Luke1996ta

iTrader: (3)

I am thinking about putting in a lt4 hot cam in my 96 ta I recently blew a head gasket so I have decided on putting a cam in it anyone have any suggestion on what to do and would u need a tune after using a lt4 hotcam and what should I all change to do so

whytryz28

iTrader: (28)

-Bigger is NOT always Better.
-Sound does NOT equal Power.
-Before selecting a cam you must develop your needs/wants/plans for your car, as that is what should determine which camshaft you select.




The Components Needed For A Cam Swap

-Valve Springs
-Roller Rockers (not needed, but highly recommended)
-Pushrods (not needed, but highly recommended)
-Lifters (not needed, but highly recommended)
-Gaskets(front timing cover gasket, optispark seal, crank seal, water pump drive seal,throttle body gasket, intake manifold gaskets, valve cover gaskets, water pump gaskets.)
-Timing Chain & Gear Set (not needed, but highly recommened)
-Valve Stem Seals
-Optispark(if it has not been replaced recently, it is recommened to do so now)
-Water Pump(if it has not been replaced recently, it is recommened to do so now)


Cams need to breath, that means a complete intake and exhaust setup. The bigger the cam the more prevalent those mods become.
Automatic guys match your stall and cam appropriately



Cam removal
http://shbox.com/ci/cam_removal.html

Cam install
http://shbox.com/ci/cam_install.html

Valve spring swap
http://shbox.com/ci/valve_spring_swap.html

96lt1m6

iTrader: (31)

Do you have any mods now?
You should already have Longtubes
Exhaust mods and or cutout
1.6 rr
Cold air or better yet an Ls1 Lid
Etc.
There is nothing wrong with the hotcam besides the fact you will want more, its design is older technology whereas a cc503 will give you more power. Take a look at the top of the page since it talks about cams for the Lt1.

whytryz28

iTrader: (28)

Its old technology but proven to be a performer. Many guys have seen low 12s and some into the 11s with a good set of heads.

Luke1996ta

iTrader: (3)

I have borla exhaust and a cut out now with a moroso cold air intake other than that no I just want something that is faster than stock and u can tell u have a little something in it when it's running and would u recommend using stock head I'm not trying to spend a whole lot of money I just wanna do a lil something an I have heard about the cc503 cam which one would be more effective and the better route to go without doing major head work

whytryz28

iTrader: (28)

On paper the CC503 is the better performer.

great421

iTrader: (1)

The LT4 Hate-cam (the cam everyone loves to hate).

WhyTryZ28 & 96LT1M6 both gave you some things to ponder.

Maybe, just maybe, somebody here has actually done a Hotcam vs. the mighty cc503 dyno comparison, but I've never seen one.

The current majority opinion seems to be cc503 > LT4Hotcam.

I do know that with either choice, a good set of valve springs and the associated hardware is strongly recommended, if not required.

Also, if you use the LT4 Hotcam "kit", do not use the retainers - I discovered the hard way (after one failed in my engine) that they were known to be prone to failure (according to other LT-based sites).

Luke1996ta

iTrader: (3)

So either way I go i will be happy if it was just stock before?

ahritchie

iTrader: (1)

The HP difference in these 2 cams is minimal...probably less than 10 RWHP. Yea, you'll be very happy with either of these IF you install it with the correct supporting mods AND get it tuned (don't believe the nonsense about the LT4 hotcam not needing a tune). Expect to drop 2k minimum on this by the time you get springs, RR, lifters, (headers?), cam, tune, gaskets, ect....

whytryz28

iTrader: (28)

I did my cam swap for cheap buying low mileage things. Less than $700 for everything including the tune.

GREGG 97Z

iTrader: (4)

With the typical boltons and a good tune it's common to hit 340-350 whp on stock heads. Since the dyno run below I have lightly ported the heads, better valves & springs and added a lid. Fairly certain it is in the 370whp range now based on latest 1/4 mph.

Badazz 97 TA

iTrader: (18)

You won't need to spend 2grand on a cam swap. Maybe if u include exhaust in that but a cam swap will be around 1300 if everything goes good and not replacing perfectly good parts just because "your in there" like everyone says on this site.

whytryz28

iTrader: (28)

You're was the reason why I went with the hotcam, love this baby cam.

ahritchie

iTrader: (1)

You'd be foolish not to at least replace the water pump an opti IMO....I say this with over a decade of LT experience. My car eats these for breakfast over the past 14 years and 100K (3 water pumps, 3 optis) otherwise you'll more than likely be replacing one or the other within a year tearing it apart AGAIN. Maybe the rest of you have better luck...but for my LT1, Murphy's law ALWAYS applies: "Anything that can go wrong WILL go wrong" (especially the ******* opti )

GREGG 97Z

iTrader: (4)

Glad to hear it, I've stuck with this little cam for a long time now and it always puts a smile on my face when I get on it. Can't wait for some good fall weather coming up soon, I WILL hit 11's with it, no matter what it takes, lol...

Bersaglieri

iTrader: (13)

Good/informative post by whytryz28.

Lot's of people don't like the Hotcam, but I did alot of research to find that most people are posting the wrong advertised duration numbers for the Hotcam. It's a good DD cam that won't loose low end TQ. The XE503 will make more up top, as said not much more than ~10rwhp. If you're buying rockers just put 1.7's on the Hotcam [.558/.558] and gain that ~10rwhp back. Get good springs, Isky 235D's and have fun.

That being said, I'm putting a Hotcam in my beater camaro today even though it's trendy to say the CC306 and Hotcam are junk cams.

-Dustin-

henry172

iTrader: (2)

I will be shooting for 11s with my hot cam after I get my 24x sxstem all hooked up and tuned. It is not a bad cam for a daily driver; obviously if I were building more of a track car I would not use the hot cam.

96lt1m6

iTrader: (31)

There has been many to run those same numbers with a stock cam aswell. Nowhere did I say the hot cam was a bad cam I have had a few. The 503 offers a bit more power not only on paper but actual 1/4 mile mph.
Mark McPhail from GM performance told me back in 1995 the hot cam was designed to be a performance upgrade cam but mild enough to possibly pass emissions.....
I would put an
LPE 211/219 560
Comp 503
In my Lt1 before the hot cam........ Stock headed Lt1s kindof suck in stock form so the cam selection should have a considerable amount of lift main reason for adding 1.6 rockers......

pancho toco loco

iTrader: (8)

After tons of reseaching and what not and giving my current valvetrain Im going with the hot cam. With the way my car runs Im only looking to add 30rwhp or so. That should get me to the mid 12's or better w/ my 3600 stall that is also going in. I want to run 15in drag radials instead of 17in's that I have to help me get into the 1.6 60ft time zone ( but idk how happy the 10 bolt will be )

GREGG 97Z

iTrader: (4)

^^^ I don't know who's hit an 11 on the stock cam but I'd bet $100 it wasn't in an M6 car. Only way someone is going to do that is in an A4/A3 with a big stall, full boltons and a very well setup suspension.