Cam Or Headers?
After really thinking about this question more, we need to know what size cam you plan to go with. If larger than a 224 duration, then headers should be the choice. Reason being that a larger cam needs other stuff like gears and headers to run good. For a smaller cam, I still say cam first.
Originally Posted by gabeg94z
i think its 270
you said they tuned it on a machine (you mean an engine dyno)?
the machine just turns the engine thats it they dont turn it on they just attacth it to the fly wheel and turn. on the cam they said its as big as it can get and i am not familiar with cam # or durations all i know is that it is a speed pro cam ? sorry im a dumb *** when it comes to #s
sounds like they didn't know what the heck why were talking about and if they didn't crank the engine and RUN it on a dyno they definately didn't tune it. You need to take the car somewhere that has a rear wheel dyno and can tune it for you before you go over lean/rich/too much advance/etc and mess something up.
270 is small by todays stadards (TR224/224 = ~280 advertised)
270 is small by todays stadards (TR224/224 = ~280 advertised)
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I did a cam first and i would not recommend it. I barely even felt a difference with just the cam. Plus it's much easier to mess something up in a cam install than in a header install.
Originally Posted by white00ws6
I'm On A Budget So I Want To Know Whether A Cam Or Headers Will Give Me More Power? ...
Mark
Originally Posted by gabeg94z
so it is possible that they didnt put it in right and i have to take it to get (degreed)? and if so can it be fixed with out being put on a dyno.
NOOOOO.....degreed and tune are different...
degreed = where the cam is installed in relationship to the crank
tune = air/fuel ratio (adjusted in the computer (or manually on a carb) ), spark advance (computer or distributer), idle air, etc....
you NEED TO TAKE THE CAR AND GET IT TUNED! Get ahold of some people in the Texas forum and ask them where to get your car tuned in Huston.
Originally Posted by HumpinSS
CAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The cam will net more gains than the headers and when you do get the headers it will open it up even more. Not to mention the lope and everything else that comes along with the cam
Originally Posted by furiouSS99
I agree, get the cam first. Cost-wise, a cam package will be half the price of a good set of ceramic coated headers/off roads.
...really?cam = $450
valve springs = $160 (Comp 918s)
LS1Edit/pay a tuner = $500+
Hooker LTs = $569 (ceramic coated....summit)
Hooker y-pipe = $169 (summit......$259 for the ceramic coated version)
O2 sims = $80
In addition to the cam and valve springs you still need gaskets and should change pushrods. You WILL either need to buy LS1Edit ($550 for that) or pay someone $500+ to tune your car with the cam. Then what about the lifters, the oil pump, Ti retainers, a new timing set, head bolts for when you remove the heads to change the lifters, etc. If the cam swap is done "right" (to me, do it all or dont do it) its going to be quite a bit more $$$ than the headers and you still don't have headers and good heads to get the most out of the cam.
Launching!
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
Of course everyone is gonna suggest headers first.. Because they believe if you do mods you should do them in stages. To awnser your ACTUAL question.. If you want more bang for your buck.. You cant beat a cam. You'll net more horsepower at the wheels with a cam hands down. Sure headers will help it breath, but if your on a budget and can handel headers later I'd go with a cam first. Now another thing you have to take into consideration.. How big a cam are you gonna go? If you go with a large cam I suggest that you go with headers first. It WILL choke the cam, and your car will have problems if you go with a large cam, and no room for it to breath, (well exhale I should say) If you go with a small or medium cam you should be okay. Just dont expect to put a large cam like the Trex, G5X3, or TR230. I'd get somthing smaller without the aid of headers. So basically what it comes down to.. bang for buck Hands down a cam, If you want to go bigger and faster someday I'd go with headers. But of course thats my opinion. 
Originally Posted by Derek98z
Depends on the size of cam you want really. A buddy of mine has a WS6 with a T1 and stock manifolds churning out 375 rwhp. The most HP I have EVER seen from headers and a stock cam car was 358.
Originally Posted by Derek98z
Depends on the size of cam you want really. A buddy of mine has a WS6 with a T1 and stock manifolds churning out 375 rwhp. The most HP I have EVER seen from headers and a stock cam car was 358.
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 387
Likes: 0
From: Cali
damn, a lot of opinions and thanks to everyone's input. Well the cam i was thinking about getting was this one http://slponline.com/view_product.asp?PARTNUMBER=51014 . my buddy can get em a lil cheaper so that price would be reduced, and i'd get all the valvetrain to go with it but would NOT tune the car since i would be out of cash. The price would be about the same just wanted to see what you guys thought since you guys know more about this and i've never tried it. thanks again.
Originally Posted by white00ws6
would NOT tune the car since i would be out of cash.
...........236/236 @ 0.050" on 112LSA, without a tune you would be lucky to even get the car to run with your foot on the gas
I had a 224/224 on a 112 and it WAS NOT drivable on the stock tune....it would idle and pull me down the road but at the first light/stop sign it would sputter and die (if I didn't punch the gas).....
you REALLY need to do headers and save up money to do your total cam package later.