Zaxz28

2000 z28 45000 miles----I have about 600 to spend and there will not be a whole lot more for a long while. I called Texas Speed and the guy told me that I can get a 224/224 114 cam and valvespring package for 589 and not have to worry about putting on a stall. He said it would give me about 45 horse. I don't want to put a stall on my car and I am happy with the bolt-ons in my sig. could I be close to 400 horses?

Or

I could get 3.73 gears in my car for about the same price.

Which would I feel more, It is a garage queen but occasionally has to pull Daily Driver duty. I respect peoples opinions, but please no "save up for a stall and get long tubes". I have already read those responses on other peoples posts, I live in Arizona and I don't want to worry about a stall and possible overheating of the Tranny.

Thank you for your help

Zach

TooLateVTEC

iTrader: (2)

Dont forget the cost of having the ECM tuned for the camshaft on top of the $589 for the cam kit man.

I would say the cam will be felt more but another 200-300 smackers on top of the cam kit will put you over budget.

Chrome355z

iTrader: (1)

To be honest I would buy a converter before either. SS3600 or SS4000.

Zaxz28

Kind of figured I would need a good tune, don't know if frost can do it or not, but there is a guy down here that can do it for 350...I know, I figured I could scrap that up over the next couple of months and do it all over the summer.

Daryn

iTrader: (19)

i would do the gears before the cam

TooLateVTEC

iTrader: (2)

Its worth PM'ing him to see what he'd say and for a round about price quote for a mail order deal. Im sure hes tuned plenty of 224/114 cams and has a tune saved that would suit you just fine.

The Sad

iTrader: (8)

Sorry everyone keeps telling you to get a stall, but perhaps that is because it would be the best bang for buck on your budget. I loved my first stall (my first real mod - only had lid and catback. Still had stock cam and stock gears), changed the way the car behaved and made it so much more fun, but still locked up and drove like normal just cruising. Best of all worlds. Get a good stall and good tranny cooler.

Chrome355z

iTrader: (1)

Agreed. Not only is it the best bang for buck on a budget, it really is needed even with a 224 cam.

Zaxz28

I just don't want to mess with the transmission. It is harder on it and these transmission are touchy from what I have heard. I have been wanting to do a cam install but am nervous about it. But if the gains will be more than with 3.73's I wouldn't mind doing it.

Zaxz28

I rode in a car once, not a camaro but an old mustang that had a stall put in and I just was not that impressed by it.

BriancWS6

iTrader: (18)

Who did you talk to over there that said to go with the cam without a converter?

I have personally ridden in a 224 cammed car with the stock stall, and it sucks a dick. There's no way I would do a cam without a good converter either first or at the same time. No one with any real knowledge would suggest that either.

What gears do you have now? If 2.73s then cool get some gears, if 3.23s then keep them and get a stall. I'd much rather have a 3500 stalled bolt-on car than a stock stalled, cammed turd.

Chrome355z

iTrader: (1)

I was thinking the same thing, but didn't want to call out a sponsor..........


And I like Texas Speed, have spent some $$$$ there but that didn't sound like a good recommendation.

Zaxz28

WoW thank you for telling me that.....Can't remember the guys name but I clicked on the website above, called them and said I want the largest came I can get without having to replace for a stall. Told me 224 114.

Zaxz28

What did it feel like just curious?

Don't you have to rev up the engine to get the car moving?
Doesn't it get annoying to rev the engine?

Zaxz28

Also I have 2.73

Chrome355z

iTrader: (1)

2.73 with a stock stall and a 224 cam would be a DISASTER!!!

Given you have 2.73 gears your best bet is to get some 3.73. Then a nice converter down the road matched to the cam that you want to run.

I have 3.23 gears so I did full bolt ons/SS3600 converter first. Then added 3.73 gears. Then added the cam in that order.

TRANS-DAD

iTrader: (1)

: :
I agree totally!!!..........since the car has 2,73's gears would be a good choice but even then prob. gonna be more than 600.00 after retune the shift points & speedo!

drone

iTrader: (5)

these cars love big stalls. I run down all my buddys supercharged mustangs with a stall and boltons. You dont have to rev it up to get it moving, it moves at low rpm, its just got alot less power below the stall speed.

i know you didnt wanna hear it but +1 for stall.

but then again ive got the gu5 performance axle with 3.23's...so you might wanna do some gears. though those 2.73 will save you some traction with a stall. I have none with 3.23s. You can do a stall with 2.73's just might feel a bit loose.

Zaxz28

I already have money set aside for a frost tune wouldn't this solve the shift points ect.

Also I like to cruise on the highway, what am I looking at as far as RPM's at 75?

BriancWS6

iTrader: (18)

Well when the guy hammered it it was a total slug til it got way on up in the rpms, then it finally started pulling hard. I was thinking wow, my stock car with exhaust would hurt this things feelings! This was with 3.23s as well, not 2.73s like you have.

No, a stall is very mis-understood by people that don't have first hand experience with them. The car will start to move when you apply throttle, however, at 10% throttle, it won't get going as fast as it would with the stock converter. When you start to get more aggressive with the throttle, it really adds to the fun factor. When your just cruising along and then stomp on it the rpms will flash up much higher than when stock and the car will pull strong, and when the shift occurs, it will not fall way down in the rpms like stock.

I was confused myself back in the day on what to expect and just how it worked, but, I did a lot of reading and trusted the recommendations from knowledgeable tech members, and wow was I impressed and in love with the results.

I went with the TCI SSF3500, which is more budget friendly compared to a Yank for example. There are a lot of people that kept their stock 2.73s and went with a converter and had pretty good results. If you think that your gonna want gears no matter what at some point, go ahead and get them since they're in your budget now, but don't do the cam yet. The 224 is a good choice, but not until you have the supporting mods to go along with it.