Cam change regrets
Im glad someone is starting this thread cause i have the 228r right now and i was thinking about going bigger. I would really like to see some input in this thread. I dont have heads i was going to stick to cam only, proly something like a 236 240.
Teching In
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
Im running with a 224/224 and its good for me. I like a very well street mannered car though. I probably could have gone bigger though to 230's. But dont take this the wrong way I love to see 240+ cars, they sound really great! Its all based on how you run the car and your personal tastes.
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Guys, volumes have been written on this subject as you suspect. I did a search using one word "overcamming" and came up with a number of hits. Here is one of the better threads to read on this subject that has come around in the past few years https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...am-change.html. A word to the wise, smaller can be better.
Steve
Steve
Well a buddy of mine cammed his car a while back. He didn't want to let me know what size it was 
but it sounded like it was at least in the 230's. After a couple of weeks he said that the sound had annoyed him quite a bit and he no longer has it in the car. Then again like anyone will tell you it's really a personal preference.
but it sounded like it was at least in the 230's. After a couple of weeks he said that the sound had annoyed him quite a bit and he no longer has it in the car. Then again like anyone will tell you it's really a personal preference. Guys, volumes have been written on this subject as you suspect. I did a search using one word "overcamming" and came up with a number of hits. Here is one of the better threads to read on this subject that has come around in the past few years https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...am-change.html. A word to the wise, smaller can be better.
Steve
Steve
If you are going to increase the airflow with cam timing, then you should match it with the TB, Intake, Heads and Hedders. Maverick0011 is a good example. Cam only, with a good sized cam already, definately needs heads, intake and TB for a cam that size, (236-240), to get ALL of the effects of the cam in question. Sorry guys, I'm old school and been in the driveline business since the 70's. We always gave all the specs, lift, duration @.050", and LS, even centerline, (CL), setup. The duration only leaves too many variable left to chance. We aren't pros and need to keep secrets. If you want accurate info, we need all of the info. This is what any of the professional shops would ask for before he spends your money. Now you are asking the general public, some of us with experience and some novices. That being said, you have a little leeway in your entire setup. Trans, tire size, converter, weight, compression, exhaust, and the afore mentioned will all have a part in your choice for a cam. Get an acurate list of what you want to accomplish and you will get sound advice on some choices. This goes for all of you. If you want to stay private, pm someone who sound like they can help, if you want to stay hush hush. Let us know the details and I'll do my best to help. These engines have MASSIVE potential, and when matched with a proper system from front to back, you don't need much to attain big power.
If you are going to increase the airflow with cam timing, then you should match it with the TB, Intake, Heads and Hedders. Maverick0011 is a good example. Cam only, with a good sized cam already, definately needs heads, intake and TB for a cam that size, (236-240), to get ALL of the effects of the cam in question. Sorry guys, I'm old school and been in the driveline business since the 70's. We always gave all the specs, lift, duration @.050", and LS, even centerline, (CL), setup. The duration only leaves too many variable left to chance. We aren't pros and need to keep secrets. If you want accurate info, we need all of the info. This is what any of the professional shops would ask for before he spends your money. Now you are asking the general public, some of us with experience and some novices. That being said, you have a little leeway in your entire setup. Trans, tire size, converter, weight, compression, exhaust, and the afore mentioned will all have a part in your choice for a cam. Get an acurate list of what you want to accomplish and you will get sound advice on some choices. This goes for all of you. If you want to stay private, pm someone who sound like they can help, if you want to stay hush hush. Let us know the details and I'll do my best to help. These engines have MASSIVE potential, and when matched with a proper system from front to back, you don't need much to attain big power.
Again I was hoping that people who had the 228R and went with something else would chime in.
I was wanting to stay in the cam only catagory for a while, but now ive changed my mind. Ive looked at some heads but that will be after a rear. As of my first post in this thread i was wanting to change cams but now im just gonna stay with what i got and get a rear. Power wont mean a thing with my junky 10 bolt.
