.... how wrong you are. My engine is broken in now, and I just got back from opening it up. And believe me, the cam works great! Even with the stock TPI still on top, the car pulls all the way up to 5k where it shifts (I haven't held it in past that manually yet), without losing any bottom end torque at all.

Also, while I was out I ran one of my friends in his 94 Z that runs consistent 13.5's. I lost to him once out of 15+ races. The only reason I lost the one is because my car made the 2-3 shift at about 4200 rpm for some strange reason. As a guestimate, I would say that my car should be running about a 13.2/13.3 now. I can't wait for the track to open again in the spring.

BTW, this is with a stock PROM too. Guess what I'll be spending my Christmas break doing.

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Black 88 GTA L98
New engine is in!
ZZ4 bottom end, Edelbrock 6085 heads, LT4 HOT cam, GMPP 1.6 RR's, ported stock TPI, SLP 1 3/4" headers, no cat, Dynomax cat-back
E.T.F.A Member #11

[This message has been edited by Scott 88 GTA (edited November 27, 2000).]

 

I think the issue people have with the LT-4 Hot Cam with the stock TPI system is that the TPI won't let it breath to the full potential of the LT-4, not that the LT-4 won't work at all.

I use TPIS's own data when it compares a stock TPI system to various other intakes on a 383 with AFR heads. Yes the stock TPI produced power and would rev quite high. But it didn't have near the same power as the other systems. Of course, TPIS' motive was to prove "How much more power you get with their systems" when it really proved how much the stock TPI system choked off the power on a built motor.

 

While I agree that the stock TPI intake is choking my car right now, it would be choking any aftermarket cam in there, not just the LT4 HC, so why does everyone say that it's the only one that is a "mis-match"

I plan on upgrading my intake some day (when I have $ again), but obviously the stock TPI isn't as restrictive as most people seem to think it is. What I don't understand is why people with 14 second cars waste their money on putting a bigger base and runners on their car, those obviously aren't the biggest restriction, it's the cam and heads, otherwise I couldn't be running as fast as I am now.

Some people will say that they're just prepping the motor for a head / cam swap, but why spend $800+ for an intake that will get you about 3 tenths and then have to save up another $1200+ for a head and cam swap, when you could wait just a little longer, do the heads and cam first and get about a 1 second improvement in their E.T.'s. Plus, this way, when you do upgrade the intake you'll actually see larger gains from it, because the heads can actually make use of the extra air.

That's my logic anyway, maybe others disagree.

[This message has been edited by Scott 88 GTA (edited November 27, 2000).]

 

Thats why I was so shocked when everybody was telling me that the LT4 HC wouldn't work on my car. Yes my heads are stock and so is my intake, but I have to start somewhere, right?

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1987 Chevy Camaro IROC-Z
L98 TPI 350 (5.7L)
TH 700R-4 Transmission with 2.77:1 Rear End

Current Mods: Edelbrock TES 1 5/8" Headers, Hooker Aerochamber Cat-Back System, Performance Resource Chip with 160* Thermostat, Accel Ignition Components, K&N Filters, All Free Mods, Falken ZIEX Z-Rated Tires.

Best ET : 14.32 @ 97.7mph
(corrected for elevation)

Soon to come: LT4 HOT Cam, Air Flow Research 190cc or 195cc Heads, 2800 RPM Stall Converter and SLP 3.70 Rear End Gears.

 

I have said this before, but I still feel the best thing to change (if you can only do one or the other) is the heads vs the intake. And while a person is already there, they might as well do the cam.

But ultimately, I still feel you should do all three (cam, heads and intake) to get the optimum performance.

What I find interesting is that you are still using the stock PROM. Granted you have MAF, but I am kind of surprised that you are able to run so well with just the stock PROM. I would be interested in what would have happened if you had SD. It may be that these cars are not quite as sensitive to the PROM as we believe. I am not saying that you couldn't benefit from a new PROM, just kind of surprised that the stock PROM responded so well.

