Camshaft Help for an 88 Firebird T/A
05-13-2007, 02:46 PM
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Camshaft Help for an 88 Firebird T/A hey new to the forums hah
just picked up an 88 Firebird Trans Am with a buddy of mine as a project car, its a 5.7L 350, picked it up for 200 bux because the rear end is going.
We are currently tearing the motor apart and slowly redoing it, we plan on making this a strict drag car so we gutted the interior and are building the engine up
we want to throw a good cam for dragging and we need a little help, the setup is a roller in the engine now, would a roller cam go good for the drag setup, my friend thought maybe going tappet would be better so we could put a high lift cam in it, were not going all out for now but what would be a good racing cam and setup to go with? Im not looking for the top of the line stuff as of now but i can pay a decent price hah
thanks for the help guys
just picked up an 88 Firebird Trans Am with a buddy of mine as a project car, its a 5.7L 350, picked it up for 200 bux because the rear end is going.
We are currently tearing the motor apart and slowly redoing it, we plan on making this a strict drag car so we gutted the interior and are building the engine up
we want to throw a good cam for dragging and we need a little help, the setup is a roller in the engine now, would a roller cam go good for the drag setup, my friend thought maybe going tappet would be better so we could put a high lift cam in it, were not going all out for now but what would be a good racing cam and setup to go with? Im not looking for the top of the line stuff as of now but i can pay a decent price hah
thanks for the help guys
05-13-2007, 03:29 PM
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You won't get too much info here (I never do). I'd go to the SBC section. I don't think they have a TPI section here, so maybe just hit up the LT1. I posted about weather stripping here and didn't get one reply. Posted about it in the LT1 (since my car is one) and get 13 replies in just over a day 
05-14-2007, 09:31 AM
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I would stick with Roller, but you main problem is the L98 motors are not known for their hp numbers. The intake is designed to make torque not hp. If you want some good power switch it over to a LT1 style mini ram setup.
Everything you do that motor you will be lucky to mid to high 300's on the motor. In order to make any good power you will need heads, cam, rods, pistons, intake, fuel system and a custom tune on the ECM chip.
I had a 89 Formula with all sorts of work. It made 245ish at the wheels, car looked great and ran great. I got walked by LS1 cars like I was on the brakes.
Everything you do that motor you will be lucky to mid to high 300's on the motor. In order to make any good power you will need heads, cam, rods, pistons, intake, fuel system and a custom tune on the ECM chip.
I had a 89 Formula with all sorts of work. It made 245ish at the wheels, car looked great and ran great. I got walked by LS1 cars like I was on the brakes.
05-14-2007, 10:52 AM
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I beat an LS1 6spd in mine with only a chip, 58mm TB, bypass, !cats, ported plenum and a race tranny with only a 1900 stock stall. I'm not saying he ran perfect, it's pretty clear he goofed somehow.
Anyways, the 91/92 TPI made 209 to the rear wheels, that's basically a fact. As it sits, I would toss in a LT1 cam since people are getting rid of them left and right. Try and find a 93 cam, they're the biggest of the LT1. It'll drop RIGHT into your car. Put on some 1.6 ratio rockers (roller or non, up to you) and that'll give you some omph. I presume you got the MAF setup, so sadly I don't have a tune for yours. If it's MAP, I could crunch some numbers and send over the file. I'd just mod the one I did for me, asuming I still have it
Sneaky is right though, TPI is a torque monster. 345 compared to 325 on the LT1. The HP peaks at around 5600-5700 with the TPI, just because it can't flow enough. Siamese the plenum, the intake, the runners (get the single cast SLP ones), get a 58mm TB, some SVO injectors and crank up the fuel pressure. Have it tuned, and get that 700R4 upgraded with Corvette servo and more clutch packs. You'll love the car as a daily drive with that. Otherwise, again like Sneaky said, the MiniRam by TPiS. If you're really crafty, you could mod a TPI intake to work, I'd go with the 93 again, because it's pretty close to the mini-ram style.
