ok im gonna be swapping an ls1 into my thirdgen pretty soon and will be using some stock manifolds so im digging around for some cams. I need something that wont kill spring life as this will be a daily driver but still give mid and high power. Emissions arent a concern. Any suggestions?

 

First, you will want to replace the stock springs. Second, since you're keeping the stock intake and exhaust, you won't want anything huge, so with Comp 918 springs, for example, you should be good for a lot of miles. A TR 224 or TR 220 would be good for you, IMHO. The duration is no problem and the lift is .563 on the 224 and .551 on the 220, so that won't be a problem for the 918's, which are rated to .600. There's other things that play into spring life, such as how aggressive the lobes are, etc. I don't think you have to worry about it with a TR 220 or TR 224.

[EDIT] Even though the TR224 isn't a huge cam, it can make a ton of power. If you decide to throw a few more mods on, you'll be shredding tires in no time.

 

what size rockers would you go with? Who sells TR cams? and is there anything else thats bigger and would be worth the extra?

The TR224 seems like a very popular cam for people with stock heads. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

TR=Thunder Racing

 

with stock exhaust manifolds a split pattern like a 224/232 114 would be a good idea. For longer spring life it is generally better to use a medium agressive ramp (~.560 lift), although properly set-up, you can get good life from higher lift cams.

 

TR uses Comp lobes so you probably don't want to use bigger than 1.7 ratio (stock). You don't need to change your rockers.

There are lots of bigger cams, but you would get disappointing results. Until you do a few mods to increase air flow into and out of the engine, a bigger cam would be choked off from making the power it's designed for. Also, bigger cams make their power higher up in the RPM band. For example, your current rev limit is 6000; and your stock valvetrain can handle that. A big cam probably tops out power-wise from 6400-7000, and even higher for some. You would have to upgrade a lot of valvletrain parts and probably Connecting Rod Bolts (Piston to Rod connection) to handle the increased RPM without floating your valves.

If you stick to stock intake, heads, and exhaust, then going bigger is not better, just more expensive. Picking one of the cams I suggested, or maybe the CHEAtr (designed to work with staock exhaust & intake) cam would be best. Some people start off with a cam swap, but most start by doing a ton of mods that add power now, and prepare the engine to take advantage of a big cam. Here's how I did it:

1) Cold Air kit and lid (get rid of those stinking baffles)
2) K&N Filter
3) 85mm MAF Sensor
4) 160-degree Thermostat
5) Loudmouth Exhaust
6) Tuned Long Tube Headers & High Flow Cats
7) TR55 IX plugs
8) Spiro Pro wires
9) DiabloSport Predator Tuner
10) 4.10 Gears

New clutch, master, & slave plus new rearend girdle go in this Month

Already working on the heads; will get one of the following cams probably: Futral F14, TR Magic Stick v3, TR Torquer v2, TR 231/237. I'll be getting dual springs with the cam, but I'll still have to check them every 20K miles, if not change them that often... once a summer.

There's nothing that says you have to do it this way. this is just my opinion. The quickest way to a quicker car might be to install 4.10's first then a medium cam that your stock motor and valvetrain can handle...

 

I disagree with the 85mm MAF and Predator tuner. They do a lot of nothing. With that money you can get a full tune after you install your cam, or even buy yourself HPTuners and tune yourself. Other than that, it's a good list of starting mods.

 

I didn't dyno after the MAF install (duh...), but here's the dyno comparison of before and after the Predator Tune. It speaks for itself...

 

What was your A/F ratio? All those tuners do is lean it out to gain some extra hp. Not to mention you're already gonna be running a bit more lean with the bigger MAF. Leaning out the A/F is not my idea of something worth the money.

 

Correct me if Im wrong but I thought the predator was much more than a MAF translator....

 

There is some spark advance in the tune; I think it's really just a WOT tune, and needs refining at partial throttle. My car seems to run just a tad rich not lean after the Predator tune. You can monitor LTFT's and send away for a new tune. You can adjust PE +/- a couple pts. Plus you can make all the other changes that you get nickel and dimed for at a shop, like changing gear ratios, tire/wheel set ups, Rev Limit, and a bunch of shifting stuff if you're an A4. From the 27rwhp/21rwtq I gained, plus the free changes, my experience is that the Predator was well worth it.

[EDIT] sorry, the losers running the dyno didn't print out the A/F. I would really like to know myself. I also wish the Predator showed A/F, but it doesn't...

Also, note these numbers are from a Mustang dyno, and would be even higher on a more generous dyno...

 

stock rockers will be fine.

The TR 224 lobe is NOT the same as any off-the-shelf comp lobe. It has the lift of an XE, but the faster off the seat rate of an XER.

 

so stock rockers are good, Replace stock springs, how about the lifters? Do the stock ones do the trick?, and a TR224/224?....what do you recommend for the lobe separation?

Ill have stock heads that will be ported. Which casting is better 853 or the 23...other ones....lol

The 853's are the lq9 heads right? So those would be the better of the two?

 

With stock manifolds, the TR224 is not the best choice. You need extra exhaust duration. That's why I suggested a 224/230. A 114 or 115 will work if the rest of the exhaust flows well. Otherwise, TR's Cheater will give you good mid & high end power.

 

If I can find someone to do it ill have the manifolds ported so that will help. Do the later f-body manifolds flow better than the 98's? Cuz thats what I have now.

 

I think he means replacing the stock exhaust manifold and muffler with headers and a less restrictive exhaust...[EDIT: to take advantage of the TR224] Don't look for anyone to port you stock exhaust manifold...

The numbers in the cam suggested [EDIT: 224/230] favor the exhaust duration (230) to make up for lower flow. Good suggestion...

 

If you're sticking with the stock manifolds, go with a reverse split cam as suggested with longer exhaust duration to work with the restrictive manifolds.