i was thinking about getting my 2030 cam, but my uncle is tucking me out of it saying, "why spend the money on a 6?" but i think it would be worth the investment. my uncle works at a mrTire as a manager, so he probably could install them for dirt cheap... compared to last years clutch replacement which only cost me $350 for new clutch, machining the flywheel, and installing the new clutch plate. he said it would have cost a normal customer over 700 dollars... so what i want to know is how much would it be to install Crane 2030 cam kit ($150 ish.),Crane Cams 105# valve springs, Crane, 1.6:1 ratio full roller rockers, and a double roller timing chain($89)???

 

It is well worth it... You would have a noticeable difference. It would be like adding NOS..

 

Ah, I love that question. My answer's usually "why not?" Why spend the money on an import? Why spend the money on a small block V8, when you could put a big block in?

Ya might as well look into installing it yourself... the procedure's even in the $15 Haynes manual.

 

Yeah I don't understand people "spend it on a V-8."
If I had the money at the time I would have bought the V-8. Or maybe if you paid my insurance you would have a V-6 too.
Well if you build your 6. When you get a V-8 you will respect it more. etc. etc.

Now. Install the cam yourself. Find a weekend. Get everything ready. Then dig in. Much cheaper. Besides a good learning expierience never helped.

 

hell my clutch replacement only cost me 100 for clutch, 36 for reface/turning the flywheel, and a few days. I replaced it over christmas break and the damn resurfacing place was closed for almost a week!. but otherwise it would have been done in 2 days time. Not bad considering the car was less then 18 inches off the ground!.

 

A buddy of mine put one in his 87 Fiero GT, and my stock out of tune 3.1L Firebird was still faster. I'd say spend the money on something that will make a difference.

 

Drew, your saying a modded fiero was beaten by an out of tune 3.1. I am surprised because most fieros with a 2.8 I have seen running at the Orlando Speed World run: low 15’s with simple bolt ons. I have never seen a 2.8 or 3.1 oreven a 3.4 camaro run close without more than just bolt on’s.


On the internet I have found most STOCK 2.8 fieros ran 16 flat..


I would do the cam. It will be noticeable. Granted it won’t be a V8, but it is a better mod than:

A chip, or pulleys or high performance filters!!!

 

We've got a fairly sizable group of fiero enthusiasts in town. At least three of them have installed that cam and gone slower then when they started.

What reason would i have to lie? BTW it was an automatic, but then again, so is my firebird. And yes Fiero's always have the advantage over a 2.8-3.1L Camaro or Firebird.

 

the gmpp 3.4 HO cam kit has a more agressive profile than the 2030, and last time I checked, was $118 at the dealer.

Full roller rockers for our cars is about $300. either crane or compcams makes them. They are basically lt1/ls1 centerbolt valve cover rockers w/metric & standard threaded studs. use 2 valve cover gaskets per side to keep the annoying tapping down while the valve covers are reshaped in certain areas

 

Spend money worth it
Rebuild distributor, remove it & PUT IN ALL NEW STUFF
new coil/plugs/plug wires.
NEXT
Look at passenger side of exhaust.
IT SUCKS!
Install a HI Flo Engine exhaust manifold to CC, gain a solid 5-7 HP thru out the entire RPM range.
match with a V-8 wrecking yard intermediate pipe, add new exhaust.
THEN GO BUY THE GM Performance Parts MAnual for a measly $6 (any GM dealer).
Drool at the 3.4 you will be installing in your enginebay
Unless you can do that cam swap, do the exhaust, ignition stuff first.
Feel the power.

 

i like the idea of the high flow y connection to the cc,
my sig has my i already have done. i am already getting plugs+wires soon. i plan on finding a tpi dual snorkel and using sheet metal to make the ram air. i have lots of plans for my car to keep me busy this summer... i just wanted to find out if a cam job would be worth it... 0-60 now is 8.2 seconds (judging speedometer w/stopwatch)

how much torq would the cam give me? i hear that a 2030 cam + double roller timing chain, and new valve springs could get me around 40hp more, how would this effect my powerband? will the 2030 cam lower my low end power?

 

Your stopwatch 0-60 is a shade on the optimistic side... Its probably closer to 10 seconds 0-60.

