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Overall Thoughts on TR 230/224 111

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Old 07-24-2006, 11:53 AM
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Default Overall Thoughts on TR 230/224 111

Hello, I am new to the internal section. My car and mods are in my sig. I am really thinking of going with the TR 230/224 111 for my car. Can I get some opinions on this cam. Things like SOTP dyno, sound (sound is a big one), agressiveness all around. What to expect from the dyno. Do I need to put new gears in it. I have stock 3.42's right now. I have been told that it wont be as fun without gears (4.10's) Thanks in advace.
Old 07-24-2006, 12:12 PM
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im leaning towards mti x1. pretty much just like the tr 230/224 cam. i hear nothing but good things from the reverse split cam. the only thing i think is that you need a really good flowing exhaust setup. but overall, i hear from lots of people the reverse split cam are great NA cams. i think they are under rated cams also.
Old 07-24-2006, 12:19 PM
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When I was looking around for my cam, I was very surprised by the number of 400HP+ results I was seeing from that cam. I didn't get it, personally, but I often wondered if I should have. Based on what I've read, I'd say it's a darn good choice.

Oh, and regarding the sound, just about any cam of moderate size can be made to sound sick. It just depends on the tune. Changing the idle RPM has a drastic effect, especially.
Old 07-24-2006, 12:20 PM
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Beasst8,

I highly recommend this camshaft. It's one of my favorites for the LS1. It has enough overlap to make the car sound mean and to make good power, but not so much as to kill economy and make this a "bad" daily driver cam. The overlap that it does have is biased to the intake and this allows the power to not fall off at high RPM. The lift isn't as aggressive as some of the other cams out there, but on the street this will mean longer valvespring life.

There are plenty of full-bolt on cars that hit 400rwhp with this cam alone. This cam in my good friend's car ('01 M6 SS) produced incredible power. There was a huge increase of torque through out the powerband and OFF IDLE. His dyno graph shows over 300ftlbs at 1700 rpm. Not bad at all. He shifts it at 6800 and it's still pulling at the shift. When I drive his car, I find the revlimiter everytime at 6900 because it revs so fast.

This cam will require a tune. It'll die coming to a stop with the AC on, etc. Also, the above car had 3.42s at the time the cam went it. On the street from a roll it was impressive, but from a stop it lacked good launching capabilites. With 4.10:1 gears it became a whole new story. So, it can be driven with 342s, but will perform much better with steeper gears. It could be driven on 342s until you got a better rear ratio.

Jason99ta had this cam in his red car and went 11.teens at 122 mph cam-only. Don't expect those exact times in your car, but it shows it has potential. This car was probably lighter than most full street cars by some small margin. Also, this car had 4.30/1 gears.

Gas milage wasn't hurt significantly but be prepared to give up atleast one mpg in the city. Right after the cam install expect gas milage to go down... a lot. You'll love the new found power. Highway milage should remain basically unchanged.

Ben T.
Old 07-24-2006, 12:21 PM
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The TR230 will do allright with stock gearing but 4.10s will turn the equation into bread and butter. The valve events as mentioned before with the TR230 like a very free flowing exhaust to maximize power. Add a QTEC to your I pipe and bypass the flowmaster to make better power.
Old 07-24-2006, 12:25 PM
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Originally Posted by TXZ28LS1
im leaning towards mti x1. pretty much just like the tr 230/224 cam. i hear nothing but good things from the reverse split cam. the only thing i think is that you need a really good flowing exhaust setup. but overall, i hear from lots of people the reverse split cam are great NA cams. i think they are under rated cams also.
I was VERY suprised to see a 230/224 pick up less than 5 rwhp by dropping a chambered muffler. I expected an additional 12-15 rwhp with an open cutout, but it didn't happen. It sure went against my logic.

Also, this cam sounds MEAN at idle. There are several clips of it over on ls1sounds.com. There's a CETA transam that has the 230/224, and it sounds sick.

Do a search. Lots of good info about this cam.

Can you guess what I'm switching my 221/221 out for?

Ben T.
Old 07-24-2006, 12:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Ryan02SS
... bypass the flowmaster to make better power.
Actually, I've seen a 230/224 through the 3" Flowmaster American Thunder catback on a dyno. This (chambered mufflers period) is routinely bashed as the worst modification to put on your LS1/LT1 car. Even the dyno operator shared a story of his bolt-on car LOOSING mph with a flowmaster muffler in the stock catback.

Oddly enough the reverse split 230/224 picked up LESS than 5rwhp by opening an already installed cutout. Plans were to install a better muffler, but those plans were pushed back at this power level. Odd, huh? I couldn't get over it. And no the car wasn't "hot lapped" on the dyno.

Does this make sense to me? No. I'm sure others will call this BS. I almost want to myself.

Ben T.
Old 07-24-2006, 12:40 PM
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I put down 395/377 with my TR230, duals and other bolt ons (but WITHOUT an UD pulley).

