i started looking at a cam/ head setup as my next mod and i got to thinking. will a cam decrease the reliability of my car, cause i use it every day and its my only means of transportation. im pretty sure heads wont effect it negatively at all, but its the cam im worried about. the most aggresive cam on my list of possibilities is the Torquer V.2 if that helps any. with some kind of LS6 head.

 

Similar situation here, daily driver and a long commute. I have put about 30k on my 01 Z28 since I bought it last december. Thinking hard about head/cam upgrade. I think I will go mild, maybe 224 or so on the cam for drivability. What really worries me is the life of the springs.

 

i DD my car.. 232/234 .598/.598 112, 243s, 90/90 400+ to the wheels.. as long as you stay on the mild side you should be fine, if your CONSTANTLY romping on your car your just asking for something to eventually wear out and break.. just be easy on the car. on springs just get duals, youll feel much better about your valvetrain

 

Most aggressive does not always mean the most hp or best performance. If you are worried about reliability, go with a less aggressive cam......i.e., Comp XE lobe. (see my sig.) I picked up 80hp with just a low lift XE cam, headers and pulley.

 

not to hijack a thread but how long should you expect dual valvesprings to last? i know it depends on the car/cam/driver but im just curious b/c you guys are making me nervous. im like a month away from doin my first camswap

 

i know that more aggressive does not mean more power, i was just giving the Torquer as an example so you would know what knid of cams i had in mind. and the torquer being the most extreme im considering, and the others are smaller than that.

 

Any cam will detract from drivability. Its all a question of what and how much bothers you. Forget all the BS about people caying they get their Trex or MS3 to drive like stock. Its simply not true. Even baby cams will drive differently. The only thing you can do is go take a look and listen to some local cars that are cammed and see what you like and what seems like its too much for you. Maybe someone will take you for a quick ride around the block so you can get a feel for any improper road manners. Try your local car club, or your local forum here...

 

if u got a f-body u r probably decreasing the reliability unless u drive like a old lady. so dont worry, just do ur mods but, pick them carefully. some parts/mods need more attention then others so what are u willing to tolorate to keep it reliable. once modded ur foot will get heavy on the gas pedal. so enjoy the ride.




fuerzaws6

 

i just didn't wanna cam it and start breaking things and/or things stop working all the time.

 

Ok here is the deal. RPM and valve lift kills valve springs. If you buzz the crap out of you engine the springs will not last as long as if you keep it under 6000 rpm. If you open the valve .650" the springs will not last as long as if you only open it .550". There are also harmonic conditions that you can encounter with an engine if it is run at the same RPM for long periods of time but for a street car with the cams avalible this is not a problem.
If you drive the car the same way you do now the reliability should not be changed. If you rev it an extra 1000 or 1500 rpm after the cam change then the engine life will be reduced. It is not the parts that affect the engine life as much as the driver!!![U]

 

well that makes sense. never really thought of it that way.

 

if you put a cam in it you will play, it is too hard not too

 

What would be the point of putting a cam in your car and not going WOT at least 5 times a day

 

But seriously, your first trip down bumpystick lane should be on the conservative side till you figure out the game. Id suggest staying under 228 duration and .575 lift. Just my $.03

 

I would go with 224/224 112 lsa cause i like lope. if u dont then go with 114 lsa. it'll sound like a vett motor but, with more lope. my opinion on 224/224 is good for a daily driver w/ more hp/tq then stock. u cant go wrong here.



fuerzaws6

 

actually i was really looking at the tsp 224 XE. but i didn't wanna get it and be disappointed because of the power to work ratio. anybody know how well they perform?

 

It's not quite a 224/224, but the cam in my sig went 12.32 without the LS6 Intake, SFC, and LCA. It's pulled about 40k miles worth of DD duty with that same cam and springs without a single reliability problem.