Hi, I have a couple of questions for cams in a stock L98 with stock heads and stock everything else. I ran into a guy who had the lt4 hot cam in a stock L98 and he said that it was slower with the hot cam than stock. he was usuing the stock rocker arms. I know that the stock heads are junk but what is the max lift that the heads and stock valve springs can take. and why would a hotter cam reduce power? that doesnt make sense to me at all?

 

Typical hotter cams move the torque up the rpm range. If you don't change anything else there will be less torque at lower rpms. A 2.56 rear gear/stock stall TC wouldn't allow the engine to run in the new torque band so it will have reduced power.

Cam/head changes usually include a rear gear/TC stall change to use the new power.

A rear gear/TC stall change will make a bigger difference than a cam change. Do the exhaust first, drivetrain second then save your money for the cam/head change. 6000 rpm cam vs 4000 rpm engine/car = low power/bad mpg

 

A camshaft swap is the last thing you should consider on a stock engine. There are other bottle-necks to address first, as pandin said.

The max lift for stock heads is about .470". And our heads suck, so there is no point in putting a better than stock cam in there. Change the cam, heads and intake at the same time, after you've done the exhaust.

 

Thank you for all your help. Eventually the intake will be done with as&m runners tpis big mouth base 52mm TB and port matchet to everything then the heads and so on. Exhaust is the next thing to be done thought.

 

dont wory about this. unless you plan on making TONS of HP.

 

well eventually when i get the money together im pulling the motor apart and stroking it up to a 383 usuin the as&m runners tpis big mouth base larger injectors, afr heads , port matching it all so thats where the tb is coming in and i know someone whos selling one for $120

 

yea but there is no need for a bigger TB unless you plan on making like 500 HP.

 

i see what you mean, but im not going for the 58 and the one im getting is 120 bucks so if i dont like it ill put the stock 48 back on and sell the 52. i think stock is 48 no sure on that

 

A 52mm throttle body is one of those mods that wont help until you are making more power, but it wont hurt you now. A 58mm throttle body is too big for a stock engine and will hurt.

 

thats what ive been reading is that a 58 is overkill on a stock motor