how many hp can i gain over the stock 305 tpi cam with a stock lt1 cam with computer tuning.

 

Depends. Do you have an original 5.0 5-spd car? Or is it an A4? The 5-spd cars had the L98 cam. L98 and LT1 cams are very similar, but if you have the smaller of the tpi cams I would think it would be a decent improvement. You would proly see #'s close to a stock L98, with tuning, maybe a little better.

Will

 

I put 253hp and 355 tq to the wheels with a 96 LT1 cam in a stock TPI'ed 350.

Kat

 

When you say "stock" what do you mean, stock motor? What exhaust were you running? I don't think an LT1 cam is gonna give you 40 hp and matching torque. RW #'s for a bone stock L98 tend to be in the 210-220 hp range. with torque around 310-320. I am interested in the setup you were running. Did you do any kind of custom tuning? Most heads and cam packages are lucky to net 40rwhp. need more info.

Will

 

IMO if your gonna take the time to do a cam swap, a stocker for a stocker isnt the way to go. You could find a new cam with better duration and lift thats gonna give more HP than the stock LT1 cam. Plus, I wouldnt want to put a used cam into a motor. The way I see it thats a good way to be pulling the motor in a couple months...but thats just my opinion.

 

CC89Formula, I agree with you. But alot of guys are on a budget and you can see a really decent gain in a 5 liter tpi or tbi especially by swapping out those peanut cams. Alot of low miles cams can be found. Some guys just like the experience, doing things on their own. and all and all it's not a bad return imo. But still, I wouldn't. Personally if I am gonna tear the motor apart, I would put something in that would be more worth it in terms of power and matching to other power producing components, ie heads and what not.

Will

 

I understand, I have the peanut cam too, I dont know how big a 305 cam is, but I dont see how a LT1 cam would be much of a difference.

 

Think about it this way, L98 and LT1 cams are very similar. Now why is it that a 87 305 TPI made 190 hp when the 87 350 tpi made 230? The cam is the biggest difference. 45 cubic inches is not what made it more powerful. this trend continued into 1990 when I think all 5.0 tpi's got the same L98 cam. Now all of a sudden there is only a 10 hp difference between the two, which could be attributed to cubes, unless I am wrong and someone please correct me. So you see a cam can really do alot for a motor.

Will

 

I didnt realize hp was that low in 87. Well, I guess if thats the case then its worth doing.

 

my first combo was an L98 with SLP headers, and a LT1 cam- when done together there was a very noticeable diff- sorry but the LT1 and L98 cam aren't the same - no it's not a radical difference- but your car will run faster for sure- probably .1~.2 drop in acceleration - or I would say 10~20 hp depending on your state of tune- if you paid $35.00 and your valve springs aren't worn out there is no reason not to do it, but don't expect it to be like a comp XE grind, or 219/219 not even close to being in the same league.

$.02

 

I never said they were the same, but if you put an LT1 intake manifold on an otherwise stock L98, I bet you'd see numbers that were damn close. The cam is not what makes the LT1 faster. For the most part stock for stock in the quarter you'd see the L98 gain off the line and then the LT1 catch up at half track. I know plenty of stock LT1's in the low 14's. And if I could pull of a 14.3 with my stock L98, stock trans, 2.77 gears, h rated tires, and get 1/4 mile numbers better than the average LT1, tell me how the cam is making it faster. Show me a dyno sheet where the only mod to a stock L98 was an LT1 cam, and show power numbers that are vastly different. You said you added a cam and headers, well hell headers are worth 25 to the wheels right there. There is more going on there than a cam being responsible for the sole power gain.

Will

 

what the guy said was a cam and ecm tuning- over stock- I would expect really close to 15rwhp with an LT1 and say a ARAP bin maybe 20+ - assuming he has free mods and like a cat back, coil, wires stock for stock the LT1 is bigger I think the IE lift is like .440/.450 or .460? and a stocl L98 is like .415/.430 and the LT1 does have more duration like 201?208? IE vs like 195/ 201 IE for the L98 - not radical buy any means- but big enough to feel

if he was making 220hp I would expect with tuning he could get to the 235~240 range with just those mods - are saying he woulf gain nothing? my car ran pretty different- not night and day but you could tell the cam allowed it to rev higher. again not like a quality aftermarket cam- but it's not a 2~3 hp mod like your making it sound

 

I agree it will net power, I just doubt the 40 hp claims of a previous post.