I would highly recommend this cam. I've got it with 3.42's and driveability is not an issue at all. This cam sounds mean as hell too. Back when I had 3" duals, it sounded like I had something the size of the Trex in there. Now with my catted custom Y and hooker catback, its got a noticeable amount of lope. The cam also has a great torque curve and pulls all the way to 6800.
Old 07-24-2006, 12:42 PM
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Thanks for the replys guys. That was all the info that I am looking for. Any more responses would be great but the ones that I have recived have answered my questions. THanks again. Oh and should I do the install myself??? I am an aircraft Mechanic, as is my wife. We've done all the mods in the sig ourselves with no probs. Not like those are hard mods. Think well have a problem?? Thanks again guys.
Old 07-24-2006, 12:43 PM
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Notice fstblkz28 has a horizontal torque "line" instead of a torque "curve".

Ben T.
Old 07-24-2006, 12:46 PM
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Yes I noticed the lack of CURVE to that line. Looks like a flatliner. SWEET
Old 07-24-2006, 12:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Beasst8
Thanks for the replys guys. That was all the info that I am looking for. Any more responses would be great but the ones that I have recived have answered my questions. THanks again. Oh and should I do the install myself??? I am an aircraft Mechanic, as is my wife. We've done all the mods in the sig ourselves with no probs. Not like those are hard mods. Think well have a problem?? Thanks again guys.
Set aside a weekend and do it yourself. If you have good mechanical aptitude, it is straightfoward.

I've heard this analogy before, working on a Gen I small block chevy is like putting together a "skill III" mode car that requires glue and painting. Working on a Gen III LSx motor is like assembling a snap-together model car.

If you can work on planes, you can work on a car. If your cam swap doesn't work out for you (worst case), you don't have to worry about your car loosing altitude and crashing into the Atlantic.

Ben T.
Old 07-24-2006, 12:52 PM
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VERY TRUE STATEMENT. Also, my car isnt a DD so I got LOTS of time. I am looking at getting a cheap manual cutout to put in the I pipe as we speak. I like the way that my exhaust sounds but dont like the losses, so that = cutout.
Old 07-24-2006, 01:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Beasst8
VERY TRUE STATEMENT. Also, my car isnt a DD so I got LOTS of time. I am looking at getting a cheap manual cutout to put in the I pipe as we speak. I like the way that my exhaust sounds but dont like the losses, so that = cutout.
I'd really like to see some follow up tests that either support the previous dyno test or not. Please dyno with your cutout open and with it closed.

Even if you don't pick up much power with the cutout open, I'd still just run it for the cool factor. You can certainly hear more lope with an open exhaust than you can through pipes.

EDIT:

Here are some sound files;

http://ls1sounds.com/custom/single-1..._CETA-idle.MPG

http://ls1sounds.com/custom/single-1...CETA-track.MPG

http://ls1sounds.com/custom/12inBull...224-110cam.mpg

Ben T.
Old 07-24-2006, 01:09 PM
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Yeah, like I said, Im not too worried about it. Otherwise I would have changed the catback already. As you have stated, Cam + No muffler= LOUD

Where are the best places to buy all the specialty tools that I will need. Pully Puller, camshaft install tool, spring compressor and any other that I might need. As well as the longer crank bolt. Thanks again Guys
Old 07-24-2006, 01:31 PM
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Ben,

I think Mike's car drive pretty good once it was tuned. It seemed pretty docile when I was finished tuning it.
Old 07-24-2006, 01:42 PM
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haha..see told ya it was a good cam. and its really odd that we dont see the reverse split cams mentioned.
Old 07-24-2006, 01:43 PM
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Awesome.

I just picked up this cam with the PRC stg1 heads ... we'll see how this goes
Old 07-24-2006, 01:44 PM
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Originally Posted by Geoff
Ben,

I think Mike's car drive pretty good once it was tuned. It seemed pretty docile when I was finished tuning it.
Yes, I would agree. For a while I really liked the pattern that John Lingenfelter was setting. It seemed as though he was favoring smaller duration cams combined with a good set of heads. This influenced my thinking to stay to the more conservative side regarding cam choice, and I picked a cam for my daily driver with duration in the low 220s on both sides.

BUT Mike's car with the 230/224 has changed my mind. I'm not saying this reverse split is a "big" cam, but it's bigger than I wanted to run at one point in time. Seeing how tame it is after the tune, has persuaded me it's still very acceptable for a daily driver. It'll cruise down backroads at 45 in 6th gear , or at 45 mph blow off ET streets on the track if they have too much air in them .

Ben T.
Old 07-24-2006, 02:55 PM
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That would be my car that Ben T. is mentioning. I'll give my impressions:

Upon first start-up I thought "Ohh, Crap! This cam is going to be horrible to DD." But, after Geoff tuned it, I couldn't be happier! I doubt that I would be as happy with any other cam. My torque curve is exactly like the one above, flat!

I only lost about 1 mpg around town. Driving sensably, of course. When I drive like a nut (which most of the time I do) my mileage dimenishes. But, it is WELL worth the trade. Also, I changed the gearing in the rear before I could get any really good mileage figures.

I went with 4.10's shortly after the cam. WOW! The car cam to life! My last visit to the track, I went 11.9x at 115mph, with a 1.66 60'. My car didn't have a pulley at that time. My dynograph below. Mods are everything in sig minus the pulley.

I would recomend this cam to anyone who wants a good gain, but drives their car alot. The power output is awsome. Make plans on getting some suspension mods, or you won't have traction. I've been down that road.


Last edited by mwill15; 07-24-2006 at 03:26 PM.



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