...I can run open headers. And I will be for awhile, but a buddy of mine works at a shop and I can get pipes bent for me at cost.

350 was just a goal, I don't necessarily need to make that right now. I think 320-330 with one of the smaller cams and shorty headers will ultimately be a better idea, I don't need to get into too much trouble. And I'll be building the top end of the engine slowly anyways.

I dunno, I'll have to talk to the shop, take a look at my options.

yeah either way man, that 503 grind from comp with shortys will STILL be a very nice combination of parts. very streetable but will give you power to about 6K where you should shift.

Awesome. I'll have to call up the dealership tomorrow and talk to them. I really appreciate the help man.

You said I would need new heads to support more power. How about the GMPP fastburn heads? Are they any good?

yeah they are pretty good. If your looking for a nice crate motor, that Fastburn 385 is sweet. A cc503 cam on that motor with those heads will make 350whp i would say.

Tchrnobog!
You seem to be 'reacting' to my post. There was no criticism and I never even said there was anything 'wrong' with you or your post- I gave you SUGGESTED feedback on why I thought you wern't getting any replies, and gave you some suggestions as to what we'd need to know so that we could be specific. Sometimes it's important to know what NOT to do so that you can maximize your questions. Many of us had to learn that exact lesson and I also reacted poorly when other's tried to steer me in a more helpful direction. However, I'm open to learning: so can you share with me, given what you now know since you made your original post, and not having one single person responding, how we could have had the begining's of a clue to assist you with any sort of precise answer??

Lastly, since I in no way intended for my initial post to be a hinderance, I sincerely apologize for my lack of sensitivity. Nitro

I posted the link to the engine, it's a relatively well known engine, and Orr seemed to respond just fine with some suggestions. I wasn't asking for specifics, I was asking for good brands, and about what lift I should look for, which Orr seemed to do just fine, again.

I have to apologize too, I reacted a bit too much, but I just had dental surgery and painkillers give me insomnia really bad.

Anyways, Orr, I'd like to get the fastburn 385, but I'm getting this engine through a deal with my parents. On the condition that I get enough money in scholarships to pay for a year of my schooling, they'll pay to have a turnkey engine put into my car. Unfortunately with the fastburn, there's no serpentine/accessory setup, which the dealership wants $1200 for. I'll have to talk to them though, because there are a few local people with the fastburn 385 who really like it.

you can get serpentine setups for just over a hundred bux on this site all the time.

i agree the fast burn 385 would be much kooler!

no need to spend 1200 on an acessory setup tho for sure.

I figured I could get a setup on here, but whenever I look, I never find one. When it gets closer to the swap, I may post in the 'looking for' classified.

Agreed, you can get used serp setups here for 100 bucks. you only really need powersteerting and alternator anyway. Now i'm not sure how well it bolts up to the Fast burn style heads, even if they have the same accessory holes.

Thats why the ZZ4 setup is so nice, as it should fit fine in our cars. Vettes used the same heads.

Those heads do respond well to some port work but i dont think you'll want to have that done. Fastburn heads have more potential in them. If you can get it, then thats a nice setup to have. their LT4 hotcam engine made 430hp by 6000rpms. cc503/xe276hr is very similar but will proby make another 5-10hp across the board at all rpm ranges due to its lobe design. I think it should dyno near 340-350 at the wheels if everything is all together right, with a matching intake/carb setup. But dont be disspointed in 320whp or so, thats still stout. You may end up with 320ish whp if you use smaller headers, different intake manifold, etc. Its gonna come down to maximizing the parts for the combo for power, and getting a good tune for it.

I agree the CC503 cam will do the job.

If you want to go with the cheaper GM LT4 Hotcam, advance it to an installed ICL of 107 instead of the 109 ICL it is designed around (it was designed to be a roadrace cam, thus they sacrificed low/mid hp to gain high rpm hp). Installed on a 107 ICL, it gives up very little to the CC503.

Part of the warranty is a free tune whenever I feel it's necessary, so that's covered. And although I would only need powersteering and alternator, it's not a strip-only car, and I would enjoy a/c in the summer, I go to school at the beach, and it gets pretty hot around here.

I think I'll stick with the zz4, ask about the LT4 hotcam, which they mentioned to me on the phone today, and the fastburn heads. I'd really like to get the fastburn heads if I can though, because a close friend of mine can get me a wicked good parts deal through the dealership, which I just found out today.

And to be honest, I'd be happy to dyno 300 whp. My car was an 8 cylinder originally, 350, but the backyard mechanic I got it from halfassed engine work, so it threw a rod. So now it's a 3.1 with straight pipes, which is probably 100 whp if I'm lucky.

edit - thanks 86LG4, I'll ask them about it.

What AC system are you retaining? i dont know if the 3.1 stuff can be used for a 350, unless you still have the old AC stuff.

They can't be used on the 350, and my compressor is bad anyways ha. I wish I still did have the old stuff, but I got rid of it when I parted out the 350.

As far as I know, the only engine component I can use is the radiator/fan.

I currently have the CC503 in my 383 holley stealth ram. It's a bit mild for me on a 383 but on a 350 should make the 320rwhp you are looking for. Make sure you have the support intake manifold and fuel system to support it. I most lilely will do a cam swap during the summer, but for right now it's plenty for me (on my budget)