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Old Nov 30, 2005 | 11:31 AM
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Default Cam Costs?

i have been looking into cams for a 98 ls1 ss. i am just curious how much it would cost me to get a radical cam and to install it. i was thinking around $420 for the cam and around $350 for installation, but im not sure. so i wanted to know a reasonable price for a cam and installation.
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Old Nov 30, 2005 | 11:55 AM
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Originally Posted by 1998sscamaro
i have been looking into cams for a 98 ls1 ss. i am just curious how much it would cost me to get a radical cam and to install it. i was thinking around $420 for the cam and around $350 for installation, but im not sure. so i wanted to know a reasonable price for a cam and installation.
You're pretty close on cam prices. $350 for a cam install will be on the low end, and you're forgetting quite a few things. Here's a list of things you're going to want to do when swapping cams. The search function will also be helpful here . ls1howto.com has a good writeup that you should read.
-ported oil pump
-valve springs
-timing chain
-pushrods (optional)
-underdrive crank pulley (optional)
-various gaskets, oil, coolant etc...
I did my entire cam swap for around $900, and that's with buying most of the parts used off this board and installing everything myself.
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Old Nov 30, 2005 | 12:04 PM
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If you do a cam swap at a minimum you'll want new pushrods, valve springs, and gaskets. Depending on how radical you might need new retainers and maybe valve seals. The other things JMM said (ported oil pump, timing chain, underdrive crank pulley) are nice to do since you're already in the engine but not have to's. I'm doing the work myself and a mild cam kit from Thunder racing is about $600 + shipping.

Check out ls1howto.com for a complete write up.
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Old Nov 30, 2005 | 01:31 PM
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idk about a radical cam, but all im doing is a hotcam, ls6 springs and gaskets, 200 dollars for the cam and springs and we'll see how much the gaskets are. i would get pushrods and a new timing chain for a more radical cam like u want
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Old Nov 30, 2005 | 01:37 PM
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i have a 98 and i figured doing the install myself and having a pro do the tune it would cost me somewhere around 2k.
cam kit- 640
ls6 intake- 440
ported oil pump- 130
timing set- 84
cam install tool- 85
valve spring compressor- 130
tune ~ 500
you may not be getting all of that stuff but that's what i have figured.
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Old Nov 30, 2005 | 10:54 PM
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would the ls6 intake even make that much of a difference? wut exactly does it do?
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Old Nov 30, 2005 | 10:56 PM
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Originally Posted by 1998sscamaro
would the ls6 intake even make that much of a difference? wut exactly does it do?
your giving up a good ~20rwhp
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Old Nov 30, 2005 | 11:05 PM
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first off ,I think Fguy1998 is a little of on 2k for a cam swap. i think 1000 bucks max is where you should be.
the ls6 intake is gonna flow alot better than the stock ls1 intake, in return you are gonna make more power, espically with an aftermarket cam with higher lifts.
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Old Nov 30, 2005 | 11:07 PM
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^from what I've read it seems like it would be better to save up some money and go with a better intake manifold... but I'm just a tech newb I was probably going to do cam before I did manifold considering I am going to be spending a lot of money on that and it would be a while for me to save up. 90mm manifold 90mm tb and maf.
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