Basic question, i plan on running a fairly aggressive truck cam with a 3 degree overlap with some decent lope.

i was wondering, for basic street driving is it possible to drive on a stock tq converter? Again daily driving no hauling a**. Just going to work and back. Going to meets or the market.

I ask, because I have a 4L60E and a 7004r trans for my truck and I really don’t want to buy a $300 tq converter for them if I plan on just ordering and installing a 4L80e in the near future and have to buy a whole new “performance” converter for the new better 4L80.

Would it be possible with out damaging my engine or transmission to drive on a aggressive cam normal driving with a stock converter?

Or will it damage the truck? Be Undrivable completely?

2007 5.3L Tahoe motor in a 85 C10 short bed..

I just don’t want my truck to sit for months on end till I can afford the 4L80e after the cam and converter. But I also don’t want to buy an extra converter I’ll probably ditch after 6 months to a year. Seems like a huge waste of $$.

 

It's always "possible".

Maybe not so much, "desirable" or "enjoyable" or "as fast / peppy / quick / fill in the blank what you would like your car or truck to be" / as it could be.

An "aggressive" cam most often gives up any kind of whooma-whooma at low RPMs, in favor of high power at high RPMs. Not that that's bad; just, you gotta learn to live with what you GIVE UP, in order to get what YOU GET.

No it won't damage anything, except maybe your pride when the soccer mom that looks like an Ice Age Venus figurine (look up google images of "Venus of Lespugue" without the quotes of course) in a Kia minivan or the like whoops yer a$$ at an expressway interchange or something.

Personally, speaking strictly as an owner of a truck that's AHELLUVALOT harder to push around than yours, I would avoid "lope" in cam selection. Yeah tough keeping it zipped up, but sometimes, you get better results if you're not a POSEUR.

 

As long as the truck won’t shake me to death or stall at red lights I’m completely cool with it if it’s driveable. Like I said it’s mostly going to be going to work and back and I love 3 miles from work lol

And I’m going more for sound and feel than speed with this build. I already have a 350z with a single 6266 twin scroll strapped on for any speed needs I’ll have since I sold my bikes.

ive always just wanted a classic cruiser with the sound I use to live as a kid. I don’t plan on going above 450hp just like I said have some ***** and sound mean af like every classic should.

Honestly the cam is ONLY for the lope sound haha

 

Well, not much I can say to help you out then.

 

I would at least try to source a Trail blazer SS converter.

 

unless I’m missing something the SS converters are the same price if not double the price of the 3000 stall.

Only SS ones I found were $400 to $1,200

 

he actually means the non SS converter. Just a stock I6 converter, They used to be like $100-$150

But I wouldnt even mess with pulling the trans and swapping it if your doing a complete trans swap in the near future.
If its not already installed then I would find one in the $100 range and then just sell it when you pull it back out later.

 

Yea the motor and trans are still connected.

But, they are out and open sitting in my garage right now on jack stands. So to remove the trans would be a simple bolt job. I have complete access to both the entire engine and trans.

But I also am a firm believer if it’s not broke don’t f***ng touch it! Especially if it’s how the factory sent it out. Cause once you break the seal of a bolt from the factory. Sh** always starts to go south or never work the same again.

So again if it’s drivable with it. I’d rather leave it in there. But if I’m going to be shaking or having a bad time. I will change it out if I have to.

 

No and no on both counts. Just drive it till you get your 4l80e.

 

All I needed. Thank you fellas!

 

Also consider your 85 S10 weight is different from the Tahoe

converter stall speed is also dependent on weight you may be happy with stock converter / trans

 

less weight = less slip which is going to make the issue of a big cam and stock converter worse.

the right aftermarket converter would have done more performance wise than just a cam but thats not what hes after so.

 

this makes no sense at all..... Why did you swap the cam then?? It wasnt broke either im sure.... lol

There is no way I would put that in without swapping the converter if its sitting in the floor. Like I said you can sell it later, but carry on, seems like you have made up your mine lol. That 1-2 shift is gonna be a dog...

And guys its going in a C10 in the first post, not a S10

 

Well apparently my C10 weighs 2,000lbs less than the Tahoe it came out of per google. Wonder how much that will help.

 

Man this is really bothering some of you guys lol

I haven’t installed the cam yet, but I’d like to install it while the motor is full accessible. I really don’t want to re remove the entire front clip and motor to gain access again as it is now. As some of you guys may know, is really prefer to remove a tranny from the car than try and work on a motor in the bay.

