I have had my head in the clouds for YEARS!!!! This was going to be my future setup. I'm only looking for 400 rwhp. Probably should get that out of the way first. And this isn't a complete list. But now I have a bunch of questions.
98 Z28 with 70,000 miles. Mods in sig.
LS6 intake
QTP LT Headers with Off Road Y-pipe and dual electric cut-outs (Gonna need a tune)
Torque Converter (I have an automatic, and probably need a tune)
Some sort of cam, looking at now Futral 13 with 114 LSA. (another Tune)
Heads of some sort, possibly LS6 heads, just something that flows better than what I have without breaking the bank (Guess what? Another freaking tune item)
3.73 gears out of a 12 bolt, cause I currently have 2.73 gears (Speedo recalibrate a.k.a tune)
And blah, blah, blah. I have now sold my first and second born on the black market in order to pay for these go fast goodies.



SSSOOOO.. Yeah, that's not going to happen. With all of the items needing a tune, that means it's cheaper to just get it done at one time, so it will take me YEARS of purchasing these items, sitting in my garage, before they are even installed. Just to avoid the tuning price of a bunch of tunes. I know it's cheaper when you get it redone if you go through the same shop. Shameless plug for Mike Norris Motorsports here, cause he will be doing my tune and future tunes.

Anyways, I'm flat sick of waiting, I haven't done anything with the car in three years now, I run 13.6 @ 103 mph, cause I bog off the line with the gears, but I REALLY like the top end 158 mph anyone??? At least that's how fast I took it before shutting it down, I still had more to go (theoretical 161 I think)

So now I'm looking good but cheap, Pacesetters LT w ORY Pipe. Futral Cam 13 with 114 LSA, and that's about it for now.

here are the parts I'm thinking I need for the my cam:
Patriot Dual Valve Springs $265.00
7.40" pushrods #110.00
Cam install gasket kit $80.00
coolant, new spark plugs, oil change somewhere around $55.00
The cam $400.00
Tune $350.00 or so from Norris

So that's $1,260.00

Headers should cost me about $600.00, unless I find some kind of a deal, which I will be looking for.

So with ALL of that being said, Do I sacrifice my dream parts for the below 4000 rwhp, or just keep saving up and possibly never mod the car again? Something always comes up. the money somehow gets spent on necessities.

Help, opinions please, and thanks for reading.

 

https://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iii-internal-engine/869342-custom-cam-me.html

Scroll down and look at PredatorZ's cam. The dyno shows 423hp/close to 400tq with cam and bolt on only. Even if he has headers and you lose 25, you are still damn close to 400.

If you still have air and EGR, either get the block off plates and gaskets to eliminate, or get the air gaskets as we have to kill them to get to the back plugs. They are only a couple bucks at the dealer.

CAM! I would have done it years ago!!!!!

 

everything must work as a combination

do cam, valvesprings, pushrods, and headers. i assume you have a catback too. it all works together. individually they wont work well.

 

yeah, I am DEFINITELY all in on the cam. I guess my question is the Headers. QTP's which will take me awhile of Pacesetters which won't take me as long to get.

 

10-4, so do the cam and headers as one package, but the rest can wait? It sounds to me like the headers and cam should get me near my goal. And that should fit me fine for a few years until the bug bites me again.

 

I am right at 400rwhp with my setup.. click on my fquick link

 

Pacesetters all the way. Texas speed y-pipe without convertors. I ordered mine the day we did John's they fit so well.

I still say cam first.

 

i think you should start off my doing a stall something like 3200 and a 3.42 gear in the stock rear end auto's are way more forgiving and you wont break it as easy. once you have thoses two things get a nitrous kit and go 12.0's or 11.9's and then do a cam later.

just an idea and i think you would be really happy with the car for awhile

 

Are you ins chool? How old are you?

Do like I did..work another Job,and side work on the weekend. I need to support my habit without making the family go broke,so I got working,lol

 

I have nothing but respect for nitrous, but it isn't for me. I don't want something that I have to renew for horsepower. I just want the power at the push of the pedal.

Stall and gears is on my list once I get more expendable money. Now I'm looking for cheap power pretty much.

 

Wow, i can't believe that I was asked this question. I have a college degree, work in my field, make a damn good living, plenty of investments already setup, but have lost a crapiload in the last 18 months in bad investments and stock market.

I am a project manager at a Landscape Architecture Firm that I'm in the process of purchasing. This will be my fourth business owning, once I purchase this one, One failed, one is stalemated right now, one is doing decent, and the fourth is my bread and butter, the Project manager position.

There's my life story, I will not sacrifice my children or wife over my car. I'm 28 years old to. Not trying to bring negativity, so please don't take this post the wrong way, it's just that I don't think I have ever met you. So you wouldn't know me.

 

dont be insulted that someone asked how old are you and if you were still in school. its the net and we dont know if you are 17 years old or a 50 year old wealthy hedge fund manager.

all we know is you arent sure of the direction of your mods.

also when i say cam and headers - i mean all the surrounding mods required to complete this install. no way you are going to hit 400 rwhp without supporting mods. its not like 400 rwhp is easy (unless you read this site too much). it will require valvesprings, pushrods, retainers, cam, headers, y pipe, decent catback (electric cutouts are a waste of money), gaskets, and a tune to put it all together.

WAIT, i just read you have an automatic. 400 rwhp through an unlocked 4L60e is extremely difficult. not to sound negative (bc i assume you know what you are talking about in this area), its not going to happen with even an F13 cam. i know Futral VERY well and he will tell you this himself.

the most important thing if you are interested in performance is your stall converter. **** all the rest.

 

Jason give us a call.

 

Your cell goes straight to voicemail.

 

Probably should really consider the timing chain and oil pump if youre gonna do a cam on a 98. If you're gonna mod the car, do it right the first time. Second time around is a lot more expensive.

 

do bolt ons first, you can get away with out a tune except maybe having your tranny tables adjusted for a converter.. Being your cars a 98 if you know anyone with EFI live they can do that with out you needing a licence for it.

Ls6 intake
Lt's
Ory
catback
Converter..

you should run mid 12's with that.

I went 12.41 with a small stall and those mods..

 

Hey Bro,

Sorry...I just seen where you said it would be years before you could get $2k worth of swag. So I "assumed" you may have been young possibley.

Sorry for stepping on any toes

 

LG Motorsports G5X3 cam, comp 921 valvesprings, and comp 7.4 pushrods has put 70hp to the wheels on many cars. Add intake, headers, y-pipe, and muffler and you got 400rwhp.

GMPP L76/L92 heads flow pretty well and won't break the bank at about $1000 for the set. They do come with valvesprings too.

 

My suggestion is to get all the bolt ons out of the way first before the cam. With stock exhaust manifolds, exhaust, and stall.....it won't be fun with a cam of any decent size. Just for reference I "only" make 390hp to the wheels through an unlocked 3500 stall and 4l60e with my ms4. I have all the bolt ons minus a pulley and ewp. Car runs 12.0-12.3 at 112-114 mph consistantly on 1.8 60' times. Got DR's now and hoping some decent weather/practice will get me that 11 second slip. I did the LS6 intake and stall well before the cam. Was a butt load of fun, and made seem like a whole new car. The only thing is I've been screwing around with hptuners and been trying to tune it myself. I've pretty much given up on that and taking it to get it tuned in a few weeks.

 

Jason, I did not realize that you had a self shifter. If you get huge cam, it just won't make power until you get into the power band. I would vote for a 3000 stall, and get a cam. See where you are at. The headers will help, but the stall is not that expensive nor hard. Pain in the back, but oh well.