Swapping to the Camaro TPI intake probably won't do much of anything at all. Both the Camaro and Firebird intakes neck down, but the firebird style intake you have now is more fluid... If you want to increase airflow without spending a dime, pull the aircan out of there and either drill out the four rivets holding the duct to the side and remove the duct, or relocate the IAT to the duct between the canister and the TB and chuck the canister completely. The duct takes a 3" inlet down to 1" for no reason. Kill it and you have an intake duct system as good as an L98 Firebird. Remove the canister completely and you've got a better than most open element aircleaner.

If you want to make the V6 move you can either get more cubes (3.4L) or you can go for big mods, like the largest computer friendly cam you can find, and NOS.
You can spend the next two years messing around with headers, tune up parts, bolt ons, free mods, etc or you can spend $500-600 for a 75-100hp shot of nitrous that will move the car faster. Of course no matter what you do speed costs money, and a V6 starts out well behind a V8 and will cost even more money to go faster.

 

i can/have done an 8.5 manny times. i swear. 8.2 was best i have done
i already modded the stock "cold air" my sig shows...

 

Helped, or Hurt?

Hm, it's a beautiful day in NJ today; somebody remind me to hook up my G-tech when I get home; I wonder what my 0-60 is. Damn, I hope the thing works, I got it at Christmas and never unpacked it. Oops!

Karl, does a V8's y-pipe really bolt up to our manifolds??

Also, RPS, did you mean switching to a dual-snorkel intake, like on the 85-89 Camaros? That'd be better than the side air box. Drew, what do you mean by the "intake you have now is more fluid"? Does the V6 one take an "easier" bend?

 

Hi Tom,
I AM REFERRING TO
the V-8 INTERMEDIATE PIPE!
After the CC.
I've READ that
the V-8 I-piping is LARGER by 1/2"
V-6, smallest.
TO ME, the cheapest pipe upgrade (if your supplies are good in the yard) could be a V-8 I pipe.
Again, I've read this.
I have a 1990 Z-28 I'm getting stuff from.
I get a chance to discover if this detail is true.
GM factory piping is "some" of the best stuff on earth.
SOMETIMES, those "GM Factory bends" really stink!!!
Gotta look and size up the option effort for your wallet.
This V-8 I-Pipe idea looks good.
I'm trying to get back out to this wrecking yard and confirm it.

 

The camaro TPI air intake and early V6 intakes, come up from under the nose, then the air takes a 90* turn from the filter thru a 1" tall duct that y's down then spreads out to a 3" duct...

The Firebird and late 3.1 intake goes thru the filter and up into a roughly 3" duct straight into the throttle body.

The firebird setup is just as good if not better then the camaro setup, stock. The bad rap for the firebird ducting came from 85-87 when they used the filter, then the maf, then an air silencer, then the duct into the engine. 88-up Firebirds don't have that same problem.

As always I only believe in spending money on parts that are going to work much better then what the car already has.

 

Drew, you bring up an interesting point.
I "RECREATED/MICKEY MOUSED" the 1988 & above air intake set up.
It helps.
My filter is dirty
Performance increase?
I have a 3.4, so much torque, it's truly hard to tell.
IF I started with a 2.8, maybe I can tell better. NOT BRAGGING, just with a 3.4 & that torque, it's hard to tell what works and what doesn't.
All I can relate is my air filter is finally dirty!
I have increased air inlet from below front bumper (thru fender) & area right behind headlight door to top of the air box Air Cleaner for my 85 Firebird.
Sound "noisy-er?"
Can't truly answer fairly.
it does seem to help.
I KNOW when I hop up my exhaust from the baseline, now, it may (air inlet stuff) show better results, then.

 

well botttom line is i have a 2030 cam and its well worth the money...

i think the roller chain helps but trust me compared to the stock old chain u have in there any NEW chain will help...

i definitely feel the difference in power... and it idles very lopy if u set it any higher than 18* in timing
lol yesterday i realised that with all my mods and 93 octane gas i can set the timing to ~20* (i expected it to knockbut it didnt ) and it still idled ... had to raise the Idle to 1000+ rpm but i can definitely feel the difference in power when i increase the timing too...

the ONLY diff between the 2030 and wolverine blue racer is exhaust lift (2030 - .423 /wolverine - .443) otherwise both are the same cam...

now i donno which one is the stock 3.4 cam ... but either of those are better than the stock cam the 2.8/3.1 has

stock duration 194-204 with In - .391 and Ex - .4xx

2030 - 204/214 .423 /.423
wolv - 204214 .423/.443

and when ur at puttin teh cam inside port the intake manifold ...that helps a bit too....
and i have no idea how much hp im makin now ....but its definitely higher than what i started with....