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Hot cam with turbocharger??

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Old Dec 23, 2005 | 08:13 PM
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Default Hot cam with turbocharger??

I have a turbocharged z28 with the lt4 hot cam. Everything is basically stock internal wise execpt for the hot cam. I was wondering how much more horsepower would I see if I replaced the hot cam with a turbocharged cam. 20rwhp?? or more. I already have the hot cam in the car and this past summer had a turbo put on. I think the cam is defently robbing some power - Does anybody know how much I should expect with the right cam - just cam only - Mike
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Old Dec 23, 2005 | 08:45 PM
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what makes you think the cam is robbing power, unless you are refering to its duration and lift, in which case yes, you would make more power with a little more lift, and duration.

how much boost are you running? and do you have any numbers (dyno, or track)?
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Old Dec 23, 2005 | 09:43 PM
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Not only the duration and lift, but the 112 LSA is bleeding off boost.

Get something on a 115... but then again, you knew that was coming.
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Old Dec 23, 2005 | 10:00 PM
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Originally Posted by FIREHAWK#608
Not only the duration and lift, but the 112 LSA is bleeding off boost.

Get something on a 115... but then again, you knew that was coming.
The overlap caused by the durationa and LSA is causing reversion.

Its a big cam..

I am looking at running a comp 206/212 on 112 but that little of duration has no overlap.
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Old Dec 24, 2005 | 09:53 AM
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Default re:

I was wondering about how much extra rwhp I would be looking at if I did have a turbo cam. I have a lt1 engine and made 377 at 5psi with hot cam.
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Old Dec 26, 2005 | 11:35 AM
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First of all, a turbo does not "bleed off boost". With more exhaust pressure than intake pressure (99% of turbo's), you actually force exhaust into the intake port during overlap, not the other way around.

That said, the HOT cam has -1 deg of overlap at .050". The cam that I'm running with my turbo set up has +2 deg of overlap at .050". I've seen successful turbo cams with anywhere from -8 deg overlap to +18 deg everlap, so I don't think your 112 LSA HOT cam has too much overlap.

That said, the more boost you run, the more specific-to-turbo's your cam needs to be. For instance, if you were running 2 psi boost with 4 psi backpressure, any ole' NA cam would be fine. However, if you're running 30 psi boost and 60 psi backpressure, the cam might look a little different. At only 5 psi, not enough has changed in the motor to require a specific turbo cam. For instance, compare these cams:

Your HOT cam:

218/228 - 112

Proven turbo cam for 355 cid and 22 psi boost:

218/218 - 114

Not too much different, eh?

Leave the cam alone. You won't gain more than 10 rwhp.

You should focus on improving other area's, like downpipe, intercooler, raise the boost, etc. . . I wouldn't bother changing the cam until you get in the 20+ psi range.

What kind of turbo is it, anyway?
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Old Dec 26, 2005 | 03:31 PM
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T-67 STS turbo. Those are some amzing kits. - Mike
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Old Dec 26, 2005 | 03:56 PM
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Not much is understood about turbocharger camshafts by most tuners. The reality is that what works in a normally aspirated engine is generally just as effective in a turbo application. We have several cars running our big single T1000 kit using camshafts as 'boost unfriendly' as 242/244 on 108 LSA with excellent results
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Old Dec 26, 2005 | 05:13 PM
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I agree, Mr. Tuna. After almost 20 years, the Turbo Buick crowd still can't settle on what makes a good turbo cam. The following have all proven to make power:

192/196 - 106 (stock)
206/206 - 106
214/214 - 112
210/205 - 112
210/210 - 112
204/214 - 112
218/226 - 112

Not too many turbo Buick cams are on a 114 LSA. Also, note the lack of consistency.
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Old Dec 26, 2005 | 05:44 PM
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We run the fastest radial tyred Skyline GTR outside of Japan (8.7 @ 163) over here in Aus, and after experimenting with numerous camshafts a combo of 280/272 @ 110 works the best

Too much LS1 cam theory is based on 1927 text books
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Old Dec 26, 2005 | 10:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Street Tuna
8.7 @ 163. . . 280/272 @ 110 works the best
I, for one, am not a believer in the reverse split turbo cam. Before anybody jumps out assuming that the Skyline reverse split cam proves it to be the hot ticket, keep in mind that 4 valve motors, even naturally aspirated, run best with more intake duration than exhaust. Just about all the Jap street bikes (200 hp/liter) run cams that are around 240/220 at .040" on 104 LSA's. So, in the GTR, 280/272 - 110 is probably pretty close to a good NA cam (though the LSA is a bit wide).

Tuna, at what lift is the 280/272 duration taken at?

Mike
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Old Dec 27, 2005 | 12:14 AM
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You guys worry way too much about cams, stock ones work great. A cam is one of the last things I would worry about in a turbo car unless I was looking for every last bit of power.

My new 370 iron block motor is using a z06 cam.
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Old Dec 27, 2005 | 08:12 AM
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I would throw a set of ported heads on there and make more power than the cam swap. Also, changing the heads is easier than doing a cam IMO.
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Old Dec 27, 2005 | 03:49 PM
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Ported heads give very very little gain on a turbocharged LS1. So small in fact that you may not even be able to measure it....
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Old Dec 27, 2005 | 04:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Street Tuna
Ported heads give very very little gain on a turbocharged LS1. So small in fact that you may not even be able to measure it....
the main thing it will help you accomplish is creating the power and a lower psi level...
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Old Dec 27, 2005 | 10:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Street Tuna
Ported heads give very very little gain on a turbocharged LS1. So small in fact that you may not even be able to measure it....
????

Any data on this? More cfm at the same psi = more power.
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Old Dec 28, 2005 | 04:43 AM
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6psi with a set of stock heads, 6psi with a set of big valve big cfm heads = scarily close to identical power levels. We have seen a handful of horsepower for $1000 plus worth of heads. Better to add a couple of psi and make another 50hp.....
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Old Dec 28, 2005 | 10:07 AM
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I don't think a lot of lower boost setups will see much of a gain from ported heads.

If you are pushing a combo to make a lot of power, I'd really consider a set of aftermarket castings like ET Performance, AFR, or AllPro. Thicker deck means better clamping force.
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Old Dec 28, 2005 | 09:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Pro Stock John
I don't think a lot of lower boost setups will see much of a gain from ported heads.

If you are pushing a combo to make a lot of power, I'd really consider a set of aftermarket castings like ET Performance, AFR, or AllPro. Thicker deck means better clamping force.

I might think this is true on ls1's with great flowing stock heads, but on an lt1, lt4 you should see a noticable gain, not a great gain, but a noticable one.
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