RGV_Z28

iTrader: (7)

I have ablout 1200 bucks to spend and was thinking of getting a cam along the lines of the t-rex or ms3, well after buying the cam kit, I can either afford gears or a stall. My question is can you still drive it, i know it will suck at the track but could i still drive it without anything going wrong? Thanks guys.
-John

King James

iTrader: (13)

It will be a bitch to idle and tune

You would be much better off spending that money on a stall

Photochop

iTrader: (74)

It would be driveable but not any fun until you did the convertor. Those cams don't 'pick up' or start making power til 3500+rpm. The car will feel doggy, maybe even slower feeling than it does now off idle until 3500 rpm because the math will not be in your favor. Many guys run a big cam and not so great gearing, but the higher stall speed torque convertor allows them to basically skip thru that dead area. Best analogy I can give you with the stock convertor and gearing is its kinda like riding a 10 speed bike and trying to go up a hill with a bigger sprocket in front and smaller in the back, you spend a lot of time just trying to get going when the guy with the loose convertor has already left you behind by several car lengths

Studytime

iTrader: (15)

If that's all you have money for, get the stall and gears FIRST. There's a sequence of event to follow if you want to have something nice, and frankly, it doens't sound like you are following it.

If you insist on the cam and you're not willing to go smaller, then get the stall over gears.

Ben T.

SVT THIS

iTrader: (27)

If you plan on running a big cam you NEED to get a stall for sure and gears if you can afford it. With the MS3 cam you should look into a 4000 stall and with the TRex you should look into something in the 4400 stall range. Without a stall on these cams you will be slower from a dead stop than a stock LS1 and probably won't be able to make up for it in the rest of the 1/4.

As far as gears go, I would stick with the 3.73 gears if you are daily driving it, 4.10s would benefit your cam more but it would suck on the street-I'm going to stick with 3.73s.

That being said, I believe a STOCK car with a 4000 or 4400 stall and 3.73s gears (with some sticky tires) will beat a car with a TRex cam and NO stall or gears. With that size stall and gears and your mods you would be low 12s all day long and maybe (maybe!) hit 11s with some sticky tires and weight reduction. Then, add the cam and see low 11s and work for 10s!

Another option would be to look for a smaller cam. There are plenty of other cams out there that make plenty of power and don't require a huge stall to run. Many people think these engines are frequently overcammed. I wouldn't go so far as to say that, but people are putting huge cams in their car's without all the complimentary parts then end up posting "why is my car so slow I put in a big cam". There are things in the upper 22x (228r for example), or the Torquer 2 that will make plenty of power all day long.

I'd do some more research before spending $1200 on a new valvetrain/cam without any supporting mods. A cam the size of the MS3 and TRex really needs to be done right to show its true potential. Good luck with the build

RGV_Z28

iTrader: (7)

I never said the build was over, just asking if it is possible to run it in the car. Kind of like getting the big thing out of the way first. I know my car wont get in the cams powerband w/o gears and a stall, but I was just asking if it would still be okay to daily drive for a couple of weeks. Not will I kill it at the track? Thanks for the advice by the way.

-John

SVT THIS

iTrader: (27)

I'd say the stall is the "big thing" to get out of the way. IMO that is the FIRST mod that should be done to an auto LS1. If you get the stall and gears out of the way, you will enjoy the quickness you picked up and won't be as worried about getting everything else is. If you do the cam first, you will hate it until you get the stall and gears in. Here is a great deal on a 4000 stalled converter
https://ls1tech.com/forums/lsx-parts-sale/517739-vig4000-stall-375-shipped.html

With that size cam, make sure you get the dual spring kit, pushrods (7.425 with the Rex), gaskets, LS6 oil pump, LS2 chain (and lifters unless you plan on doing heads in the future).

RGV_Z28

iTrader: (7)

Thanks SVT THIS, but I meant "BIG" as in price wise. Thanks for all the advice guys.
-John

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

Without a stall, your car is not going to be drivable with a big cam, and it has nothing to do with the powerband. The car will be idling much higher and with the tight, stock stall, you are going to have all kinds of problems getting it to stop or drive in traffic. The engine will be trying to overpower the stock stall every chance it gets.

A looser stall will absorb that extra RPM and off-idle engine lurching much better than the stock stall.

GuitsBoy

iTrader: (4)

Go out to your car and pull a couple of spark plug wires, then go drive around the block. This is how much fun youre car is going to be to drive.

Boostaholic

iTrader: (4)

On a 6 speed? Yes, on a auto, you might have to open your throttle blade a bit, and remember trex surges like crazy at low RPM

SVT THIS

iTrader: (27)

**surges like crazy IF IT ISN'T TUNED PROPERLY.

santiago

iTrader: (28)

I run a t-rex with stock 3.42's and I dont mind it at all....gets a little surgy at low rpm but nothin crazy.

Phil'sC5vette

iTrader: (4)

I hope I dont have to much power after I install the 228R and the AFRs

SVT THIS

iTrader: (27)

I don't see how having to much power with the 228R and AFRs has anything to do with a TRex or MS3 with or without a stall.

And no, you won't have to much power. I don't think there is such a thing!