So I went by my mechanic today and told him that I want him to do my cam, head and intake swap. He was cool with it until I told him that it was a LT1 cam going in. He gave me the most confused look, and I had swear on the Thirdgen.org name that it would work, but I still don't think he's buying it. I told him all that he has to do is shave that pin off and it will work.

So is there anything else that I'm missing? Anything at all that would be a curve ball when the work starts? Anything that although not difficult, is still different about this cam swap compared to any other cam swap?

I just want to give him some assurance that it will work. I don't want a nervous mechanic working on my car.

Thanks guys,

-The Gunny

 

Can't see any problems, your engine came stock with a standard hydraulic roller camshaft and the LT1 cam is the same type of cam hydraulic roller just a little more aggressive, maybe he's worried about the computer reaction to the cam? I know my mechanic friend I talked to was a bit worried about how the computer would react to that camshaft.

 

if you need to just print out some threads from the boards and show him. Im sure he has just never heard of the swap before and thinks that since the cam came out of a newer LT1 it would not work in your older engine. I have read other threads where people have said that their mechanics do not believe the cam would work, but it definately will.

 

Take it from a mechanic.... mechanic's dont like "shaving" parts off of internal engine components. it crosses that internal line from doing something for money to backyard drinking beer **** with your buddies mentally... ie it seemed like a good idea at the time.

mechanics don't generally like to alter parts to make them fit.

 

caint you just order an aftermarket cam like comp cams or cran cams whats the big "hype" on the lt1?

 

Comp Cam's hydralic roller cam: 260.00
LT1 cam: $25-50

i think this pretty much clears up that question

 

thats for a new lt1?

 

used, but they are roller cams so they dont wear near as fast has flat tappet cams. I have a 96 LT1 cam with about 40K miles on it that will be going in an L05 next summer, it is still in great condition, and i got it for $50 shipped

 

That... and make sure he knows it's out of a NEWER LT1, not an LT-1 from the late 60's.

That may be what he's thinking of when you say LT1. That was a 'lumpy' cam that would cause problems with the ECM on EFI cars.

Or.. if he seems that confused, take it to another shop and see how they react.

 

Should have told him "shave the pin down, like to the same length as your peanut (stock) cam". I guess the pin isn't that important, but it does help line up the cam sprocket. Maybe you scared him by the way you worded it or he probably just doesn't like to make custom parts like Pony Killer said. He puts a custom piece in your car and it messes up, doesn't reflect well on him.

 

Your "mechanic" probably does do alot of modifications like that. They normally do OE swaps. Plus I bet hes gonna charge you 3 legs and 2 arms for a head,cam,intake swap. Bring alot of money and a large jar of vasoline because its gonna be expensive.

 

Well, he definately knew that I was talking about a newer LT-1, because we were standing over one and I pointed to it when I said it.

I think it probably has more to do with that they don't like doing custom work like that. Also, since modification is required to a cam to make it work, that's not something one normally hears when talking about putting in a new cam. Also, isn't the LT-1 a reverse flow engine??

So to confirm, I don't want the pin taken down completely, just enough to were it matches the stock cam's height? And how much is too much for this kind of work?

Thanks for all of the replies guys.

-The Gunny

 

Put that camshaft in that car and you'll sufffer a low end power reduction. Without a little research he probley didn't know what to tell you but since I R a mechanic and have researched air flow, cam timing, lift and duration features, engine combinations and about anything else G.M. has to offer us in normal asperation performance gains I can assure you that what your doing is a mistake and you'll loose power at the bottom and build power where you can't go in the RPM range. All cominations take calculations to do it right. putting a LT1 cam in a stock 305 TBI is the wrong torque curve calculation due to valve timing. Not a lift and duration issue. Computer won't care regardless on this cam.

 

He is swapping heads and intake as well, and WILL definetely make more power. Yes, he will lose some low end torque, but will more than make up for it in the mid-high rpm range. It has been proven in quarter mile times by other people. Oh, and the computer WILL care, timing and fuel will need to be adjusted to get max power.

