Anyone ever do a cam swap before?
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Anyone ever do a cam swap before? I was wondering if anyone was interested in spending a weekend to help me instead a bunch of crap into my 2000 Trans Am. Of course I will pay the person who helps. A price will be discussed within reason of course.
Cam, valvesprings, etc...
Full exhaust/cutout
Clutch
Whatever someone can help me with would be greatly appreciated. But $1200 for labor with stuff I could do with some help. $1200 is a bit much.
I'll willing to be quite generous with the work.
Problem is... I don't really have any of the tools for this. My buddies have a lot of tools if need be. But like for the valvesprings and crank pulley... might be a problem.
So please help!
201-647-8444
Cam, valvesprings, etc...
Full exhaust/cutout
Clutch
Whatever someone can help me with would be greatly appreciated. But $1200 for labor with stuff I could do with some help. $1200 is a bit much.
I'll willing to be quite generous with the work.
Problem is... I don't really have any of the tools for this. My buddies have a lot of tools if need be. But like for the valvesprings and crank pulley... might be a problem.
So please help!
201-647-8444
Thread Starter
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 485
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Originally Posted by Mssingkid
I thought most shops charge around 600-700 for a cam swap. 1200 for heads and cam sounds about right...
1,900-2,000 is about right, thats alot of work you have there. I know ttp sometimes does specials on a cam installl 1,700 or so for the cam,springs,install,all gaskets/hardware and a tune. How do you plan on running the car after the cam swap, what i mean is are you going to do the tuning?
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Originally Posted by BubaGumpShrimp
1,900-2,000 is about right, thats alot of work you have there. I know ttp sometimes does specials on a cam installl 1,700 or so for the cam,springs,install,all gaskets/hardware and a tune. How do you plan on running the car after the cam swap, what i mean is are you going to do the tuning?
I know it's a lot of work... that's why I want to do a bit myself. Even if it's not the cam. The clutch and full exhaust/cutout. Any bit will help!
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I know ttp sometimes does specials on a cam installl 1,700 or so for the cam,springs,install,all gaskets/hardware and a tune.
Whatever you do Chris please be real careful, if you are not its going to cost a lot more in the long run. We do these installs everyday and have the proper tools to complete the task including specific lsx lifter tools, valvespring tools, cam tools, crank pulley installers...
And listen to Matt. Sometimes going cheap will cost you twice as much in the long run. Lots of people think they know what they are doing. Save some money and let an expert do it if you can.
I think around $2000 is a great price for all the work. You need a lot of tools for that, and I doubt anyone doing side work will charge you a significant amount less. I think the confort factor alone is worth a lot. Remember, a sponsor has insurance if something goes wrong, the side worker John Doe doesn't...
WJ 
You may want to try to have one thing done at a time, Cam, springs...etc. Then take it and have it tuned. Drive it for a while, do the clutch...so on so on. Not save money, but spread out the payments over time. We do alot of "piece mod" work just because it gets costly trying to do it all at one time.
i think he is just a cheap *** like me or should i say doesn't realize how much it costs to have things installed. Sure its great to be able to install stuff yourself (i use to do it all the time and have the shop for it too) but you will soon find out that your more than half way into a project just to find out you need some special tool thats going to cost more than it would have been to just pay someone to do it and chances are you will only use the tool for that specific job.. I HAVE ALOT OF TOOLS lol. It also depends on how much of a pain in the *** it would be to install something vs droping your car off and picking it up (hands not durty,bloody,smashed,stabed). One other thing to consider is that places like ttp install cams everyday so they know exactly what has to be taken apart rather than you or whoever helps you guess as to what needs to come off not to mention that one step in the cam install could be missed and now you have a problem that you cant fix(ex. a lifter slips from the holder and falls into the oil pan).
The cost of installing things is the reason im not heavily modded. If i was on better terms with my dad i would be doing my own heads/cam install but since im not ttp will be getting my jobs.
The cost of installing things is the reason im not heavily modded. If i was on better terms with my dad i would be doing my own heads/cam install but since im not ttp will be getting my jobs.
Dude I hate to say it to, but get some one who has done it before do it like Matt@ TTP. If you install it (and it's a vindicator which I recall being a very heavy cam) and you mess up just a little. It could mean getting possibly a new longblock just because the cam was a little off and have no one to blame but yourself. My friend down here has one and makes huge power, but he had Vengence install it. Installing a big cam is no joke and if your unsure about it, GET SOME ONE ELSE TO DO IT. I'm in the same boat as you, but I unfortunately have learned my lesson on other things like transmissions.
I'm not sure where you are located, but i am in NY about 45 mins north of albany and i would be willing to help. Have my own set of tools for the cam, springs, exhaust part of the job.
Let me know if you are still looking for some help, and we can talk price/time/etc.
Let me know if you are still looking for some help, and we can talk price/time/etc.