newbie needs help with cam choice
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From: Riley, Ks
newbie needs help with cam choice hi, im new to this thread as of today. im looking at putting a cam in my 98 z28 camaro, its completely stock now, but after cam i want to get intake manifold, cold air, headers, and in the long run, heads. i understand that with a cam swap i'd put in a new oil pump and timing chain, but one thing i havent found in all the other hundreds of threads about cams, is the length of pushrods and springs that you need with certain cams. im looking for a good cam that is fairly inexpensive and streetable, this is my daily so i want it to still be reliable and not have to worry about me messing up anything with the cam(if thats even possible). like i said im new, but i know quite a bit about the ls1 engine and the car itself. i would appreciate any help.
Pushrod length will need to be measured... unless it's stock heads. Then the 7.425" length would be appropriate.
I'd give Martin @ Tick a call and let him set you up with a custom cam, pushrods, valve springs, oil pump, timing chain, and the Comp trunion upgrade for the stock rockers. You're looking around $1200-1300 with that + tune.
I'd also look at the TSP 1-7/8" stainless headers and either their true duals or Y-pipe into whatever catback you like (Magnaflow is pretty tame and not super costly for a stainless system).
Heads... I'd recommend sending to TEA or AI when the time comes. I know Martin likes working with TEA to get the heads set up for your cam. So if you go with him, it will save you some time later and you'll get a setup that will work well together.
I'd give Martin @ Tick a call and let him set you up with a custom cam, pushrods, valve springs, oil pump, timing chain, and the Comp trunion upgrade for the stock rockers. You're looking around $1200-1300 with that + tune.
I'd also look at the TSP 1-7/8" stainless headers and either their true duals or Y-pipe into whatever catback you like (Magnaflow is pretty tame and not super costly for a stainless system).
Heads... I'd recommend sending to TEA or AI when the time comes. I know Martin likes working with TEA to get the heads set up for your cam. So if you go with him, it will save you some time later and you'll get a setup that will work well together.
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From: Riley, Ks
thanks for the quick reply. its a bit more than i thought for that whole setup, i guess i didnt factor everything in when i was thinking about cost. do you think it'd be worth it to get a gm hot cam and run all stock stuff except timing chain, springs, pushrods, and oil pump for about a year till i earn up the money for the $1000 worth of cam and kit to go with it, and buy lt's, intake, and tune all at the same time? its gonna take time for me to get that kinda money because im still in highschool and can only work full time during the summer. im probably just confusing you, hope you understand.
thanks for the quick reply. its a bit more than i thought for that whole setup, i guess i didnt factor everything in when i was thinking about cost. do you think it'd be worth it to get a gm hot cam and run all stock stuff except timing chain, springs, pushrods, and oil pump for about a year till i earn up the money for the $1000 worth of cam and kit to go with it, and buy lt's, intake, and tune all at the same time? its gonna take time for me to get that kinda money because im still in highschool and can only work full time during the summer. im probably just confusing you, hope you understand.
I would hold off and not waste any of the money you have saved on a cam that you already know you don't want. It will be worth it in the long run. If anything work on other areas of the car for now like headers, exhaust, suspension, converter/clutch, ect.
I'd start with buying headers, intake,and any other bolts-ons that will complement your cam later on. I wouldn't waste money on one setup, just to pull it out later. Also is your car a manual or auto? If its a auto, then a stall converter would be one of the biggest seat of the pants improvements.
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From: Riley, Ks
okay, thanks. my plan was to do the headers and intake first but im putting a new oil pump in my car this weekend, and i guess i got pretty hooked on getting a cam in there since i was doing the pump, its a manual btw,
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From: Riley, Ks
thanks poltergeist and camaro 383. another question i have is, with lt headers, intake manifold, cold air, and exhaust, would i have a problem with it running to lean or to rich without a tune because i probably wouldnt consider getting it tuned and dynoed till after cam and heads upgrade. also, does anyone have an opinion on the bassani true duals exhaust, i saw that a while back and got pretty hooked on the true duals, plus they seem nice being all stainless
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Verdad Gallardo thanks poltergeist and camaro 383. another question i have is, with lt headers, intake manifold, cold air, and exhaust, would i have a problem with it running to lean or to rich without a tune because i probably wouldnt consider getting it tuned and dynoed till after cam and heads upgrade. also, does anyone have an opinion on the bassani true duals exhaust, i saw that a while back and got pretty hooked on the true duals, plus they seem nice being all stainless
If you were to do all those changes, you would need a tune. You could look for someone to just do a street tune on the car for a little cheaper. The guy that tunes my car gives me free retunes if its something small. If I were to change cams, or go boosted he'd charge me a fraction of the price of a full tune. Maybe a mail order tune from Frost would work also.
If you were to do all those changes, you would need a tune. You could look for someone to just do a street tune on the car for a little cheaper. The guy that tunes my car gives me free retunes if its something small. If I were to change cams, or go boosted he'd charge me a fraction of the price of a full tune. Maybe a mail order tune from Frost would work also.
OP- Sorry for hijacking your thread