cam install price?
I used to work at new era, a few years ago. And got to work on and fix all the home installs, so I've seen both sides of this. 
Getting the full install and dyno tune is great deal, after you look into it more then the, I can "save" a few hundred extra in my pocket. Over having the shop do everything, and the car is all ready to go 100%. A LOT of 1st time installs, and you and a friend that have helped a few over 3 year before, it ends up being a wash. Doing it yourself unless you do it, a few times a year anyway. The 1 tool you break, the 2 trips to the store for supplies, little parts, fuild, sealent. Add up to $100-250 fast. Thats not even the special LS1 tools for a correct cam/spring install, or your time doing the work. You drop the oil pump bolt, and loose it down in the pan. And have to pull the trans in you driveway now, to drop the pan. You might not know how far a fully seated valve seal installs at, and dosn't have them installed all the way. And they get chewed up and the car burns oil and smoke. Might not know how to index a oil pump on the engine so it just rubs for the 1st start and heat cylce and sends a little metal into the engine. Same on checking for clearence on dual rollor timming sets, and send a lot of metal into there motor.
And if the work is good and the car is ready to go, 100%. You might get a little extra time with the tune. Then if it takes half a day to get everyting right on the car form the install. If you just did the cam the day before and rushed to make your dyno/tune apointment. And you car is a mess, you stripped out your crank bolt, the Wp leaks a little, ect.... You said you put new plugs in, the parking lot, but you only changed 6 of them and got lazy. 1 in 50, 1st time guys get the cam off a tooth. Of thouse guys, 1 of 25 belive you, check it and fix it, and thank you for it later. The others just drive around with a car way down on power that peaks at 800rpm off the other 100 cars with the cam setup the shop has tuned. Another thing your buddy with HPtuners dosnt have accese to get info from, if ther is a problem with the car. A LS1 shop has any parts you might damage, diffrent lengh pushrods to check if its a questionble setup. But then you don't learn how to work on your car. It can be fun, and enjoyable.
Getting the full install and dyno tune is great deal, after you look into it more then the, I can "save" a few hundred extra in my pocket. Over having the shop do everything, and the car is all ready to go 100%. A LOT of 1st time installs, and you and a friend that have helped a few over 3 year before, it ends up being a wash. Doing it yourself unless you do it, a few times a year anyway. The 1 tool you break, the 2 trips to the store for supplies, little parts, fuild, sealent. Add up to $100-250 fast. Thats not even the special LS1 tools for a correct cam/spring install, or your time doing the work. You drop the oil pump bolt, and loose it down in the pan. And have to pull the trans in you driveway now, to drop the pan. You might not know how far a fully seated valve seal installs at, and dosn't have them installed all the way. And they get chewed up and the car burns oil and smoke. Might not know how to index a oil pump on the engine so it just rubs for the 1st start and heat cylce and sends a little metal into the engine. Same on checking for clearence on dual rollor timming sets, and send a lot of metal into there motor.
And if the work is good and the car is ready to go, 100%. You might get a little extra time with the tune. Then if it takes half a day to get everyting right on the car form the install. If you just did the cam the day before and rushed to make your dyno/tune apointment. And you car is a mess, you stripped out your crank bolt, the Wp leaks a little, ect.... You said you put new plugs in, the parking lot, but you only changed 6 of them and got lazy. 1 in 50, 1st time guys get the cam off a tooth. Of thouse guys, 1 of 25 belive you, check it and fix it, and thank you for it later. The others just drive around with a car way down on power that peaks at 800rpm off the other 100 cars with the cam setup the shop has tuned. Another thing your buddy with HPtuners dosnt have accese to get info from, if ther is a problem with the car. A LS1 shop has any parts you might damage, diffrent lengh pushrods to check if its a questionble setup. But then you don't learn how to work on your car. It can be fun, and enjoyable.