I started with a comp xr281 on xr lobe's 228/230 @.050 .571/.573 with stock heads on my 04 gto.
stock everything at first. stock ex and all. loved it . then put a 150 wet shot on it and loved it more.
then went with long tubes no cats and a full 3" back half.
ran great.
then bought afr 205's at 59cc and put a tr224 in and was very unhappy the low end was unreal but the top end sucked.
i even got worse mpg with the tr224 than the xr281. 21 with the tr hwy to 23.5 with the xr
then went to a xer 281 same as a tourqer but bought from comp 232/234 i think .587/.589 lift on a 112
loved this cam insane low end and top end pull with .040 cometics with the afr's and a good tune. plus it loved a 150 shot
then ran a 238/242 xer .605/.609 on a 112 installed on a 112
this cam took a little to get used to. once tuned idled sick as hell but lacked low end but made up for on the top end like pulled to 7k .
even with the 150 shot it did still not have the insane tq like the 232/234 cam had but once i raised the shift points to 7k it grew on me still ran a 11.29 with a shitty 1.9 60 with a 150 shot turning it on at 3800
all these were ran in a heavy *** gto that i drove between mi and sc and mo 3-4 times a year.
the 232 cam still was the best combo. now i have a 243/251 sls lobe'd .624/.624 on a 110 plus 4 but now the car is a drag slash street car and will not be road tripped
the low 230's had the best all around pull to 6800 but yet enough tq to set you back at lower rpm's and got got better mpg than stock
i did have a edge 3500 converter for all cams untill now.
so hope this helps.
stock everything at first. stock ex and all. loved it . then put a 150 wet shot on it and loved it more.
then went with long tubes no cats and a full 3" back half.
ran great.
then bought afr 205's at 59cc and put a tr224 in and was very unhappy the low end was unreal but the top end sucked.
i even got worse mpg with the tr224 than the xr281. 21 with the tr hwy to 23.5 with the xr
then went to a xer 281 same as a tourqer but bought from comp 232/234 i think .587/.589 lift on a 112
loved this cam insane low end and top end pull with .040 cometics with the afr's and a good tune. plus it loved a 150 shot
then ran a 238/242 xer .605/.609 on a 112 installed on a 112
this cam took a little to get used to. once tuned idled sick as hell but lacked low end but made up for on the top end like pulled to 7k .
even with the 150 shot it did still not have the insane tq like the 232/234 cam had but once i raised the shift points to 7k it grew on me still ran a 11.29 with a shitty 1.9 60 with a 150 shot turning it on at 3800
all these were ran in a heavy *** gto that i drove between mi and sc and mo 3-4 times a year.
the 232 cam still was the best combo. now i have a 243/251 sls lobe'd .624/.624 on a 110 plus 4 but now the car is a drag slash street car and will not be road tripped
the low 230's had the best all around pull to 6800 but yet enough tq to set you back at lower rpm's and got got better mpg than stock
i did have a edge 3500 converter for all cams untill now.
so hope this helps.
also the 232/234 was still fine with the lock up(a-4) but the 238/242 if it locked up before 70mph in od it would buck and feel like it was going to rip the rear end out with the stock 347 gear ratio in the gto.
so i had to drive around in drive but even then under 60 was iffy with the surging . my tuner said i needed a speed density tune to fix it.
these are just my experiance with these cams. and with the xer's i ran like .110-.120 preload on the lifters and had very little noise. with ls7 lifters
i started at around .080 and got sick of the noise and started going higher.
i run a melling pump that idles at 55 hot and over 5k rpm's pegs my mechanical gage at 80 so the noise was not from lack of op
so i had to drive around in drive but even then under 60 was iffy with the surging . my tuner said i needed a speed density tune to fix it.
these are just my experiance with these cams. and with the xer's i ran like .110-.120 preload on the lifters and had very little noise. with ls7 lifters
i started at around .080 and got sick of the noise and started going higher.
i run a melling pump that idles at 55 hot and over 5k rpm's pegs my mechanical gage at 80 so the noise was not from lack of op
Read quote in sig.... Good heads dont require as much cam to make good power.
I always default to the smaller cam when Im between cam selections. Ive had an overcammed engine and it was MISERABLE to drive. No brakes, wanting to stall, having to shift to neutral to keep it runnng(carbed sbc). Just no fun, so I went to a smaller solid roller and it really made the truck more fun to drive and was most likely faster, it felt like it.
I always default to the smaller cam when Im between cam selections. Ive had an overcammed engine and it was MISERABLE to drive. No brakes, wanting to stall, having to shift to neutral to keep it runnng(carbed sbc). Just no fun, so I went to a smaller solid roller and it really made the truck more fun to drive and was most likely faster, it felt like it.