I want to find a performance camshaft kit for my '84 Camaro, Vin 1 2.8L V6 with the 2BBL Rochester E2SE 2BBL carburetor. The factory horsepower sucks (107hp, according to my repair manual), and I want to squeeze as much out of the motor as I can without doing any kind of engine or head swaps (I'm lazy and don't wanna do it). Yes, I know that the carb'd 2.8 is considered a lost cause, but I'm not looking to build a street rod....just want to make the old V6 a little more pleasurable for daily driving. So, anyone know where I could find a new cam & lifter kit for my car? How much horsepower could I reasonably expect to pick up from a performance cam, anyway? I'd want something that offered a good idle. If anyone knows, let me know.

 

Swapping a cam is more involved than swapping heads. A set of MPFI heads would probably make more power than a cam swap on that motor anyway. Edelbrock makes one though. They have an intake and cam setup for a pretty reasonable price.

 

swapping heads is easier than cam.

 

Screw that, do them both! Heads and cam!

Take a look at edelbrocks site they have a cam kit for the motor.

 

if i were you... i'd go for the cam swap but have another set of, newer, heads ready to put on too. only about 16 more bolts plus exhaust to remove. if the whole intake is off and rockers are loose, i'd pull the heads too. put a set of the larger valved, ported and polished heads on it. then, i'd drop the edlebrock 4 barrel carb setup on it too. unless you go with a cam like the one doward has, they aren't too cheap, really. i've priced a few others that i had considered for mine but they were around $250 so i decided i kinda like the one i have.

 

I'd do both if I were getting that involved... Melling MTC-5 cam kit from autozone and lightly ported MPFI heads.

A head swap and a cam swap both involve: complete removal of the intake manifold, removal of valve covers, loosening of rocker arms, removal of pushrods, and removal of most engine accessories. The head swap specifically then calls for removal of the exhaust manifolds and removal of the head, whereas the cam specifically calls for removal of the water pump, crank pulley, harmonic balancer, timing front cover, lifters, timing chain, and the cam.. and then you get to play hell with a steady hand putting the cam back in making sure not to budge a cam bearing, which would require an ungodly amount of work to put back in.

The head swap is easier.

 

Hmmmm.....I think you guys have a point. Are you absolutely sure that the MPFI heads are going to bolt onto my carb'd block, though? The coolant passages and such are going to line up correctly? Also, what about the intake and exhaust ports? Will there be any modifications that will have to be made with the hardware?

Does anyone know a round-about amount of Horsepower that I could expect an increase of? I'd be happy if I could find a way to squeeze 40 more from stock. I know heads alone are likely not going to give me that, but how much WILL they? I haven't run across anyone with a carb'd motor like mine that has done any performance work to it....just FI v6 owners who have. I feel a bit left out, hahaha.

If the heads would offer more power than a cam, then I'll go with those instead for now and put the cam off until later. I had thought a cam would be better, but then I've also never done this kind of internal engine work before. It's always good to learn.....

 

I would forsure do the heads, you should beable to score a used set cheap, then have a basic rebuild done on them. Every engine including ours, the restriction is the head. I nice cam would also help, quite a few are made, but most are for FI, not carb.

Can also install 1.52 rockers. I belive NY has smog check, so doubt you want to go up to 1.6.

 

Dale, is my factory carb'd intake going to mate up to the FI heads?

Yes on the smog check comment...but I'm hearing rumors that cars out of the 80's will be exempt from the smog check and will pass as long as the CHECK ENGINE light is not on. Hopefully the rumors prove to be true. I'm not sure when the new inspection policy goes into effect, though.

Let me know about those heads' compatability with my intake if you know one way or the other. Thanks.

 

yes, they will swap with no issues. Go get some, get a simple rebuild on them.

Make sure all surfaces are really clean, torqe the intake down twice (go back over it), and adjust rockers per the thread I posted few months ago.

I am also unsure if "blue89rs" still has his carb intake and cam forsale. He had the eldbrock intake, and not sure which cam.

 

Great, thanks for clearing that up for me. I had always thought that carb'd heads and FI heads were completely different and could not be interchanged. I should have no problem finding a good set of 2.8 FI heads around here; plenty of late 80's Camaros being parted out or being sent to the junkyard (which is sad cuz most of em just have dead motors or tranny's and that's it). It's not something I'm going to do right away (Got a paint job and front suspension work to do first), but I hope I can afford to get to it within a year. Thanks again.

 

dont stick to just f-bodys, you can use fiero heads, or s10 heads. They are the same.

I know two people on the board that have a set forsale.

 

BTW When you do the head swap replace the rocker arm nuts with new ones EVEN if the nuts/discs look good. I reused mine when i replaced a head gasket only to have them loosen up on me later.

 

I think I know where to find a set from an '88 Camaro (a friend doing a V8 conversion)....they should be in really good shape. If not, I'll consider the other makes and models if I can find anything.

Br()bert-- yeah, I just read a thread about that issue (can't remember who posted it (was it you?)) the other day....was glad I saw that. Thanks for the info anyway, though. Saves me from getting myself into trouble further down the road. I wouldn't have thought of that on my own.

Thanks again for the help, guys!

 

Probably was me, Since i've had my car i've gotten ALOT of help from this site and mainly from people on the v6 forum.

 

Yeah, this is a good forum to belong to