 

Its not that we say it wont work, its that we say its not the best cam for what you have. Any big cam like the LT4 HOT cam wont see its full potential in a stock intake, stock heads, 2.7x rear end car. It'll lug at RPMs under 2000, which is where a 2.7x car will be cruising. Yah it's more power than the stock cam, but there are better cams out there for a stock engine. But if you're going to replace everything anyway, yes its a decent cam for the price. Changing a cam is a big deal tho, you have to take the intake manifold off. I'd replace that first, or if not, at least port match it before you put it back on.

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1991 Camaro Z28
5.7L 5-Speed (originally 305)
13.25 @ 107.18 MPH
Southern California
Member: SoCal 3rd Gen F-Bodies
Webmaster: SoCal F-Bodies
-=ICON Motorsports=-

 

Thank you Scott and Dan for posting your results. I have a MUCH bigger cam (230/236*, 510/520", 110 LSA) in my car and the thing has more torque and power than many other cars that have a "matched" combination. This subject has the same mixed feeling as the manifold of choice for a carburated street car where people keep saying that if you use a single plenum manifold you will definately loose a lot of torque; but then you have Hot Rod doing real testing at the dyno and found out that not only did the single plenum intake made more power, but it also made more torque at lower RPMs. In my opinion, the stock heads are the real big bottle neck on the 350 engines.
Dare to be different and break the tradional way of thinking! THINK BIG!
Rick

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'88 GTA 350
Headers, catback, free mods, Xtreme energy cam, and intake pieces
13.51@104.27, but can run better as it is.

New 2100-2300 RPM converter is in. Hoping for 13.30 or better.

 

Glenn,

You can get away with a lot of modifications with the stock maf prom. I'm still running mine with the mods in my sig. I'm sure I'll probably pick up a few tenths when I get a custom chip. I've ran 13.2 at 105.48 with the computer pulling out 15 deg of timing due to a mismatched knock sensor and no tuning (timing, fp, etc.) after I installed my engine. Also, that 13.2 was done on a 2.1 60' ft time. I have to launch at half throttle until I hit 20mph or I spin the tires. It's a whole lot quicker now after fixing the sensor and playing with the timing, just haven't been able to get back to the track.

Sparks a flyin'.

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1989 L98 IROCZ, Bored .030 over,400 Crank,Dart PRO 1 Heads 200cc intake,ZZ3/ZZ4 Cam,Crane 1.6 RR,Edelbrock 3860 Hiflo TPI Manifold, AS&M LTRs, Edelbrock 58MM TB, Ported Plenum, TCI Reverse Pat Man Valve Body, SVO 24# injectors,TCI Streetfight Stall Converter, 3.23 Gears on Auburn Pro Posi, Some Suspension Mods

 

Glenn, I'm kind of surprised that it's running this well with the stock PROM too. And I haven't really even tuned that car at all yet either. I just set the timing to the stock 6* BTDC, and I don't have a gauge so I really have no idea where my fuel pressure is at. Over this Christams break I'm going to try to burn a custom chip for my car while I'm back home and bored. Speaking of which, does anyone have an 89 L98 .bin file that would work with WinBin?

Kevin, in a totally stock car it may not be the best cam, but I can't comment on that. But, I don't think it's a bad choice for a stock intake. I mean, would a LPE or TPIS cam that costs almost twice as much really make that big of an improvement? Plus, with the LT4 cam, you have something to build on later when you do upgrade the intake.

Also, I have 3.27 gears, and even when the engine is under 2000 rpm it doesn't lug at all, and that's with my low 1200 rpm torque converter too. It feels just like the stock engine down there.

 

heh-heh............

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FORMULA 350 TK
Southern California 3rd Generation F-Body Organization©

 

Hey Tom, it's about time you showed up in one of these posts. When I was trying to decide on a cam, your car is what finally convinced me to go with the HOT cam. I know you went through a lot of flack about choosing it for a while too, but no one really caught on.

Maybe the rest of these guys will catch on soon.

------------------
Black 88 GTA L98
New engine is in!
ZZ4 bottom end, Edelbrock 6085 heads, LT4 HOT cam, GMPP 1.6 RR's, ported stock TPI, SLP 1 3/4" headers, no cat, Dynomax cat-back
E.T.F.A Member #11

[This message has been edited by Scott 88 GTA (edited November 28, 2000).]

