Heads and cam decision
05-03-2005, 01:16 AM
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Heads and cam decision Hi all this is my first post! I have searched these forums and quite a few others. Although I have always lurked in the past, I figured it was way past due I join! I have read about many different setups. I will getting between $2,500-$3,300 soon. I have a 1995 Firehawk with 58,000 miles on it. It is a 6 speed with the 3.73 rear. The car is basically stock. I have done a set of Jet-Hot headers with the off road y-pipe, 180* thermostat, and some of the SLP options you can see in my signature. I would like to put a set of heads and a good street cam in the car. This car is and will be my daily driver until I die if I have my way, rofl 
. I don't put a ton of miles on the car (I have put about 8,500 miles on the car in a little over 9 months), but I do drive it daily for the most part. I really like the LT1 to LT4 conversion kit that comes with the LT4 hot cam (I really like the idea of using GMPerformance Parts on the car since it is a little rarer, being a Firehawk, not so sound like an *** but I don't want to hurt the value of the car with a lot of aftermarket parts). While people say this is not the best setup for making a ton of power, I just want a little bit of an increase yet still retain the ability to get *decent* fuel mileage and streetability. My question is, is the roughly $2,200 package worth it. I don't want to go to aggressive since this is a daily driver, along with it having 58,00 miles on it. The car has always been taken care of and runs strong, especially since I put the long tube headers on. I just want to hear from some of my fellow LT1 brothers on this one, before I drop the money. I appreciate all input and thank you all for your help in the past (the lurking days 
, and on this one!!! 
-Mike
. I don't put a ton of miles on the car (I have put about 8,500 miles on the car in a little over 9 months), but I do drive it daily for the most part. I really like the LT1 to LT4 conversion kit that comes with the LT4 hot cam (I really like the idea of using GMPerformance Parts on the car since it is a little rarer, being a Firehawk, not so sound like an *** but I don't want to hurt the value of the car with a lot of aftermarket parts). While people say this is not the best setup for making a ton of power, I just want a little bit of an increase yet still retain the ability to get *decent* fuel mileage and streetability. My question is, is the roughly $2,200 package worth it. I don't want to go to aggressive since this is a daily driver, along with it having 58,00 miles on it. The car has always been taken care of and runs strong, especially since I put the long tube headers on. I just want to hear from some of my fellow LT1 brothers on this one, before I drop the money. I appreciate all input and thank you all for your help in the past (the lurking days , and on this one!!! -Mike
05-03-2005, 02:45 AM
#2
The kit is good, but for the same money you can get your stock heads ported to flow better than the stock LT4 heads. Since you are worried about adding parts in this case you are still using your stock ones. I went with the LT4 Hotcam kit and ported my stock heads. The Hot cam in a no brainer mod. It makes good power for the street and is not too agressive. With stock ported heads and this cam you can make anywhere from 330-400rwhp depending on the mods you have. You car being a stick and already having headers, i would guess you would be right around 370rwhp with this swap. You gas mileage will suffer some, but will not be as bad as with a bigger cam.
05-03-2005, 06:19 AM
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Don't waste your money on the LT4 Hot Cam. Its not worth it at all IMHO. I hate mine. Too small. I would recommend a LE1 or LE2 package from Lloyd Elliot.
05-03-2005, 06:59 AM
#4
Looks like he does not want to go that big according to his post. Yeah, the Hot cam is not that big, but is sure isn't too bad on gas for the amount of power you get. Mine is an auto and it makes 380rwhp/363rwtq and I don't even have all the bolts-ons. I also run shorty headers. With some more bolt-ons and long tubes I could be making over 400rwhp with this cam and easily hit 11's in the quarter in street trim.
05-03-2005, 07:28 AM
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The LE1 package is not very aggressive. Those have to be the highest LT4 Hot Cam numbers I have ever seen. I have every bolton minus pulleys and I would be lucky to put down 330 RWHP and I have some really nicely ported heads with bigger valves. 380 is DEFINATELY not the norm even with a six speed tranny with the LT4 Hot Cam package and Ported heads. 360-380 RWHP is the norm for the LE1. The LE1 would not be extremely streetable with a six speed tranny like he has. As far as putting a GMPP mod on the car, its not going to make the car more or less valuable than if you went with a better aftermarket mod.
05-03-2005, 09:25 AM
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Okay a few things...
1. i think you meant to say the LE1 setup WOULD be very streetable with the 6 speed. Because it would.
2. Those are very high hotcam numbers and I think you would be hard pressed to find similiar numbers from others on this board. Not calling BS but lets not blow smoke up this guys rear.
3. The hotcam IS aggressive...sure it might not have high lift numbers, but the 112 lsa makes it aggressive and requires a tune. So if you are going to go with a mediocrely aggresive cam, you might as well get something that performs well.
4. In conclusion, I would recommend the LE1 or LE2 package as well. Tell lloyd what you want and he could cut a more aggressive cam on a 114LSA to make it seem streetable, but absolutely blow the doors of the hotcam.
P.S.- as far as gas mileage is concerned, a properly tuned car, with an easy driver can get close to stock mileage, especially in a 6 spd.
