Is it nuts to go CAM "Only"
I am proof that you will be wasting your time doing a cam without headers. If its a small cam you may be able to get away with it but if it is a fairly decent cam like the Fm13 like i have you are gonna be real disappointed with the stock manifolds. Headers woke the thing up it was like a night and day difference. The exhaust manifolds choke the hell otta the car and you get major EGR effects from the cam even more so the more overlap you have...
I've got everything waiting for a cam install, now just waiting to be able to buy headers. Should've bought them first, but didn't have $800 layin around for Kooks. Bought the cam parts over time, cheap off the board 
Now I just have to wait a month or two to get headers....I'm ok with running those open for a week or two til I can put TD's on. I don't drive her much anyhow, just home -> college and back.
Now I just have to wait a month or two to get headers....I'm ok with running those open for a week or two til I can put TD's on. I don't drive her much anyhow, just home -> college and back. Trending Topics
Cams need to breath period. Ther bigger the cam, the more open the air flow needs to be. Personally I wouldn't put in a cam without headers, a cat-back, atleast an ls6 intake (78mm or 90mm lsx preferably) and a throttle body. You can get away with just headers, a cat-back and an ls6, but the more you open it up, the more power it'll put down. Plus it'll sound alot cooler.
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Brett Foote
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Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Texas
If you do a huge cam then you may have issues with it not running so good on a completly stock car cause it cannot breath. I would go full boltons first. What is the reason you want to go cam first?
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From: Central, MA
Yeah, the bigger the cam, the more you need those other bolt-ons first.
FWIW: I love my little cam with minimal bolt-ons. Check out the Vinci Hi Performance site - they did a lot of testing with a 02 C5, and this cam was run for a while if you're interested.
FWIW: I love my little cam with minimal bolt-ons. Check out the Vinci Hi Performance site - they did a lot of testing with a 02 C5, and this cam was run for a while if you're interested.
Originally Posted by ROJO99
Can I do a CAM only swap with my stock exhaust? Waht can the factory 99 Corvette headers effectively handle?
I was trying to build a very mild combo so that I don't have to put in a bar. The mild combo exceeded my expectations. Although it would be nice to install headers, I don't think they are as big a restriction as people think.
There's more detail here:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=880887
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From: sojourning....looking for my city whose builder and maker is God.
I have stock manifolds, gutted cats, y-pipe and cutout. I love my large cam and have no drivability issues with it. But it did need a some good tuning to get it there. I lowered my 1/8 mile track time by 4 tenths with it. I am sure I would do better with headers but for me the trade off isn’t worth it. I might do heads though sometime in the future.
I've been kinda wondering the same thing myself. After owning a few F-bodies I know the exaust is restrictive. The stock y-pipe is an absolute JOKE.
But on a Corvette especially my Z06 I'm wondering if a G5x-3 wouldn't be a bad FIRST mod. The vettes have a dual exaust from the factory and the cat backs breath pretty good compared to aftermarket. The intake boxes aren't bad the gearing is there. Hell I may just try it for the hell of it. I'm going to get headers but good headers for Vettes are 1500+!!!!!!
But on a Corvette especially my Z06 I'm wondering if a G5x-3 wouldn't be a bad FIRST mod. The vettes have a dual exaust from the factory and the cat backs breath pretty good compared to aftermarket. The intake boxes aren't bad the gearing is there. Hell I may just try it for the hell of it. I'm going to get headers but good headers for Vettes are 1500+!!!!!!