 

Well I am glad someone proved my statement about the Hot cam to be true. Hey wait till you get a intake that will provide air floe up to 5500rpm and then you might be able to get another .3-.5sec off you times. If i recall correctly I caought a lot of crap for saying that these cams would work, but would not recomend them unless you plan to go bigger on other things later. Well I say once again thanks for trying it, but you admit yourself that you need a new intake system. In defense of the others who uprgrade their intake first before the cam. THese cars most of the time have a lot of miles on them and inevitable we are planning on the an engine replacement one day. It is easier for the time being to do things such a Throttle Bodies and intake manifolds ETC then worry about the cam while we are building our new engines. YOu yourself did yours while the engine was out. So to wrap up what I have said congrats on the new engine man thats some awesome speed, but find out why your tranny shifted early. TO others who thin thins cam won't work, Here is the proof that it kicks A$$ and next engine I do if its another 350 I am using the HOT cam. Mainly because I drove an LT4 corvcette and man was it smooth. Yes I know iot is a different cam than the LT4 but it has the same performance style and man was it a nice power curve.

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86 Trans Am 355 TPI Rebuilt 700R4 with Corvette servo, modified valve body, and a B&M Torque Converter (2000 rpm stall w/ lock up), 87 350 block bored .30 with new crank, bearings, rings, and magnafluxed rods. Reworked 305 heads with 3-angle valve job. Added in the rebuild was an SLP TPI cam, BBK 58mm Throttle Body,SVO 24# injectors,MSD 6A, Hypertech Power Coil, 1.5 Crane roller tipped rocker arms, SLP Intake Runners and Port matching in upper intake including fully ported plenum, TPIS adjustable fuel pressure regulator @ 46psi, Hooker shorty style headers w/ Thermotech heat wrapping, Custom 3” exhaust with Flowmaster muffler and chrome quad tips, Hypertech Thermomaster Computer chip, K&N open element cone filter on modified MAF per TPIS specs, MSD Wires, removal of A/C hardware and a 1LE firewall cover installed. Also there has been a PST front suspension kit with Hotchkis strut tower brace
http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Garage/9548/kyle.html

Kills:
95 Talon TSI, 96 Probe GT, 91 T/A L98, 89 RS, 86 Mustang GT, 88 Mustang LX 5.0, 92 Thunderbird V8. couple or ricers that I think were Civics or Preludes not sure what year, 95 Celica GT-S, 94 Chevy 1/4 ton 350, one of those NASCAR F150's

 

Tom Keliher
Nice looking car, especially with those rims.
I think your car is the cleanest and best looking 3rd gen I've ever seen?

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'88 GTA 350
Headers, catback, free mods, Xtreme energy cam, and intake pieces
13.51@104.27, but can run better as it is.

New 2100-2300 RPM converter is in. Hoping for 13.30 or better.

 

Hey Scott, glad to hear about the motor.BTW how much did the motor cost from Scoggins Dickey?

 

Kyle, the intake does definately need to be upgraded, but the stock one is apparently good for low 13's, which is as fast as many people want to go. I thought it was interesting to find out it could flow that much air, I was a little surprised.

Mike, the motor costs $200 as a crate engine, but comes with a crappy 191/196, .414/.429" cam. Adding the LT4 HOT cam and 1.6 RR's brought the price up to $3300 including shipping, tax and everything.

http://www.sdpc2000.com/cart.asp?act...d=689&pid=1061

[This message has been edited by Scott 88 GTA (edited November 29, 2000).]

 

Whoa! (blush) Thank you very much for the nice compliment!


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FORMULA 350 TK
Southern California 3rd Generation F-Body Organization©

 

what kind of numbers would I be looking at if I were to put a HOT CAM into my 400 and then cap it off with fast burn heads?

 

Ace_Murdock Ill lett you know in a few weeks I have a 350 + 30 with this cam and Im putting a set of fast burn heads on it I let you know what the dyno says.If your interested e-mail me at 87gta@altavista.com and I will send you a copy of a dino for a stroked out 400 to a 435 I think with fast bern heads I will get all the info on his motor for you. next week he is going to put a tpi on it. If any on ewould like to know the out come let me know and I will post the dyno resolts for you.with a list of all mods.