I don’t have the trans or converter yet because 1 I haven’t been able to track a local 4L80 yet, and I spent the funding on much needed sway bushings, new not broken motor mounts, brake lines and other parts I ACTUALLY need parts again, which would be great to install on the truck before I shove a motor on top of it all.

And you know exactly what I’m taking about, like when you asked about welding a dif instead of buying a $1,700 LSD which would have been the proper way.

Sometimes there are ways to get what you need for the mean time with out doing it the “right” and usually the more expensive way and still end up with the result we wanted. As long as we know the limitations and risks.

Which is why I’m here asking what are the limitations and risks before I make my decision.

 

I was talking about the OE Trailblazer SS converter. It has 2-2100 stall speed. Also there is the I6 Trailblazer converter that will stall 2500-3000rpm. I believe you can find them for under 200.00.

 

Do you know where?

Everything I brought up was new factory stuff or suppliers who wanted like $400+ for a used yard pull.

 

A converter will make it faster than a cam will. So i would do the stall/trans first.

But I also understand wanting to do the cam now while it's far easier to get to it.

The reason this "bothers" us is because we see this all the time. Someone wants to do what you're doing (all 3 things... cam first, cam for sound instead of optimized cam for the setup, and cam with stock stall) and then comes back saying how much they regret it. It isn't that it bothers us, it's that we advise people not to do what you're doing because of how many times we've seen people regret it.

 

But I’m asking and no ones given me any reasons not to. Accept its “not right”. Like I said if the drivability is going to be horrible I won’t do it.

But if it’s just going to be slow, but make my truck sound how I want what’s the issue? Not everyone is on this forum to be the fastest dude in the street or run sub 11 1/4 miles.

If anything going for a good sounding classic truck is better than THAT A hole who has a 700hp car or truck that revs his engine and tries to race everyone in their sports car on the street cause he has little man syndrome and cuts everyone off weaving on the highway at 120mph.


i get it’s a forum and passions are high, if you don’t do it the standard norm of the forum you’re going to get flamed. But again if it’s still perfectly drivable, won’t damage anything what’s the issue accept you guys don’t like I’m not trying to squeeze every inch of HP out of this build so I’m an idiot for spending $200 on sound. But you guys have no issue with guys spending $900 on a full car back exhaust for the same exact reason. Cool sound.

Do you flame guys with aftermarket wheels for the same reason? Cause they are going for looks and not the most optimal grip and best tires they can find. They get 19x9’s on budget tires? Or no cause that’s a forum acceptance even tho it’s the same logic you have about a cam just for sound and no performance gain? But again a cam is only $250... Where wheels and tires usually come out to about $1,300 and aren’t good for anything but a “look”.

And from what I’ve seen the Stage 4 summit cam should produce the MOST power out of the truck cams after a tune. Which I don’t care about until I get my 4L80, so until then it’s just for lope and to be a tame cruiser for the sake of having a car i can drive on the weekends or to work and not put miles on my good cars but still have fun in. Even if that’s just enjoying the sound as I drive.


Again unless you can show me it will be a HORRIBLE driving experience. What do people regret exactly? Honestly asking because “it being the wrong way” or “a waste” isn’t really a valid reason to not.

And I’m sure 90% of those guys you lumped me in with, also don’t actually have a plan to go 4L80 with the proper TQ converter. Who don’t have the issue of throwing away $500 on a transmission tq converter that’s just going to sit in the garage after 6 months and probably never get sold. Because we all know the value of a 4L60.... And the low demand of a 4L60 torque converter.


Logically and honestly, does it make sense to spend $500 on a converter for 6 months of street use? Then have to go out and boy ANOTHER one for the 4L80 right after... So a total of $1,200 invested for what?

Answer honestly. That’s the actual question being asked here. Is this a $1,200 must do? Or can I live with out swapping in the mean time.

 

Just search for a 4.2 trail blazer converter there under $200 on eBay and probably even at your local parts store lol

who is flaming you??

Also so if I read that last post right your not gonna tune it at all until you do the 4l80e?? Maybe I didn’t quite understand


The biggest thing I’ve ran into is loss of off idle power and sluggish between shifts. Also when at stop lights it will want to push some because you can’t idle as low as a stock cam anymore.