MountainMotor

iTrader: (2)

Just wanting to get some feedback to see how you guys like your T-Rex cams? Had any reliability issues or any other problems with them? I'm wanting to get one and just want some feedback before I get one.

PREDATOR-Z

T-Rex is about the biggest you can fit on stock cubes.
By any means, NOT A STREET CAM.

That cam requires:
> ARP rod bolts
> A heck of a tune
> A heck of a clutch
> 12 bolt rear or equivalent
> Compatible lifters

In a nut shell, there are quite a few other cams that are more street worthy and that would give better performance with less mods.

FM 13/ 14
G5x3
mini stick from TSP
TR 230 or TR236

dug

iTrader: (10)

Is the Trex that much harder on lifters than the ms3 cam? The MS3 cam has much more lift.

Geoff

iTrader: (3)

Point by point:

ARP Rod Bolts: Only if you are plannig on staying above 7000 RPM. This cam will make as good or better power below 7000 than a lot of smaller cams.

Good Tune: I agree with this. With a proper tune this cam will run like a kitten.

Good Clutch: No more or less so than any other mod that makes lots of power. If you are making lots of power with ANY cam or other modification then a good clutch is a necessity. This is nothing about this cam that automatically means you need a new clutch as compared to any other cam.

12 Bolt Rear End: See my answer to the clutch above. Same thing with the rearend.

Compatible Lifters: WTF??? We have taken the stock ones on this cam to 7400 RPM with no problem. If you have a lifter problem with the stock stuff either your stuff is worn out or your valvetrain isn't set up correctly.

alans02z

iTrader: (9)

I love mine. I have a Ram hd and the 10 bolt. On street tires, I havent broke the rear, YET. It will happen. Oh well. I haven't been dyno tuned yet and still get around 16-17 mpg. Fun cam.

PREDATOR-Z

That is the point stock shortblocks and 7K rpm is a dice game (especialy with 98>2000 motors)
I know you are a sponsor, but you'll not convince me it is OK to run that rpm on a "reliable basis" on stock block.

We all know that, but more like a tiger wouldn't you say?

Do you really think the average board consumer will treat this cam as "driving miss daisy". Clutch is necessary

Let us be real world please, ever done a 5K dump on stock 10 bolt? What is the life expectancy if you do so?

Easy for you to say, your shop is a pro and a pro degrees, checks geometry, preload etc... Basically blueprints a cam install.
Now realisticaly, how many of the average board members do that???
30% ??
The rest just allign dot to dot and they are good to go.

I'm by no means putting down the Rex, it is one of the fastest cams out there.
BUT, I'm warning that a motor has to be able to handle this beauty, and it is by no means a STREET cam.
Build the motor to handle this dinosaur and you'll smile to eternity, but otherwise, well you'll pay the price. Literally ///LOL

Geof, no offense, I know your paycheck depends on a lot of sales, but you guys carry quite a few nice cams, that do not require a sales pitch.
I believe that establishments like yours should be honest in giving sound advice as to how to build powerful combos. I'm one of your customers as well, and I'm lucky to find my way around (from previous mistakes and 7 years of LS1 experience) and of course this forum.

The only reason i'm responding like this, is your answer WTF, made me feel like you're saying I'm talking ****. Truthfully, we both know I'm right.

35th SS

iTrader: (2)

go for it man.no issues here.youll love it.

calongo_SS

iTrader: (7)

Pred, I think most people are running this cam on stock lifters. Not to say changing them isn't a good idea, but you still have to do all the things you mentioned above (proper preload, degree wheel, etc...). I think you took what geoff said the wrong way, he was basically agreeing with you on the clutch and rear end, and you jumped all over him. He just was just saying that as with any large increase in HP, you will need some drive train upgrades, not specifcally because it is a T-rex. I however agree with you on the rod bolts @ the rpms this cam likes. Better safe than sorry.

masterdill

iTrader: (2)

PREDATOR-Z:

Please don't fill peoples mind with this nonsense.

