Hey all, I'm finally ordering the engine for my 89' GTA and I wanted your input on this. There aren't many upgrades avaliable and I don't feel like tearing the entire engine apart to get the cam when I feel like changing it.

Its a L98 350 long block with the stock cast iron heads. The only performance parts offered for this car are basically a LT1 corvette cam, and 1.6 roller rockers. The cam upgrade is $50, and the 1.6 roller rockers are $100.

My question is will I run into drivability issues? Or will I be able to get by on stock programing long enough to gather what I need to burn my own chips? I can't see myself spending $300 on a chip, when I can get the hardware and software for about $150 to $200 at a later date.

So far this is what I've dug up on the camshaft specs.
1995-97 LT1 p/n 12551705

201/ 208 .447/.459 @ .050 duration.

 

Not a reply huh? A little slow this week I guess.

 

No drivability problems with that cam and rockers. Stock chip will be fine.

 

Cool, thats really what I wanted to know. The engine is going to cost me about $1,600 with a full 7 year/70,000 mile warrenty. Labor up to $65/hour and up to $850 in repairs. Which is a damn good warrenty.

Anyone able to plug that stuff into Desktop dyno and give me a rough estimate of the hp torque? Wether or not It'll be fine for the stock torque converter.

Me being the poor college student, who has no time for anything other than school work can't put the engine together. :*( So I'm paying a good friend(who also happens to own a mechanic shop) to do it. He's gonna charge me about $400 for labor. Which is at least $200 under the average quote around here. Plus I trust his work. First rate stuff. It helps that I know all of the mechanics there on a first name basis. Which means they'll do everything possible to avoid screwing up my motor.

Isn't it sad that I can't afford the time to do it myself, but I can afford to spend the $400 and have a friend do it.