As far as your mechanic not wanting to do it, it is more than likely because of what everyone else has been saying. If it's not stock, they get scared. I need the bolts on my crossmember welded in place because the holes keep stripping, but because it is a 6-speed tranny w/ custom crossmember, no one wants to do it because of liability issues.
Have you thought about attempting it yourself? I know it is a big project, but with the help of a friend or two that knows what they are doing, you can save a lot of money. It's always good for satisfaction too

 

90 formulaX-F is a retard dont bother reading his post

I would highly suggest doing the cam yourself. If your mechanic cant grasp the fairly simple concept of shortening the camshaft pin then he doesnt sound like a very sharp guy. I swapped cams back when I was 18 with 0 experience and no one there to teach me and im no genius. A year later I swapped engines start to finish by myself. Im not bragging, if i was attempting to brag id say what i did was amazing which it is not, What im saying, is if a dumb kid with no experience, no help, no mentor, managed to do that then you are well within your cabapilities to change a cam.

as an aircraft mech now ( counterpoint to Pony Killer ahead) the same stuff applies, if a squadron asks us to change something we dont just blindly say no way. That would make us idiots, if we dont know, we research and find out. But usually I grasp the function of the gear better than they do, hell, its my job. Much like your mechanic works on stuff all day, its his job he oughta know about it more than you or at the least be able to figure it out with some thought. And liability wise we are talking about (on aircraft) a little more than someones 94 nissan dropping and oil drain plug and blowing the motor.

 

just to agree with everyone else i just put mine in a couple of weeks ago and you can!!! feel a sotp diffrence and it pulls a whole lot harder!! i did not have to shave the pin off of mine it went right on!
my lt1 cam came from a 95 bird with 30,000 mile when it was pulled. the guy lubed it up and stored it in a cylindrical container and has kept it for several years before h sold it to me. it looks good and only cost me 30.00 plus shipping i am using a tbichp from brian for now and it runns good. it has a bad idle though due to the cam and the march aluminum pulleys i still have to bump the idle up a tad i also am using the stock valves as of right now and also i am still using the crappy stock fpr until i can get the vacumn one and that spring to put it it form that company(can't remember the name) but my car runs much stronger now!!

 

Why don't you just buy an LT1 cam and shave the pin down yourself and then give it to your mechanic and tell him to put it in without mentioning anything about "LT1"

 

He asked what kind of cam was going in, and I'm a pretty honest person, so I told him.

As for the VacAFPR, I think it's from Top Down Solutions. I'm still debating getting that one or just doing the tech article regulator, but I need to get my fuel pressure gauge installed first (that's a story in itself).

Well atleast if I'm not happy with, it's nothing permanent. But I am shooting for the magic 1:1 ratio, so we'll see.

I wish I could install it myself, but I don't have the time or tools for such a job. My skills fall off sharply when it comes to anything outside of basic maintanence and bolt ones.

 

i have never really done anything much to a car besides oil and plugs untill i got the camaro. it is very easy to work on. i changes the pcv valves and the heatercore hoses on my 300zx and they were awful!!! the intake manifold on the 300z is huge its about 3x the size of the one on thecamaro!!! and it has dual throttle bodies!!
i did my headers on the camaro all bymyself. never did anything like that b4 also i did the exhaust system. i did the cam in just a few hours of work i drove my wifes car for about 3 weeks. so i did a couple of hours a day here and there and got it done. it was a snap!! also the hobby shops on bases are nice if you like to work with otherpeoples tools!!

 

Gunny, if you really are going for that 1:1 ratio horsepower to cubes then why even bother with the LT1 cam now? You aren't going to make 300 horses with that cam. LT1 350's only made like 275 and they have many advantages over your 305. Go with a more agressive cam if you really want near 300 horses.

 

Agreed, you are going to need a bigger cam than the LT1 cam for 300 hp.

What heads are you planing on? Vortecs?

 

In my professional opinion, which is very honest. To build a 1.1 horsepower to cubes ratio you need to spend a boat load of money for starters and that cam is also basicly LT1 or miniram specific. you'll need a prom guru's help to dial it in. To build that kind of hp to cubes ratio that car's gonna need a good torque line too, High lift,small durration torque specific cam shaft that works for the car and you'll enjoy. A cam like the LT1 will make you go backwards. Bigger will be even worse yet. Don't join the many that get lost in the smoke of the mustang when you can show it your ***... Hey my new sig..LOL

- 355ci, WS6, 5speed -
* Ported & Polished Cylinder Heads (Cast # 993)
* 2.02 & 1.6 Manley Pro-Flo Valves
* Harland Sharp 1.6 Ratio Roller Rockers
* Crane Valve Springs and Retainers
* G.M.P.P. Ram Jet Roller Cam
* Crane Roller Lifters
* Speed Pro/TRW 1.25 Dome Forged Pistons
* Windage Tray
* Lightweight Nodular 16lb Flywheel

* Induction - Ported and Gasket Matched
Plentum
Manifold
Runners
52mm Holley Throttle Body
Custom Built Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator
#19 GPH Injectors running at 50lbs

* Exhaust All New
Edlebrock Chrome T.E.S. Headers
High-Flow 3" Carsound Cat
Dynamax 3" Exhaust Tubing and Tail Pipes
Flowmaster American Thunder Muffler

 

Those damn low compression heads are the bane of my exsinstance. I cant wait to get rid of them. Although, id like to hear how they work after being ported and polished.

