ROJO99

Can I do a CAM only swap with my stock exhaust? Waht can the factory 99 Corvette headers effectively handle?

HumpinSS

iTrader: (1)

I am proof that you will be wasting your time doing a cam without headers. If its a small cam you may be able to get away with it but if it is a fairly decent cam like the Fm13 like i have you are gonna be real disappointed with the stock manifolds. Headers woke the thing up it was like a night and day difference. The exhaust manifolds choke the hell otta the car and you get major EGR effects from the cam even more so the more overlap you have...

luv2spd

iTrader: (1)

Definately do your boltons first! You'll gain just as much power with LTs as you would putting a cam on stock manifolds. Then, if you want more you can throw the cam in.

DustinWS6

iTrader: (9)

Yea do all your bolt ons and free mods and you will be happier then if you just went cam ONLY

cyphur

iTrader: (10)

I've got everything waiting for a cam install, now just waiting to be able to buy headers. Should've bought them first, but didn't have $800 layin around for Kooks. Bought the cam parts over time, cheap off the board Now I just have to wait a month or two to get headers....I'm ok with running those open for a week or two til I can put TD's on. I don't drive her much anyhow, just home -> college and back.

z98

There have been a couple people with good numbers on stock manifolds.

The headers are worth every $$$ though, I'd do them first.

cyphur

iTrader: (10)

z98, that quote is

gettinthere

iTrader: (3)

Cams need to breath period. Ther bigger the cam, the more open the air flow needs to be. Personally I wouldn't put in a cam without headers, a cat-back, atleast an ls6 intake (78mm or 90mm lsx preferably) and a throttle body. You can get away with just headers, a cat-back and an ls6, but the more you open it up, the more power it'll put down. Plus it'll sound alot cooler.

2MuchRiceMakesMeSick

If you do a huge cam then you may have issues with it not running so good on a completly stock car cause it cannot breath. I would go full boltons first. What is the reason you want to go cam first?

marc_w

Yeah, the bigger the cam, the more you need those other bolt-ons first.

FWIW: I love my little cam with minimal bolt-ons. Check out the Vinci Hi Performance site - they did a lot of testing with a 02 C5, and this cam was run for a while if you're interested.

jtsc23

My car put down 378hp with a loud mouth, TR224/112 and stock manifolds w/cats a couple years ago. It's an '01 so it had the LS6 intake. Only tuning was a MAFT. Big difference over the stock cam.

Eric Fischer

iTrader: (8)

I have a '98 C5. With stock exhaust manifolds, Patriot Stage II heads, and a small Comp Cams cam I have gone 11.964 @ 116 in the heat.

I was trying to build a very mild combo so that I don't have to put in a bar. The mild combo exceeded my expectations. Although it would be nice to install headers, I don't think they are as big a restriction as people think.

There's more detail here:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=880887

Lady Redhawk

iTrader: (6)

I have stock manifolds, gutted cats, y-pipe and cutout. I love my large cam and have no drivability issues with it. But it did need a some good tuning to get it there. I lowered my 1/8 mile track time by 4 tenths with it. I am sure I would do better with headers but for me the trade off isn’t worth it. I might do heads though sometime in the future.

93TAWicked1

iTrader: (28)

I've been kinda wondering the same thing myself. After owning a few F-bodies I know the exaust is restrictive. The stock y-pipe is an absolute JOKE.

But on a Corvette especially my Z06 I'm wondering if a G5x-3 wouldn't be a bad FIRST mod. The vettes have a dual exaust from the factory and the cat backs breath pretty good compared to aftermarket. The intake boxes aren't bad the gearing is there. Hell I may just try it for the hell of it. I'm going to get headers but good headers for Vettes are 1500+!!!!!!