Anyways, the 91/92 TPI made 209 to the rear wheels, that's basically a fact. As it sits, I would toss in a LT1 cam since people are getting rid of them left and right. Try and find a 93 cam, they're the biggest of the LT1. It'll drop RIGHT into your car. Put on some 1.6 ratio rockers (roller or non, up to you) and that'll give you some omph. I presume you got the MAF setup, so sadly I don't have a tune for yours. If it's MAP, I could crunch some numbers and send over the file. I'd just mod the one I did for me, asuming I still have it
Sneaky is right though, TPI is a torque monster. 345 compared to 325 on the LT1. The HP peaks at around 5600-5700 with the TPI, just because it can't flow enough. Siamese the plenum, the intake, the runners (get the single cast SLP ones), get a 58mm TB, some SVO injectors and crank up the fuel pressure. Have it tuned, and get that 700R4 upgraded with Corvette servo and more clutch packs. You'll love the car as a daily drive with that. Otherwise, again like Sneaky said, the MiniRam by TPiS. If you're really crafty, you could mod a TPI intake to work, I'd go with the 93 again, because it's pretty close to the mini-ram style.
05-14-2007, 02:57 PM
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Depending on the mods if you do the Vortec heads the LT1 intake I think is a bolt on. The intake bolt angles are what keeps it from being a direct bolt on.
The 700R4 can be a great tranny, like said be prepared to drop some money into it. I had the vetter servo, then went with the billet servo, custom shift kit, extra fibers in the clutch packs, and a kevlar band. Loved that car adn was a idiot to sell it. I should of have kept it and my 01 Formula and had the best of both worlds.
The 700R4 can be a great tranny, like said be prepared to drop some money into it. I had the vetter servo, then went with the billet servo, custom shift kit, extra fibers in the clutch packs, and a kevlar band. Loved that car adn was a idiot to sell it. I should of have kept it and my 01 Formula and had the best of both worlds.
05-14-2007, 04:54 PM
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rebuild 350 with vortec heads, machined for use with convetional
valve seals and springs, enlarge spring pocket for use with larger diamter
valve springs, go with flat tappet cam and lifters 1.6 rr
typhoon single plane intake witha hp main body 750 holley dp
and lt headers, msd ignition with hei, th400 with 9 in. rear end
and some n20 and 4000 stall tc.
valve seals and springs, enlarge spring pocket for use with larger diamter
valve springs, go with flat tappet cam and lifters 1.6 rr
typhoon single plane intake witha hp main body 750 holley dp
and lt headers, msd ignition with hei, th400 with 9 in. rear end
and some n20 and 4000 stall tc.
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05-14-2007, 05:37 PM
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Originally Posted by NemeSS
rebuild 350 with vortec heads, machined for use with convetional
valve seals and springs, enlarge spring pocket for use with larger diamter
valve springs, go with flat tappet cam and lifters 1.6 rr
typhoon single plane intake witha hp main body 750 holley dp
and lt headers, msd ignition with hei, th400 with 9 in. rear end
and some n20 and 4000 stall tc.
valve seals and springs, enlarge spring pocket for use with larger diamter
valve springs, go with flat tappet cam and lifters 1.6 rr
typhoon single plane intake witha hp main body 750 holley dp
and lt headers, msd ignition with hei, th400 with 9 in. rear end
and some n20 and 4000 stall tc.
05-14-2007, 05:50 PM
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If you want a great cam to use in a L98 Rebuild, I would recommend using something along the lines of the Comp Cams XR269HR. 218/224 @ .050, ..495/.503 (1.5 rocker) w/ 112 lobe seb. Great upgrade cam, with excellent midrange, and all under 5500RPM. While the TPI is off, there are some really ugly walls on the inside that can be cleaned up very nice with a dremel or die grinder, and if you want to spend some extra money, put some aftermarket runners on there (stock ones will work too). Hooker 2055 headers/y-pipe, 2600-3000 JW stall and you're good!
Then match that to a set of TFS 195's and your really good!
Then match that to a set of TFS 195's and your really good!
05-15-2007, 10:31 AM
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I've got a set of AFR heads with matching cam, fuel injectors and even a PROM available for the setup... https://ls1tech.com/forums/lsx-parts-sale/714635-proven-tpi-heads-cam-injector-setup-afr-lpe-bosch-svo.html
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