Anything else I need to put the LT4 Hotcam and ZZ4 heads on my car? Im going to order them soon and need to know what else I need to install them in my car, thanks.

 

lt1 digest has the list of parts needed for cam swap you probably only need to find appropriat springs for the lift oft the cam and add head gaskets.

Is that what you asked?

 

Yes thats what im asking. Ill check the stickies for the parts list.

But if you know what springs I would need that would be great.

 

I read through the LT1 digest, answered a lot of my questions. I think ima have this guy in my old neighborhood help me put all this crap in [give him like 100$ to come over and help me do everything], hes got an alcohol dragster 1988 Firebird.

But all the part numbers are for the LT1 cam. I mean do I get the same stuff for the LT4 hotcam? I just would like to know exactly what would work best with this cam and head combination im going with [LT4 hotcam and ZZ4 heads]

 

You will need to grind away at the middle four intake bolt holes on your manifold. The ZZ4 heads have the older style bolt pattern and your TBI intake has the newer style.

Be prepared for long sleepless nights trying to get a cam that big to idle right in a 305 TBI. It was tough enough for me in a 350 TPI. I would stick to stock type cams with intake durations 208 or less.

I would also upgrade the ZZ4 springs with a set of Manley 22410-16 springs and 23652-16 retainers. The ZZ4 springs are just barely adequate at .525" lift and the Manleys will go to .550" with no problems.

 

Thanks a ton Kevin!

I plan on having a shop dyno tune the car, so I just need to get it drivable so I can go to the shop, or borrow my pops truck and tow it over.

So just some machine work on the intake manifold, and new springs and retainers? Everything else should be good to go?

You think I could get the camshaft in without taking the engine out of the car? or would their not be enough room? Because I dont have a motor hoist or anything. If I get 1 or 2 experienced people to help me, how long do you think the cam and heads would take to get in?

 

Wouldnt it be a good time to replace that stock TBI manifold? How about a carb manifold with TBI adapter plate? You may want to add the fuel pump upgrade.

 

I will be replacing the Manifold with an Edelbrock 3704 thats bored to match the 454 TB I already have.

As for fueling I already for a Walbro 255lph and I just need to get a regulator and new fuel lines and im good.

 

Radiator and a/c radiator need to be removed and a little front nose bracket losened and moved aside (91firebird) for the cam. Took me 4days by my self and I had never done something similar. I printed Shiftys lt1 cam digest.

I think soon you will be answering lots of my questions about swapping heads with the engine in the car

 

Im not doing the heads and cam too soon

I gotta do my suspension first, but im going to Germany in a couple of months and my grandparents and relatives love cars and always give me money, so if i cant get enough for the 1200$ zz4 heads before then I should be able too after. So hopefully I will be finished for at least 1 car show this summer, lol. But whenever I do it i will be sure to take a lot of pictures and note anything difficult or odd i encounter.

Hopefully I can knock the heads and cam out in 3 days or so, because I cant be without my car too long, gotta go to school and work, lol.

 

Damit!

If you come to eat Swiss-cheese pm me.

I dont think many people can make a cam swap take 4 days

 

Well ima take lots n lots o help from people! If I had to do it myself I might as well go buy another car because I bet it would take me so long to finish, lol

And my grandparents live in Kassel, Germany. Im still not sure what were doing and I only know a few phrases in German so I always feel pretty lost there, lol, but the beer is excellent! If were going to be close to the boarder ill pm you so I can check out your bird, if its the one in the pics you sent me then its almost like mine, looks like the same red color.

 

I've got to reply to this, Please don't spend that kind of money on those heads! ZZ4/aluminum L98 heads are wayy wayy overpriced. There are so many other heads out there that can make so much more power than zz4's for the same or much less money. Even stock vortec heads for less than half the price will make more power. Aftermarket heads for 1200 bucks could net you 50,60,70 more horses than the zz4 heads would pull off. Research your head choice a lot, it's a big decision for that kind of dough, you'll find much better options.

 

Well there are tons of options available. What would you recommend for my application instead of the ZZ4's? I dont want to spend more then 1300$ or so on the heads.

 

Patriot aluminum heads are good value. ETec Edelbrock are my favorite but arent cheap. Best value cost are the SD (Skroggins-Dicky?) modified Vortec iron heads they sell. I think Burt chev does the same. Summit has their own head now as well.

 

The E-tecs look cheaper then the ZZ4's

http://www.jegs.com/p/Edelbrock/750168/10002/-1/10187

I guess I should get the smallest ones? They work good with the LT4 Hotcam or do I need any head work done to them?

But the Etecs look like their only for Vortec style intake manifolds but im going with the Edelbrock 3704 which is not a Vortec style i dont think.

 

Yes E-Ttec is a vortec pattern. The match i like is ETec-Victor Jr single plane with vortec bolt pattern. requires a TBI plate adapter. Yes the 180cc is most streetable. I think they have 3 ETec for runner size. More info on Edelbrock site.

 

I agree with Ronny on the Etecs they're very nice. You could get a set of AFRs for about 1400 probably, those will outflow almost any other head out of the box. But, I don't know if I'd put them on a 305, I'd probably just hold off and put them on a stout 350 or up bottom end.

 

I know little of GM ZZ4 cam. EFI likes a LSA of 112-114. I think 114 is better to tune. check out Comp Cams line of EFI cams. those are 114 LSA.

Edelbrock heads are all CNC machined and they are great out of the box.

 

I just want something good and simple which is why I want to use the 3704 intake manifold and the LT4 Hotcam isent super expensive which is why I want to use that one. And so far im leaning towards the ZZ4 heads because they seem to be able to work with my set-up without a lot of modification. I cant see any real alternative except maybe some 350TPI heads but then those would prolly need work because they would be old and I dont think they will work with the LT4 hotcam. So if you all could tell me some heads to look into that will work with the 3704 intake manifold and LT4 hotcam ill def check them out.

 

I have edelbrock alum rpm 64 cc. traditional intake bolt pattern. determine the LSA on the LT4 hot cam. 112 LSA will work just be a bit harder to tune than a 114.

 

Im not too worried about the tuning because im just going to have a shop tune it, and their giving me a copy of the BIN, so if its not perfect I can fine tune it a little bit.

The LT4 hotcam is 112.

Does my motor have a hydraulic roller rocker camshaft? Because thats what the LT4 hotcam is, sorry for my ignorance but I really want to have this all taken care of. Ima have this guy in my old neighborhood and a couple of my friends help me do all this, so I dont wanna get half way through and find out something doesent work.

These the heads you got?
http://www.jegs.com/p/Edelbrock/758341/10002/-1/10187

 

For the heads I would try Ebay first. I got mine for 500 shipped. I had to put alittle work into them but they're just fine. For an intake I would get a ZZ4 intake. It's the one that works best with your heads, so get one. I'm thinking about getting it and making my own adapter out of scrap aluminum I have laying around.

 

I just wanna get the 3704 intake so that everything will just plug back in without any problems.

Ill look on ebay for some ZZ4 heads. But I dont see any except new ones for basically the same price as Jegs.