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Cons to putting a cam in my car

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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 07:23 PM
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Default Cons to putting a cam in my car

Just curious as to any cons of putting a cam in my car. Will be getting a mail order tune from TSP with a ypipe if i choose to put a cam in my car. It would just be a medium cam, im thinking 224/224 114 LSA.
TIA
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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 07:29 PM
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I put mine in but did my own tune but I heard that TSP does a good tune for a mail order tune.

Bill
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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 07:53 PM
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Cons I can think of:
  • Irrestible urge to race defenseless Mustangs, grandmothers and school busses off every red light
  • SEG stuck in permanent "on" position
  • Money spent
  • Money going into the cam leaves less money for the N2O setup

Did I miss one?
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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 08:57 PM
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Irrestible urge to race defenseless Mustangs, grandmothers and school busses off every red light
Don't forget little girls on roller skates!!
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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 09:34 PM
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Rear tires can get expensive to replace... *shrug*
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 12:04 AM
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As far as the mail order tune, I have one and it works well.
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 12:22 AM
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LOL, thanks

What would be the first thing to break? IE: whats the next weakest link? im going to think the rear-end or clutch.

Anyone else have any experience with a TSP mail order tune? How much Hp/torque did you gain from your LT's + cam do you think? Also what cam are you running?
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 12:52 AM
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My thinking would be even chance on the clutch and rearend, depending on how you drive it. Clutch would be the least expensive upgrade, and the rear should last as long as you aren't dumping the clutch on sticky tires on sticky ground (prepped track).

TSP is a well known company with loads of experience. We have a custom dyno tune, with an auto trans, and bigger cam so our numbers are probably a non sequitur.
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 11:01 AM
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[QUOTE=Azrael]and the rear should last as long as you aren't dumping the clutch on sticky tires on sticky ground (prepped track).QUOTE]
I broke two stockers on cheap Kumho tires, never taken my car to a track or launched hard (each one lasted about 20,000 miles). The second one I broke destroyed the rear cover. Even with a grenaded rear cover I was able to baby it about 7 miles to the shop that installed the 12 bolt with next to no fluid too
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 11:12 AM
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Originally Posted by bmaffin13
Just curious as to any cons of putting a cam in my car.
-Pissing off your neighborhood
-Gas mileage will go to ****, because you can't get off the pedal
-Make your friends jealous with your lopey idle

etc
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 11:52 AM
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People definantly know when you are coming lol, and gets tons of attention no matter where you go.
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 08:11 PM
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Thanks for the replies guys, think I'm going to just do it. Anything else I should change while I have it all apart. Car has about 40k miles on it. I changed the springs and pushrods on it with around 20k on it. Learning how to drive a few years ago when I first got it.....

Probably going to just wait for the clutch and rear to go since I wish I had more money.

What would be the best cam with stock heads and intake also would I notice a big difference between 112 LSA and 114?
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 09:39 PM
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prolly go ahead and put new lifters in to be safe, a LS2 timing chain, Underdrive pulley, maybe a new LS6 oil pump also.
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Old Apr 2, 2006 | 03:12 AM
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wow, now it sounds like its gettign expensive. Are those things that are going to need to be done in the next 10k miles?
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Old Apr 2, 2006 | 03:44 AM
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Originally Posted by Azrael
Rear tires can get expensive to replace... *shrug*
hah! **** it.
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Old Apr 2, 2006 | 05:33 AM
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Originally Posted by bmaffin13
wow, now it sounds like its gettign expensive. Are those things that are going to need to be done in the next 10k miles?
Gotta pay to play!
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Old Apr 2, 2006 | 05:34 AM
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Originally Posted by orangeapeel
hah! **** it.
Amen brother!
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Old Apr 2, 2006 | 06:02 AM
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"one hand must wash the other"
I have the exact specs of the cam you are getting and I made sure to get everything else necessary to make it run well, like either ls6 or slp heavy duty oil pump and double roller timing chain (both $315 new). Underdrive pulley is 150 and after you have all the bolt ons, the only thing left is heads and a s/c or turbo. Your rear end will hold up with that cam and if you have a good clutch, it will hold as well. Your redline will be about 7k and you will have fun shifting at 6k, but you will cruise at higher rpms due to the cams driveability range.
Those specs run from 3k to 7k rpms operating range. My dyno chart starts at 3k and the a/f ratio is high and doesn't even out until the cam kicks in. You will not lose much driveability below 3k, but will have to step on the gas a little bit on a cold start, to keep the rpms over 1k for a few seconds, until the idle is steady.
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