Ok, I have my 87 Trans Am. Its got headers, new Richmond 3.73 gear in the rear, SLP cold air induction, Hypertech chip, 160 thermostat, New plugs, wires, accel supercoil, air foil, anyway its a strong running "305" I bought new high flow runners, intake, Ported plenum, and a Holley Adjustable fuel pressure reg.
Well I was just going to change the intake set up but.....Well I was that far and my little 305 has 100,000 miles on it. Why not change the cam. Everybody I ask sends my to somewhere else. I tried Summit, comp cams.....no one can give me a straight answer on what I need. I want to toss a double timing on it. I want to put a 3000 stall in it. WHAT CAM IS A GOOD CAM??? My buddys got a couple LT1 cams, but will I see the gains I want with one of those campared to a new cam? Can I use my old lifters? (this is a roller cam!!!) Can I find a cam that I wont have to change the springs?
So it comes down to a stock bottom end, I want a 3000 stall, I want to try to use the stock springs, but I dont have to if I need to change them. How big of a cam can I go? Will a LT1 cam be big enough?
Any help would be great, I just bought new Tourque Thrust II's and I can put them on because.....I CANT DRIVE MY CAR.
Send me a PM or post away. Thanks alot in advance!!!

 

You should definately put in new springs if you are doing the cam swap . They are really cheap .

 

Well, all depends on the lift. And its not that easy to just toss a new set of springs on.....I dont plan on pulling the heads off. It it was an easy pull off and put on I wouldnt mind doing it.

 

If you're not going to change the valve springs there's no sense in installing a bigger cam.

 

Its all fine and dandy you all telling me to install new springs.
BUT WHAT CAM! Fine I'll install new springs. I think they make something thats hooks to an air compressor, and threads into the spark plug hole to keep the valves up. Thats what im going to have to do. I'm not pulling the heads off.

 

I have alot of money in my intake set up. No one can tell me what a good cam is.

 

try an LT4 Hotcam, I just installed one in my 305 with 1.6 roller rockers.. but you will have to change the springs for this cam with rockers has a .525 lift.

I have a set of LT4 hotcam springs here good to .525 lift if you need them, will sell cheap.

 

I think that a .525 lift cam is too much for stock heads to support. I've been lead to believe that the springs will bind, and that the rocker studs would need to be converted to screw-in studs. None the less, stock heads won't flow well enough to use that much lift anyway.

As far as what cam to use... get the same one that I have. -OR- one with very similar specs.

Crane Powermax 2032 452/465 214(270)/220(276) 112 deg., 1800 to 5800 RPM (2000 to 5500 RPM), P/N 104224 $269.95 @ summit.
Lift (1.52 rockers): 0.458"/0.471"

As far as changing the springs goes, it seems to me that you would be ok if you just brought each piston up to TDC first. That way the valves couldn't fall very far into the cylinder. If you installed unbrella seals with the springs, they would hold the valves up while you installed the new springs. I've never tried that method, but I think it would work.

You can re-use hydraulic roller lifters.

 

Ok good point.. I never thought of that. When I installed my cam I also bolted on new heads as well, alumiunum L98 corvette heads... hopefully I'll be ok. I did change the springs and the stock studs are the screw in type.

I also bolted on headers while I was at it. Think I'll have enough flow??

 

Those Vette heads are supposed to be sweet on a 305. They don't flow as much volume as some of the others, but hey it's not a 350.

 

right on, well I can't wait to get it running (having a minor issue at the moment) but when I do tenpin842, I'll definatly let you know how I've made out...

...but from what I've been told over and over again alumiunum L98 heads and an LT4 hotcam are a wicked combination for a 305, especially once you get the top end to breathe (larger runners, etc) like you've already done!

 

ok say I buy this kit? Do you think I'll be all set? Or do I really need the Rockers???
Should I just stick with the cam and buy Springs and keepers after that?
eBay Motors: GM Performance Parts LT4 Hot Cam Hydraulic Roller Cam K (item 8073094081 end time Jun-16-06 17:46:47 PDT)

Never heard too much about the LT4 Hot Cam. Yeah I called Edelbrock, They had nothing for a TPI motor. (athough I bought the Intake and Runners)
I called Crane Cams...The guy was laughing cuz I wanted to cam my 305. I called Comp cams And they said I shouldnt do a stall, I would just burn up my tranny, and offered me 2 cams 1 for mt stock computer, and 1 that I will need to have my computer reprogrammed.
I figured I would have to have my computer adjusted no matter what cam I choose.
Thanks for all your help guys. If you guys say the LT4 cam is the one.....thats what I'll go with. I hate seeing my car sitting doing nothing.
LOL, I looked up the specs for my stock cam. Its only LIFT In. .350 Ex. .384
Duration In. 179 Ex. 194 allful small compared to the LT4

 

HI Tenpen, I didnt see where you may have posted about the exahust, that is as critical as the cam. But after you do an install you could really see some benifit from some headers if you dont already have some on the car so you can take full advantage of your new cam and intake combo. Also dont get your heart set on a 3000 stall, you need to see where the cam works at and find out how well the converter will work with the gearing you have. I think you would be much more happy with like a 2200/2400 converter, JMO. And you do really need to change the springs/and timing set if you have that many miles on the car, it would suck to have a new cam and not be able to control the valve trane. GOOD LUCK.

 

tenpin842-----
218/228 duration @ .50 is too big of a cam for a streetable 305 tpi. It would be fine for a 350.

If the guy at Crane had laughed at me for wanting to buy one of their cams, I would speak to his supervisor and tell him that his employee doesn't seem to want to sell any product to me.... That would go over big.

I have a Crane cam. Buy this one (P/N 104224) and I think you'll be happy with it. Go to Cranes web site and look at the specs. Try to learn a little...

Rules of Thumb for 305 TPI:
Do not get a cam with a duration of more than 221 @ .50 if you want it to run well on the street. Do not get a cam with an LSA of less than 112 for the same reason. Do not go past .480 total valve lift if using un-modified stock heads.

 

Hey, Thanks alot. The guy did recommend that cam to me. I'll go with that one. Thats what I wanted to hear. Thanks for all the info people. I'll let you all know what happens when I get it installed.