I am going to buy a GM Goodwrench engine for the 97 truck I just bought. Right now I will not be doing any engine mods to it due to money constraints. Later this summer I will probably do an exhaust and maybe some type of cold air kit. What I want to know is this....I was thinking about putting a cam into it before I put the engine into the car.
I called comp and they suggested the following two cams:
p/n 08-300-8 206/210 .450/.480 112
p/n 08-302-8 210/220 .480/.480 112
Both cams are actually listed as being for TPI vehicles and not being emissions legal.
Will it really not pass emissions? Does anyone know the stock specs on the cam for this particular truck (97 C/K 1500 with 5.7)?

Just a ballpark estimate, how much hp and torque might I pick up with either of these cams and maybe the exhaust later down the road? I don't even know the stock hp level of these engine so if anyone knows that I'd like to know also.


Thanks.

 

A 97 should have had a Vortec headed motor with 255 HP unless I'm mistaken. Cam is fairly mild. I'm not sure how much the intake and exhaust would hold back a better cam, but you definitely have the potential to gain quite a bit of HP with a good cam with the Vortec heads (I would think you'd want a good exhaust with a better aftermarket TBI intake perhaps in the future). It's a pretty meek cam in there stock. I would think the 210/220 cam would be the one to go with (the 330hp motor below has a 212/222 I think it is cam...)

On SDPC2000.com the Vortec headed 330hp 350 HO GM Performance crate engine setup is right at the same price as the Goodwrench replacement Vortec headed 255hp engine. It gives no specs on the Goodwrench, but I can't see why the hotter crate engine wouldn't be a good option instead for virtually the exact same price. Maybe talk to the people at SDPC and see what they say about that... Only possible issue I can think of would be what the computer would do with the hotter motor. But the cam in it isn't that extreme at all, about what Comp was telling you to run in the stock motor... What did they say about computer compatability??? Might have to run a differen't flexplate with the 330hp motor, don't know if it's one or two piece rear main (vs the stock/replacement I assume one piece), but that is a cheap matter to resolve anyway...

Here's the links to the two crate engines:
Goodwrench: http://www.sdpc2000.com/cart.asp?act...id=128&pid=102
GM Performance: http://www.sdpc2000.com/cart.asp?act...id=120&pid=115

Choked down with the stock intake and exhaust that 350 HO isn't going to make it's 330hp, but it has the cam you want already saving you the cost/trouble down the road. Probably has slightly higher compression than the goodwrench one, but I'm not sure since I can't find any specs on that Goodwrench replacement crate motor...

You do get a better warranty with the Goodwrench one though...

 

I was looking at the performance engine and the guys at Pace Parts said I would atleast need a new chip if not more, and I don't have $300 to drop on a custom one now.

 

Well, then with the hotter CompCam that they recommended you would also need a new chip as well as it is very very similar to the 330hp motors cam. Did Comp mention anything about that? Not sure I trust the pace guys on that one. I'm sure to take total advantage of the hotter motor you would want the programming, but I question whether or not you actually need it to have a good driving, decent performing engine...

Maybe call back Comp and ask exactly how the second cam they recommended would run with the stock programming. If they still recommend it and say it will run alright, I think I would feel pretty good about the 330hp crate motor running alright too as the cams are soo close...

 

I just talked to a friend who has a LT-1 cam that he will sell me for cheap. I might think about throwing that in there. It's slightly smaller than the smaller of the two Comp Cams. That would probably bring me up atleast like 30-40 horsepower I hope.

Also does anyone know if those trucks have flash proms or removeable ones?