Hey I have a 98 Ls1 Camaro that is bone stock besides exhaust and filter. My question is about choosing a cam and what needs to be done for proper install. I want to know if MTI's X1 Cam can be just thrown in to the stock engine with no valvetrain upgrade (rods and etc). It will be a daily driver and this is a mild cam so let me know if I would have any problems or mess anything up. Thanks alot!

 

Whenever you install a new cam, you MUST change to better valvesprings and pushrods. On top of that, I also opted to change out my oil pump with a ported LS6 one, replaced the stock timing chain with an IWIS chain (double roller or LS2 chain are very popular as well) and also swapped out the retainers for titanium retainers as well as switching out all the seals and gaskets. They have a very nice cam install guide on www.ls1howto.com which illustrates what all is involved in a properly done cam swap.

You'd be crazy to just pull out the stock cam and putting the X1 cam in there. It's not that easy!

Also, to maximize any potential gains, you should have Long tube headers and at least a LS6 intake to replace the LS1 intake. Porting your throttle body is a good idea too.

Just putting the cam in without doing all I listed won't give you all the gains you are looking for. Also, the car needs to be tuned after you install the cam, otherwise it may run like crap, idle like crap, run too lean or too rich, or a combination of all of the above.

All in all I spend about 6000 dollars on my cam swap with all the other bolt ons to do it properly.

And also....read the JRP cam guide .... https://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iii-internal-engine/327734-cam-guide.html

Take a look also at my signature, so you can see what all I changed out.

Good luck!

Manny

 

First, I wouldn't call the X1 mild: 230/227 .591/.571 112 LSA

You'll definately need new springs. Push rods and timing chain are a good idea too. Oil pump for a 98 is also a good idea.

I'm also guessing you'll need someone to install and tune it.

Do you have headers yet? even a lid? Torque converter is a must for A4's.

$6000 seems high for a cam swap.I don't know what all was done. I spent $700-800 on mine.

 

lol 6K for all your motor mods + install for 375rwhp LOL

 

MANYZ28-GOOD ADVICE. you should add boltons before a cam when your car is that close to stock.does your car have a catback only or does it have headers too? ud-pullies,headers,ported th-body,lid,a ls6 intake and maybe a little stall(if auto) and gear would all togeather make more power then a cam would. to just throw a cam in a stock car,w/no headers;it will not gain much at all like you may think. work your way through the boltons first and do a cam another time. goodluck to ya.

 

Dude, that includes everything, including the headers which by themselves cost 1300 dollars and all the installation and tuning was included. I bought mostly top of the line stuff, the IWIS chain cost 150 bucks, a lot of guys just went with a LS2 chain. But yes, I got taken a bit by my tuner. For tuning the car and porting the TB, they charged me 1200 dollars! This was before my cam was installed, I then had to come back and pay another 225 bucks for a retune.

But I am not gonna lie to you, I wish it would have made a little closer to 400 rwhp, that's for sure.

Hmm...ok, I just redid the math, I went a little high.

Headers: 1300
LS6 intake: 400
All cam install parts: 1200
Labor for cam install: 800
Tuning costs: 1200

That's 4900 right there. And then there were a bunch of little thinks that kinda add up...so we are closer to 5k instead of 6k......still cheaper than a supercharger....LOL!

 

Check out Texas Speed (one of our sponsors) for some sweet cam packages.

 

How is tuning 1200 bucks? Are you taking into consideration buying the program and the laptop? All you have to do is PM someone near you with the program on their laptop. Get up with them. Pay them like $150 bucks or so becuase its worth it.

1300 for headers? Thats if you get kooks You can get a set of Pacesetter LTs used in great shape for less then $500 and they produce the same power.

The labor and cam w/ needed parts are all that I agree on.

$4900
-$1k because it should only cost about $200 to pay someone to tune it
-$800 because Pacesetters LTs are just as good.
=
$3100 a more realistic figure.

 

Well, the initial tune also consisted of diagnosing a misfiring problem (headers burnt a wire, but because of the fire sleeve around it, we didn't notice it), porting the TB and MAF, and the tuning....so with tax, it came to 1200.

I bought my car new in 98, and when I do something to it, I usually don't use used parts, I wanted stainless steel headers and Y pipe, hence my rather expensive choice. And like I said, there were a few other odds and ends that added up, like new O2 sensors, O2 extensions I never used....etc. etc....

 

That is maintenance though. Not things needed for cam install.

Also I can see not wanting used pistons, lifters, cam, etc. But headers and intake manifolds are not really wear parts.

Unless the headers are rusty or beat up then used is fine.

 

Well..I would classify the O2 sensor as additional unexpected cost, since the headers fried the stockers.