1. i think you meant to say the LE1 setup WOULD be very streetable with the 6 speed. Because it would.
2. Those are very high hotcam numbers and I think you would be hard pressed to find similiar numbers from others on this board. Not calling BS but lets not blow smoke up this guys rear.
3. The hotcam IS aggressive...sure it might not have high lift numbers, but the 112 lsa makes it aggressive and requires a tune. So if you are going to go with a mediocrely aggresive cam, you might as well get something that performs well.
4. In conclusion, I would recommend the LE1 or LE2 package as well. Tell lloyd what you want and he could cut a more aggressive cam on a 114LSA to make it seem streetable, but absolutely blow the doors of the hotcam.
P.S.- as far as gas mileage is concerned, a properly tuned car, with an easy driver can get close to stock mileage, especially in a 6 spd.
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05-03-2005, 10:24 AM
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I think the LE1 package goes for around 1300 or so and the LE2 package goes around 1800-2000. With the extra money you could do some more bolt ons...or even some spray for when you want to get crazy....;-)
05-03-2005, 10:27 AM
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Can someone show me a link to his site....I tried to google the name but didn't get anything that was even close being right, lol. Thanks for all the help guys!
05-03-2005, 11:00 AM
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its eportworks.com. shoot lloyd an email of what ur goals are, he is extremely helpful and will set you up with a package that will fit your needs. my car is a dily driver from may to october and he is setting me up with the le3 heads and an le2 cam in the fall. and he said that it will still be streetable for a daily driver. definitely scrap the idea of the hotcam package, waste of money compared to what lloyd can do for ya.
05-03-2005, 11:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Jordan57
Okay a few things...
1. i think you meant to say the LE1 setup WOULD be very streetable with the 6 speed. Because it would.
2. Those are very high hotcam numbers and I think you would be hard pressed to find similiar numbers from others on this board. Not calling BS but lets not blow smoke up this guys rear.
3. The hotcam IS aggressive...sure it might not have high lift numbers, but the 112 lsa makes it aggressive and requires a tune. So if you are going to go with a mediocrely aggresive cam, you might as well get something that performs well.
4. In conclusion, I would recommend the LE1 or LE2 package as well. Tell lloyd what you want and he could cut a more aggressive cam on a 114LSA to make it seem streetable, but absolutely blow the doors of the hotcam.
P.S.- as far as gas mileage is concerned, a properly tuned car, with an easy driver can get close to stock mileage, especially in a 6 spd.
1. i think you meant to say the LE1 setup WOULD be very streetable with the 6 speed. Because it would.
2. Those are very high hotcam numbers and I think you would be hard pressed to find similiar numbers from others on this board. Not calling BS but lets not blow smoke up this guys rear.
3. The hotcam IS aggressive...sure it might not have high lift numbers, but the 112 lsa makes it aggressive and requires a tune. So if you are going to go with a mediocrely aggresive cam, you might as well get something that performs well.
4. In conclusion, I would recommend the LE1 or LE2 package as well. Tell lloyd what you want and he could cut a more aggressive cam on a 114LSA to make it seem streetable, but absolutely blow the doors of the hotcam.
P.S.- as far as gas mileage is concerned, a properly tuned car, with an easy driver can get close to stock mileage, especially in a 6 spd.
WHOOPS! Your right I ment I WOULD be very streetable
I do disagree that it is an AGGRESSIVE cam. Yes that tight LSA does give it a nice lopey idle, but it has low lift and duration numbers and can be used without a stall.
05-03-2005, 12:58 PM
#12
112 isn't exactly a tight lsa anymore. Their are plenty of 107-109lsa cams out there that are streetable. I say go with Lloyd also, I ran two different setups from him and both performed great, even though I didn't get to run the 383 more than 2 passes until the timing chain broke. See sig for times, and both setups were daily drivers and got 16+mpg in a stalled auto with 3.73's.
05-03-2005, 01:29 PM
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of course 112 isnt the tightest anymore...but its still tight enough to warrant tuning. but glad we all agree on lloyd...or even advanced induction would be good too!
05-03-2005, 08:58 PM
#14
I can't vouch for what other make with the Hot cam, but this is what my car makes with Ed Wright tuning. He posts to this board, so please don't call something BS just becasue you have not seen it before. The Hot cam in my opinion is not very agressive at all. Before exaughst work, you could not hear lope at all. A good tuner can actually make a cam sound more or less lopey. I had success with this setup and was just sharing info. Sounds like the Lloyd kit is a great deal too.
05-03-2005, 09:59 PM
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Originally Posted by mmh
In dying need of a head and cam ... I keep hearing about le 1,le 2. Who can direct me to this cat! thanks
05-04-2005, 09:54 PM
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^not really. Two good friends of mine have ran AI heads on stock cube motors and made more power than I've ever seen out an LE setup on a 350. And yes, I do pay attention to this stuff quite a bit. I'd say that a set of AI full port heads are more comparable to LE3 stuff than anything else. And the LE3 stuff costs about the same as the AI full port.
Last edited by HellTeeOne; 05-04-2005 at 10:01 PM.
