SSkeet

I have a 408ci 238/242 115 cam with stg 3 heads & 90/90 setup in my SS.

I know its not a huge cam for a 408 by any means, but it is a little much for a daily driver which is what my car is.

I am going to a 232/236 116 setup. This will have much less overlap and should still make decent power, but have a very nice idle.

I thought I would love a big cam, but honestly I was sick of the lope and fuel smell and cold start issues etc...

So what does everyone think? I dont know of too many larger cube motors with this small of a cam, but I am hoping I can get it tuned to run nicely and make a solid ~ 475rwhp. I know with the old cam it would have made around 500+

So my main question is, what do you guys think of the cam selection...keep in mine the goal is "big motor near stock idle"

Quickin

Thats wierd, I have a 242/242 .610/.610 114 lsa and my car truly, honestly, no **** idles like a stock LS1, ZERO lope.

I'm surprised you find your cam is too much. I'm going to 248/252 113 lsa.

blkZ28spt

Who tuned your cam? I run a cam larger than that in my otherwise stock 346 and love it. Zero cold start issues, etc.

Personally I think going that small in a 408 is a waste, but to each his own.

Patrick G

iTrader: (14)

For a sleeper to still make power, you need the proper valve events. You need the proper intake closing point (for power and rpm range) and the right overlap (for the desired idle). Tuning takes care of a lot, but you can still go smaller and keep most of your power if you select the right cam.

If your 408 makes best power with an intake closing point of 50 degrees ABDC (@ .050" for example), then that's where you'd want your new cam to be. Assuming +4 degrees on intake centerline, your old 238/242 115LSA cam had an intake closing point of 50 degrees and 10 degrees of overlap. The newer 232/236 116LSA cam would have an intake closing point of 48 degrees ABDC (if +4 ICL) and 2 degrees of overlap (@ .050"). That's a step in the right direction, but to maintain similar power and rpm range of the old cam, you'd want to retard the cam 2 degrees to have the same intake closing point (50 degrees ABDC).

If the 232/236 116 cam is still not stealthy enough for you, you could always go a little smaller on the exhaust lobe (to kill some overlap) and tighten up the LSA some. A 230/230 115LSA 115ICL (+0) cam would have an intake closing point of 50 degrees ADBC and 0 overlap at .050". It would make power at the same rpm level as the 238/242 cam, but it would have a smooooooth idle and better low rpm throttle response. I doubt you'd lose even 10 rwhp over the original cam provided you have lots of lift with the sleeper cam lobes, but your driveability would be TONS better.

SSkeet

This is what I was thinking, I guess we'll see what happens...
thanks for the info...

SSkeet

I tuned it, and I got the IAC, idle air, and VE table perfectly dialed in. However, what I mean by cold start issues is that the car would always surge a lot until it warmed up (even though the AFR was 13's - 14's on cold start so I know OL was tuned right). Once warmed up it runs like a charm...