^^^^^that's a good piece of advice. that being said, i plan on putting a cam in my car, along with my buddy's in < a month. I can't wait. we're both known perfectionists, and he's a little pessimistic, so we will be sure to check everything three times. i think a couple of shade-tree mechanics with the right tools, parts, and the ever-handy ls1tech can do it.
oh, and in the actual reply to this thread, there is a local ls1 guru who works in a private shop that quoted me $350 labor. he's a personal friend, so that might be a "good Buddy" price, but i can give you his number if you can't find anyone in the Hutch Area.
I used to work at new era, a few years ago. And got to work on and fix all the home installs, so I've seen both sides of this.
Getting the full install and dyno tune is great deal, after you look into it more then the, I can "save" a few hundred extra in my pocket. Over having the shop do everything, and the car is all ready to go 100%. A LOT of 1st time installs, and you and a friend that have helped a few over 3 year before, it ends up being a wash. Doing it yourself unless you do it, a few times a year anyway. The 1 tool you break, the 2 trips to the store for supplies, little parts, fuild, sealent. Add up to $100-250 fast. Thats not even the special LS1 tools for a correct cam/spring install, or your time doing the work. You drop the oil pump bolt, and loose it down in the pan. And have to pull the trans in you driveway now, to drop the pan. You might not know how far a fully seated valve seal installs at, and dosn't have them installed all the way. And they get chewed up and the car burns oil and smoke. Might not know how to index a oil pump on the engine so it just rubs for the 1st start and heat cylce and sends a little metal into the engine. Same on checking for clearence on dual rollor timming sets, and send a lot of metal into there motor.
And if the work is good and the car is ready to go, 100%. You might get a little extra time with the tune. Then if it takes half a day to get everyting right on the car form the install. If you just did the cam the day before and rushed to make your dyno/tune apointment. And you car is a mess, you stripped out your crank bolt, the Wp leaks a little, ect.... You said you put new plugs in, the parking lot, but you only changed 6 of them and got lazy. 1 in 50, 1st time guys get the cam off a tooth. Of thouse guys, 1 of 25 belive you, check it and fix it, and thank you for it later. The others just drive around with a car way down on power that peaks at 800rpm off the other 100 cars with the cam setup the shop has tuned. Another thing your buddy with HPtuners dosnt have accese to get info from, if ther is a problem with the car. A LS1 shop has any parts you might damage, diffrent lengh pushrods to check if its a questionble setup. But then you don't learn how to work on your car. It can be fun, and enjoyable.
Getting the full install and dyno tune is great deal, after you look into it more then the, I can "save" a few hundred extra in my pocket. Over having the shop do everything, and the car is all ready to go 100%. A LOT of 1st time installs, and you and a friend that have helped a few over 3 year before, it ends up being a wash. Doing it yourself unless you do it, a few times a year anyway. The 1 tool you break, the 2 trips to the store for supplies, little parts, fuild, sealent. Add up to $100-250 fast. Thats not even the special LS1 tools for a correct cam/spring install, or your time doing the work. You drop the oil pump bolt, and loose it down in the pan. And have to pull the trans in you driveway now, to drop the pan. You might not know how far a fully seated valve seal installs at, and dosn't have them installed all the way. And they get chewed up and the car burns oil and smoke. Might not know how to index a oil pump on the engine so it just rubs for the 1st start and heat cylce and sends a little metal into the engine. Same on checking for clearence on dual rollor timming sets, and send a lot of metal into there motor.
And if the work is good and the car is ready to go, 100%. You might get a little extra time with the tune. Then if it takes half a day to get everyting right on the car form the install. If you just did the cam the day before and rushed to make your dyno/tune apointment. And you car is a mess, you stripped out your crank bolt, the Wp leaks a little, ect.... You said you put new plugs in, the parking lot, but you only changed 6 of them and got lazy. 1 in 50, 1st time guys get the cam off a tooth. Of thouse guys, 1 of 25 belive you, check it and fix it, and thank you for it later. The others just drive around with a car way down on power that peaks at 800rpm off the other 100 cars with the cam setup the shop has tuned. Another thing your buddy with HPtuners dosnt have accese to get info from, if ther is a problem with the car. A LS1 shop has any parts you might damage, diffrent lengh pushrods to check if its a questionble setup. But then you don't learn how to work on your car. It can be fun, and enjoyable.
