jamesbob02

I know this kind of thing gets asked a lot, but searches yield so much results its hard to sift through and find exactly what you're looking for! Anyways, here goes:

I have a basically stock 92 l98, am putting a catback on it and planning on headers eventually, i've modified to coldair and I'm working on porting the plenum and base. However, new intake manifolds and heads are FAR down the road for me ($$$), so I'm thinking of a cam swap.

Considering the above, what needs to be done to properly prepare for a mild cam, like the ZZ4, LT1, LT4, HOT, etc. I'm talking rockers, pushrods, springs, etc (I know nothing about this stuff!) I've heard of these "rev kits" but I don't really know what they do. And please no "yeah you need new springs!", that leaves me in the dark basically - it would be great ito get replys like "well a such-and-such cam is good for your application but you need to get THESE springs and THESE lifters, etc, etc"

P.S: I won't be dragging a lot so I'd prefer a cam that doesn't sacrifice too much lowend torque (for streetlights!) - in fact I'd prefer much more of it, but not if it means the motor falls on its face past that! Thanks a lot you guys are great!

palric

iTrader: (1)

My suggestion is you spend a few seasons building your induction, exhaust, ignition system and traction. After you get through all these issues you will have a much clearer picture of which cam/head combo will fit your bill.

1) build a proper ignition system do searches for Jacobs, MSD, Crane, ACCEL, etc. Get ready to spend several hundred $$$.

2) spend time on the exhaust board and see what is working for people with similar setups (dual cat, etc). Get ready to spend several hundred $$$.

3) start reading posts from people who have modified their TPI systems. Figure out what is out there and what you think will work for you. Get ready to spend several hundred $$$.

Up to here most of the work is simple bolt on stuff and it is still easy to back out of further mods or even sell the car if you want out. When you get to cam and heads you are talking serious time and money IMO best to leave it to last. By that time I am sure you will know your subject alot better as well, and can make educated decisions about cams, etc.

my .02 cents worth,
RP.

Roostmeyer

iTrader: (3)

Bare minimum for a new cam is going to be new valve springs (talk to the cam manufacturer for the part #'s), and if you have a fairly high lift cam you'll need to get the heads machined for better valve guide clearance (? for cams over .5 lift?) and for the larger springs (stock is 1.26" i think and most springs for your application are going to be 1.47") While you've got the heads at the machine shop I would also have the pressed in rocker arm studs replaced with some screw in studs. As long as your lifters, rocker arms, pushrods ect. aren't broke you won't need to replace them.

Now other things that you may want to do,you may want to go with the larger 7/16 rocker arm studs which of course would require different rocker arms, so you might as well get roller rocker's. While your heads are at the shop you might as well go a and get some larger better flowing valves put on too with a 3 angle valve job. Then to get the most out of this new cam your going to want to port and polish you heads and intake. Even if you don't do any of these things in this second paragraph porting your heads will give you about as much of an increase in hp as the new cam.

If your a stick you'll want 3.42 to 3.73 gears, if you've got an auto i'd go with a 3.23 to 3.5x gears and a larger torque converter the 85-86 vette 95+ 4.3L s10 has approx 2200 stall on a modified car.

Your also going to want to get headers and replace or remove the cats Your running cold air?? Build a ram air for your camaro.

As for a cam, all the ones you mentioned with the exception of the hot cam, they wouldn't really be worth the time and money to swap, (unless your car has a peanut cam-which it doesn't) I'm running a comp xtreme 270hr cam and with MAF 218 duration at .050 the car needs tunning to run better(enter diy ecm), but still run good. With the speed density setup on your car, it will be easier to tune but you might not able to get by with as much duration on a stock chip.

IMHO none of these cams will hurt your low end enough to be significant, so i wouldn't worry about that. The thing that will kill your vacume and drive your stock chip insane, is the intake duration. Around 218 is pretty good for a slightly better flowing than stock tpi, but will draw a little less than 20 hg of vacume at idle which may not be enough for your computer untuned. I would go 212 dur like the the comp xtreme 264hr or maybe the ligenfelter 211/219 cam. Somebody please back me up on this.

Go out and buy, borrow, steal desktop dyno to help you pick out your cam. As for ignition i don't think it will help you out as much as chip burning equipment.

A final note I'm new at this too so please back up your decisions with other information, posts, ect. I now that it's a pain to wade through endless amounts of posts, but thats the best way to learn.

Odyssey

With a cam swap you also definetly want to change your timing chain !!