i have an '02 SS and by the end of the year i should have all the bolt-on's done. my goal is to have a little over 400rwhp(hopefully running 11's) and still be reliable as a DD since i have to drive about 40 miles a day, so early next year i'll be looking into getting a mild cam. what will i need to buy to get the most out of my cam, such as valves, valve springs, pushrods, lifters, etc? and how much will all the parts cost? heads will be out of my price range so i'll be sticking with the stockers for now. any advice will be very much appreciated, thanks

 

Texas-Speed offers some great deals
http://texas-speed.com/shop/category...MID=1&catid=49

Also, give Patriot Performance a call and see if they can't hook you up with a good setup...
888-462-8276

 

well the texas speed kit looks pretty complete. i've heard other people say its a good idea to upgrade the oil pump, timing chain, and some other things when you do a cam swap, are these really needed?

 

People do the oil pump and the timing chain if they have higher miles and its just a good insurance purchase for all the new power you will have. I've heard the LS2 timing chain is strong enough and is cheaper than the others they offer.

 

Timing Chain here:
http://texas-speed.com/shop/item.asp...d=620&catid=53

As far as the oil pump, i got a Melling. We'll see how it does but i figure it's hard to go wrong when upgrading/replacing your stock oil pump. A ported LS6 oil pump is popular but alot of people think it's overkill. The Melling is cheaper. Call SDParts and ask them about it, they'll hook you up with a Melling for around $100. That's what i did.

 

would you recomend just the ls2 timing chain, or the whole ls2 timing set?

 

the set.
depending on the cam, go with 7.4 inch chromemoly pushrods...
i dont believe it is possible to reuse the stock headbolts so ull need to pick some of those up. you'll wanna look into some different springs if the lift on the cam is i think .550 or above...which it most likely will be for your goals.

 

Meh, i personally believe and have been advised that the entire timing set is above and beyond what is necessary. The LS2 chain is much thicker and will more than suffice. I know people that are on stock timing chains with H/C packages with no problems. If you really want to spend all that money, i guess you could. But i'd do your wallet a favor and save about $50.

TSP has got a good deal on the bolts and gasket packages...
http://texas-speed.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=85&catid=36
---- assuming you are just doing a cam swap, you won't have to worry about head bolts b/c you won't be taking the heads off.

or if you're in the market for heads too...
http://texas-speed.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=87&catid=36

 

why are we buying performance parts and treating our engines like gold then putting everything back together with a stock chain set.

 

Not saying i advise it, i just know people that are well off with a stock timing chain.

I just went with the LS2 chain.

 

is a 228/228 to much of a cam for a daily driver? until the end of the year i'll be driving it about 40 miles a day, so would i run into any reliability issues?

and also, how is the comp cams valvetrain kit $640, but the tsp cam and valvetrain kit is only $590. this is at texasspeed.com

 

For my first cam i'm going with a 228/232 for my daily driver street car. A 228 should be just fine as far as street manners go.

As far as pricing goes, anything directly from Comp is going to be a little extra just cause of the name... TSP has some unbeatable deals.

 

ok good, i was just wondering if the tsp kit was of lesser quality causing it to be cheaper. what lsa would you go with with a 228 cam?

 

Lesser quality? Nah, not going to find that at TSP. Talk to anyone on this board whose had experience with their parts, they are living testimonies of TSP's craftsmanship.

Mine will be on a 112 with maybe +2 advance... i haven't decided yet.

I'd say 112 + advance if you want lopey, narrow power band (power will come on a little sooner). 114 (maybe some advance) if you want a smoother sound w/ broader power range (power is gonna come a little later).