I was one of the first people to order a T-rex, and I haven't had any problems. I did take my valvecovers off after a year to check on my STOCK rockers, but they were all perfect. My STOCK hydraulic lifters must be working great also because she sings right up to 7200 anytime I want on my STOCK rod bolts.

I must say, the tune is absolutely everything. My car idles perfect, dosen't die out, dosen't buck, I'd even go as far as saying it drives almost like stock. The only downside is it really likes RPMs, the low end isn't like stock.

Anyways on a side note, I always get a kick out of your preaching misinformation.

MountainMotor

iTrader: (2)

Well guys, my setup is this, Patriot Stage 2 CNC Ported Heads, 5/8 Double Coil Springs, Titanium Locks and Retainers, Comp Cams Chromoly Pushrods, Comp R Lifters, LS6 Intake, Ported Throttle Body, Mac Ceramic Coated Mid-Length Headers, Full exhaust, and I would also be getting a 4000 stall (currently TCI3000) and probably lower gears (currently Richmond 3.42). These are just the engine mods, I also have suspension mods that go along with them. This would be going on an A4 with trans-cooler but I'm wanting to upgrade to a TH400 soon if I get the money. Do you think the engine portion would be able to handle the T-Rex?

Geoff

iTrader: (3)

You are right: We do have a large selection of cams to hopefully fit anyone's needs. If we don't sell another TRex, it won't matter in that people will just be buying something different. There is no more or less profit margin in the TRex as compared to any other LS1 cam that we sell. As far as me saying WTF, we have never run aftermarket lifters with this cam unless we were doing a total engine build and we needed lifters just for the sake of putting in lifters. I don't know where your information on the lifter remark came from. Stock or stock replacement lifters have always worked fine for us. BTW we usually just use the cheap replacement lifters from Comp or Crane and not the Comp R's or anything 'special'. We have done quite a few of these cams as well as larger. IMHO putting in special lifters to 'fix' a problem that doesn't exist except for an incorrect setup is just a band-aid that will break anyways. It is always better to correctly build the motor than throwing a bunch of high dollar parts at it.

My comments aren't intended as a sales pitch: I KNOW what I can make this cam do as far as what parts it needs and what it needs from a tuning perspective. WITH A PROPER TUNE THIS CAM WILL DRIVE JUST FINE. It takes more to make this thing run correctly than just a 'professional' 1 hour tune that some shops give out, but it can be done. Again I don't make any more money on this cam than any other. I just don't like it being portrayed as something that can't be made to be street driven, because I know it can.

I know quite a few people running to just below 7000 RPM on almost a daily basis and their motors are living. Maybe it is a crap shoot, but then so is a blower, nitrous, or almost ANY internal modification. There is more than one cam out there that will like a 7000 RPM shift point. I agree that the ARP rod bolts are a good idea, but they are also a good idea with any of the other cams we make or any of the ones you have listed. As far as the clutch and rearend are concerned the cam doesn't make these parts weak. Angie has gone 11.13 on a stock rearend and I have seen people with stock engines break them. The cam isn't the deciding factor as much as the usage of the vehicle is.

I am sorry if you took my comments the wrong way. I just don't agree with what you have said in that the TRex requires all of the 'special' components just because of it's size. My point is that I agree with you on the tune, the lifter comment is wrong and the drivetrain parts are probably need in ANY application where the driver is going to beat the car.

Geoff

iTrader: (3)

You would probably need to check P/V clearance carefully with that combo. Most ported stock heads have less P/V than stock. This cam is already borderline with unmodified heads so the Patriot heads would probably require notching the pistons.

PREDATOR-Z

I get a kick out of poeple reading only what they want to read.
Read your own sig, you have a 2002, which have upgraded rod bolts Vs previous years.
You contradict yourself drives almost like stock .... but the low end isn't like stock

Some are bigger is better fans, I think it is an ego thing, I'm more of a do it right kinda person. Want big cam> build motor to handle it.
Since you've been on his forum since 02, I'm sure you read about all the lifter failures, rocker failures, rod bolt failures (read mine also, I've lost a motor like that (01) ).
If building the motor to properly handle a big cam is missinformation, then all the sponsors and Hi perf shops would be out of luck, because the LS1 stock block is indistructible and no rebuilts are necessary.
Anyways what do I care, everyone is free to do what they want.