 

i dont know about those domed pistons. I would have done it the other way around if i was going to go the budget stock head route. A small cc head with dished pistons wont interfier with the flame front travel.

 

90Formula-X-F , thank you for your professional opinion, but many many people have already done this swap with great results. Results show that it is not a step backwards. IMO it wont ever make 300 NA HP in a 305 but it is a good cam for someone not willing to do much chip tuning. In fact you can get by with a stock chip if you use a vacAFPR. (this is not speculation, I've actually done it). Curently I am running a ZZ4 cam in my daily driver. The LT1 cam was just to mild for my tastes.

 

The flame front thing is a positive. These heads also have a good flame front even with a small dome because of the massive combustion area's. I am running them because they are what Lingenfelter recomends for Iron heads. I had the the same basic engine with 182's, not ported and 1.5 Rockers. The Power diffrence is astronomical. They are not the best oem iron head but they are rated in the top ten in most views. Dome pistons.. or Shaved to the max.. The heat transfer is low from the exhaust to the intake valve, they have a large combustion area making them ideal for TPI and the high port volocity. The runners respond well to porting. Massive amounts of air with the right torque curve and do it all around 5000 rpm. This turned out far better than expected... Low compression. You have 993 big valve heads that don't work ? somethings not right...

http://www.angelfire.com/tx5/randysr...Headguide.html

 

never keep my casting numbers straight...

 

that case i couldnt do what you did because mine are a lightweight casting and they woudl crack if i tried to port them out.

 

Too funny... Here is a fast one..... Vortec heads on a 305 with a LT1 cam.. 15.39's. ... Man, my stock 305 was faster than that. I also see 213 rwhp from someone else with torqer heads and a LT1 cam.. better call ginus... Not much to see actually when searching.... Well I be outta this thread. Done talking smack. Increase torque while moving as much A/F and exhaust as possible. that = quickness....

 

lets not be too soon to rush to rash judgements. The 305 will not only experience a loss in CR but will also have some valve shrouding as well with the smaller bore. Theres also the fact that im sure tuning came into play as well. There are far more people who are running low 12's with vortecs with only some clearencing, upgraded springs, and a 3 angle valve job. More then anything else the induction system has alot to do with it. Tbi and tpi both suffer from being restrictive and the tbi also has a very conservitave timing table. Lets not also forget that, although the LT1 cam is a solid performance upgrade, it is still not a high performance go super fast part. In the lt1's the improved heads, which where the basis for the vortec heads, and the improved intake, reverse flow cooling, and sfi where the stars of the show. With a carb and a non cc dist. i suspect his combo would be able to do low 14's. Alot of the basis for your comments are the high torque output that you get with your combo. This is NOT due to the fact taht your moving tons of air. Its due to the small, high velocity runners being well matched to your tpi setup. The runners in the 993 heads are really small. They make great low end torque because of the increased runner velocity. I myself got well over 300 ft/lbs of torque at ~2000 rpm with the 929 cam and tbi when i first put my motor in. I would still, however, not consider them high performance good flowing heads by any stretch of the imagination. They give good stout mid range torque with my present cam but still flow very little due to the small, restrictive intake and exaust runners. Your trying to make them sound as though they are the LT-1 heads of yesteryear, which could be ported out alot. The 993's, however, with their thin walled castings, cannot.

 

was that with any prom work? or do you not know... or do you not even realize how critical that is? Or do engines just run on heads and cam? Surely they must by what youve implied.

Im not even going to attempt to argue with you because I can tell you are dumb right off the bat. Self righteously at that.

 

umm... who the hell ever said 305s were fast!? or quick?


these cars came with 170hp AT THE CRANK FROM THE FACTORY.

do you know how absolutly SLOW that is? esp when you have a 700r4 and a GU2 rear?

this LT1 cam and intake swap is going to cost me less the $100. and i have a friend that can burn chips..

this isnt to make my car fast or quick... its to keep me sane as i drive it until i swap in a LT1 + t56 combo... and even then its not fast....

in a couple years, if all goes to plan, i should have a AFR headed LT1 with a fairly radical cam in it... THEN its quick....


but still wont be as fast as my old 82... 11.52 in the quarter... THAT was quick.