mk3cn4

iTrader: (3)

Hi, bought a 2002 transam that is supposed to have a "cheatr" cam in it. Am now on bad terms with the guy I bought it from so I can't ask him, so I need to ask here.

First, I'm not even 100% it has a cheatr cam in it, is there an easy way to tell? I guess if I get it to the track and it has an extra unexplained 30 or 40 horsepower I guess that'd be the best easiest indicator, but before I can do that I need to find out answers to these next questions so I don't ruin the motor. Finding lots of shortcuts and frankenstein repairs on this car so I want to do it right.

1) Please see attached pics, sorry for so many and poor quality, that's the best camera I have. Anyway, can someone definitively tell me without a doubt these are stock valve springs? Based on pics I am seeing here from searching (like this one: https://ls1tech.com/forums/parts-cla...e-springs.html) I think they are stock but want to make sure.

2) Am I risking killing the motor with a mild cheatr cam with stock springs? From reading here I understand there is risk of a spring breaking and valve hitting piston when you do a cam, but how realistic is that considering the cam is so mild I can't even hear it in the loud LT/Flowmaster exaust or even hear any sewing machine sound?

The car runs great, surely stronger than my 98Z testing between landmarks on stretch of road, and other common friends with this guy are telling me he definitely put a cam in, but nobody knows if he did the springs.

Please try to not quote the pics obviously in your reply for the sake of other readers. THANK YOU.

EDIT: I am removing most of the annoying pictures, leaving just two of them.

vettenuts

iTrader: (4)

The stock springs won't run on anything but a stock cam, and even at that should be replaced because they weaken with mileage. If the car has a cam and it pulls up top then these are likely aftermarket springs. If you have a dial indicator you might be able to figure out the lift. In a pinch, a very accurate 6" metal ruler might be used. Roll the motor over and measure how much the valve is moving to open. If you are seeing something on the order of 0.6" then it is not the stock cam. Of course with the valve springs in there it will read low because the lifter plunger will depress.

mk3cn4

iTrader: (3)

You mean literally won't run well, like run poorly or miss at high RPM? So if it's running good and strong, it's either stock cam and stock springs, OR custom cam and custom springs, right? If that's true then that's awesome and would make me feel much better about this.

I've found a LOT of shortcuts on the car (zipties on exhaust, frankenstein welds on exhaust, rigged sunvisor, missing bolts etc) so I just want to make sure he didn't shortcut this too and I trash this engine.

I saw a cheap dial guage with large magnet mount at harbor freight the other day, I think I'll grab that and see if I can measure the lift on that cam. Maybe I'll yank a rocker and just measure the unsprung lifter, if I get anything above stock numbers that should show there's a cam in there.

If you (or someone) could confirm that I am understanding it correctly that stock springs with CheaTR cam would be running poorly at say 5500 RPM's I'd appreciate it!!!!

Fbodyjunkie06

iTrader: (10)

It's kind of hard to tell by the pictures, but those look like stock springs to me.

Can you post an idle video?

By the sound of it the seller was a liar and a hack and it's probably best you don't speak with him anymore. I cannot stand people like that.

mk3cn4

iTrader: (3)

Yep, I'll post an idle video if that'll help. Right now I have it tore apart a bit doing the work recommended three posts up.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...-camshaft.html

I really do think it's a CheaTR cam, but I have doubts about the springs. Do you know if stock springs would make a Cheatr cam run bad at high RPM like one of the above posts mentions?

At this point, I guess I don't care what it is, but I need it to be safe. If it's a cheatr cam with stock springs, I need to burn some of my savings. if it's a stock cam with stock springs, I'm OK with that for now. If it's a cheatr cam with strong springs, I'd be happy as heck!!! Just wish I could know.

garygnu

you could remove 1 spring and have a shop test the spring.or buy and install the needed springs.maybe weigh the spring and see if it is the same weight of a stock ls1 spring.

Fbodyjunkie06

iTrader: (10)

You would need at least a beehive spring with a CheatR cam.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

I would think if you tried to run the CheaTR cam on stock valve springs you would run into coil bind(you can check for that); especially on the intake valve springs! IMO I'd also check the push rods to see if there stock with the pressed in ball ends or hardened 1 piece aftermarket PRs.

mk3cn4

iTrader: (3)

Been searching the site, looks like I can just spin it to open one of the intake valves all the way and use a feeler gauge to check for the coil bind you mention?

What would be an unacceptable measurement?

This might be the perfect way to tell if the springs are stock or not, right?

Thanks guys.