And BTW did you install your cam?
Did you degree it?
What length p-rods are you using?
What is your preload on lifters?
You must have had this cam for over 1.5 years now, how many miles have you driven with it?
When was the last time you measured your springs?
What rear end do you have?
What clutch do you have?
Do you go at the track?
What tires are you running at the track?

I'm just curious, and this is relative to the thread as an on hand user info!

DrewSG

iTrader: (1)

I agree with Predator-Z on the ARP bolts since he has a 98 motor. Sure it isn't neccessary, but a ~$150 can save you ~$3000. That's how I look at it..

SMOKIN01TA

iTrader: (10)

i wouldnt think twice about spinning a 01-02 motor on stock rodbolts, i would put arp's on earlier motors, my cam was not specially degreed goin in, jason and i did it one night, dot to dot, no degreeing. im still on stock rockers, stock rodbolts, stock oil pump, stock timing chain and stock lifters, stock stuff works fine and i can assure you NOBODY has pushed this cam to the rpm limits i have, i was the FIRST customer to get this cam before it was even available for public sale and i have beat the crap out my car ever since then. have thousands of street miles on it, i daily drove it for 4 months and raced it on the weekends, i have hundreds of passes at 7200rpms, car idles fine at 700rpms, dont try to die, get very lil surge which can be easily fixed since drivability was never tuned on my car.

masterdill

iTrader: (2)

You know what is the best part is the motor is currently a stock bottom end 98 with stock 806 heads.

I installed the cam myself, dot to dot. It is pretty hard to mess that up, 1 tooth off is easy to notice.

I shimmed the 832 valvesprings .090 each, if I remember right, a 1.720 install height. It has been awhile.

It has thunders 7.40 pushrods.

Preload? It has stock rockers.

I have a 12 bolt.

Last time I went to the track I trapped just over 138 with low bottle pressure and a shitty track condition. Have you ever even ran close to 140 mph in 1320 feet?

I run 28x10.5's when racing.

I just drove the car almost 20 miles today... ran great in heavy traffic. It definitely has over 10k miles since the install (with a TH400 at that), I really haven't kept track. Countless passes, several large $ races on nitrous.

I tried to answer all of your lame questions.

PREDATOR-Z

You didn't degree the cam, so my point is valid you're part of the masses that just take a chance that you cam was up to specs.

So since then you've performed no spring check maintenance.

What you think because of that lifters do not have a preload ?? Man you're a pro

You've proven another one of my points, thanks

I hadn't noticed that you were Auto, so again you prove one of my points, changed the tranny to handle the power of your combo

I never said this was a bad cam.

Maybe lame to you but you proved most of my points, thank very much .
You've also proven that you're just an amateur and one lucky SOB.
So please before you insult and look down at someone, look in the mirror and judge yourself.

My comments stand.
T-REX is a badass cam but requires supporting modifications to do it properly.
I do not see where I went wrong in suggesting that.

masterdill

iTrader: (2)

The T-Rex cam kit is all that needs to be installed.

You have NEVER installed a cam, I can tell. If you did, you would understand and not make yourself look like a fool like you have been.

What is there to check? I unbolted all my rockers and retightened them. They really didn't even need it.

I am far from a amateur. I built my first motor at 15, my Dad has been building motors as a hobby since he was a kid also.

I wish you would stop posting on the internal engine modification section.

MountainMotor

iTrader: (2)

So do you guys think my setup would be ok besides for the ARP rod bolts? Just saying about the rod bolts to cover everyone. I figured I'd get a lot of different responses. Thanks though

MountainMotor

iTrader: (2)

So do you guys think my setup would be ok besides for the ARP rod bolts? Just saying about the rod bolts to cover everyone. I've heard of a lot of people running the Rex on stock internals but while everythings apart I'd probably just add them. Some impressive numbers on stock internals. I figured I'd get a lot of different responses. Thanks though