Engine SwapEverything about swapping an engine into your Third Gen.....be it V6, V8, LTX/LSX, crate engine, etc. Pictures, questions, answers, and work logs.
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<font face="Arial"><a href="http://www.geocities.com/battstas/cars/transams.html" target="_blank"><font size="2">Click here to see my Trans Ams</font></a> <font size="1">1986 Trans Am WS6 (#40,977 of 48,870)- Silver, 305TPI, 16" charcoal gray cross-lace wheels. 171,500 miles, LB9, 700R4.</font></font>
<img src="http://www.fbody.com/members/98TransAm/86/1986.jpg" width="200" height="80">
<font face="Arial" size="2" color="#FF0000"><marquee width="201" height="18" scrollamount="3" bgcolor="#000000">CURRENTLY: the '86 was rear-ended in Austin (about 3K worth of damage), and is undergoing repairs. </marquee></font>
ZZ4 or ZZ9 both give a good idle in the TPI, have not heard them in the ramjet, but should be OK. Even with 1.6 rockers it's a pretty good idle. Hot cam is to much lope for street for me in a real life daily driver.
Be careful though, the stock valve springs cant handle much lift. I wouldnt go with a cam with much more than about .480 to .490 lift. Might wanna ask around.
I have the LT4 hot cam in my Ram jEt motor right now. I still need to send the computer off to AZS&M to have them reprogram it for the Fast burn heads, LT4 Hot Cam and 30lb SVOs before it is running though.
I do not think the LT4 Hot Cam is too big to run on the street. I know several LT1 guys that are running this cam on the street and it works just great (after the custom programming work). The cam has somewhat of a lopey idle but not bad...just enough to let you know its not stock!!
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L98, 3.27 9-bolt, Hooker shorty headers, custom 2.5inch Y-pipe, no cat, 3inch 2chamber flowmaster, JET AFPR, Ported MAF, Best ET: 13.86 @100mph. 1.99 60'
17 inch ROH "ZS" wheels. 17x8.5(front) and 17x9.5 (rear). Firestone Firehawk SZ50s. 245/45/zr17s and 275/40/zr17s. T56
On the way... Radar Blue 89 Formula, T56, Ram Jet 430, Ram Air, 17inch ROHs.
Wow, Joe, i cant belive you can use that much lift with those stock valve springs. Are you using 1.5 or 1.6 RR? Have you run the motoer yet? Or are you using aftermarket springs?
BigBlockJason What is stock about the valve springs on Joes engine. He has Fastburn heads,his springs will take all that lift and more.
I just gotta say hear that the Hot cam is just to much for MOST people when it comes to a REAL daily driver. You have to have stall, then it has low torque, sucks down a LOT more gas, idles bad when warming up and backfires some when you punch it down low. It sounds good, just not for me right now. Go ZZ4 or ZZ9, good idle, just the right amount of slobber to it. + you can find takeout ZZ4 cams for around $85 every so often. My $.02
[This message has been edited by BLOWN85/TA (edited May 31, 2001).]
Sorry, I guess I wasnt paying attention close enough. But, the question was how big of a cam Vortec heads can handle, not fastburns, and I stick to the info I gave earlier. Assuming that the heads are stock, which the Ram Jet 350's are.
The cam limitiation does not reflect on the Ram Jet manifold. It has short runners and can make power up to 6500-7000 rpm. The limitation is in the vortec heads, or their seats and springs to be exact. the most they can handle is around .480 lift. Crane and I think a few other mfg's make aftermarket valvesprings but they don't offer much more from what I've read (mainly durability). If you're willing to fork out the cost for machine work you can modify the heads for larger valves or purchase vortec's from SPDC or PaceParts that have been modified with larger springs. A good alternative to Vortec heads are Edelbrock's new E-Tec heads. They retain the vortec style intake pattern for compatability to the Ram Jet manifold, they're aluminum, but offer better performance than even GMPP Fastburn heads and are cheaper ($999 from Summit). You can get them in 170 & 200 cc intake ports. The 200's (pn 6098) even have 2.02/1.60 valves, the springs will handle up to .560 lift (IIRC), and are better suited to the Ram Jet. I would only use the 170's if using the "mythical" Vortec TPI base that is supposed to come out. About the most lift you will be able to get with out using solid roller lifters is around .570
[This message has been edited by drain89 (edited June 01, 2001).]
