squeals99

iTrader: (8)

well i am highly thinking about rebuilding my motor this year (with some help... cuz im not that good with this stuff yet), and i would like to add a few upgrades to the car, but still keep it "driveable" and reliable... and i dont want to go like totally crazy on this, but i would just like some mild upgrades
so i was just wondering, since i have an auto... what would be some options on cams to get with keeping the stock torque converter? also, if there are any other small upgrades that i could go with in this process, what other kinds of upgrades would be good to go with?
thanks
also, i plan on keeping the heads and intake and all that good stuff stock, but im basically just wanting to do it to freshen up the motor, get some of the leaks taken care of, and get it running good

also, the only plans id really have besides maybe a really mild cam would be long tubes and a y pipe to fit it, maybe a set of roller rockers or something like that, and basically just anything recommended to me because i am new at tearing down a motor, but def. want to learn about it

speed_demon24

iTrader: (6)

My crane 227 cam ran fine with the stock converter. I cut a 1.86 60' dead hooking with it fwiw. You'll obviously be giving up something by running the stock converter but it can be done as long as you pick the right cam.
Here's a couple videos of it. The tranny was slipping at the drag strip and you can hear it tag the limiter before it shifted.
Click here to see Video

squeals99

iTrader: (8)

but does running that cam also require aftermarket heads? or at least getting them ported? sorry as you can tell i dont know enough about this to just tear in and start throwing **** together... so i would like to get to learn as much as possible about it all before i do go into this little summer project...
nice car btw... sounds like a beast

speed_demon24

iTrader: (6)

It will work fine with stock heads, but you will need valve springs, and 1.6 rockers if you want to take full advantage of the cam. I'm assuming you will have all the supporting mods too (headers,cai,catback,tune,ect). I was running midly ported heads with it.

squeals99

iTrader: (8)

ya well i already have cold air and the catback, and the headers are a definite, along with a tune... that was another question i was gonna ask... would a mail in tune be alright to work with if i just keep my upgrades mild? or will i have to have it dynoed and tuned there? because im not workin toward a high budget build, but i would like to just add a little bit of power with keeping it reliable if ya know what i mean

speed_demon24

iTrader: (6)

I had no problems with my mail order tune, the a/f was in the high 11's though so I was definatly leaving power on the table. I've seen people pick up alot of power over mail order tunes, and some that didn't pick up 1hp.

squeals99

iTrader: (8)

so so far one vote for the crane 227 cam... anybody else have any types of budget mild cams, with a low number of required supporting mods to go along with it?

squeals99

iTrader: (8)

also, where you put about you hope i was gonna have the supporting mods, what is meant by the etc? like what all other mods would i need to have in order to have a clean running motor? im really anxious to learn if you cant tell lol

blackz6sp

iTrader: (11)

Why not opt for a convertor, you don't have to go big, it will help your drivability with a cam.

squeals99

iTrader: (8)

well i dunno... i havent really looked into the prices of any of that, and also dont really know too much about the different types of torque converters besides the fact that the number indicates something about the rpm range... but also the torque converter on my car is brand new and only has like 5k miles.... but heck i dunno...
id just like to keep this as mild as possible but still get some gains out of it... im not lookin to go crazy big just because either my mom will drive this back and forth to work (which isnt far, but still if she needs a vehicle to go somewhere farther she wouldnt want to drive my car) or i will need it to drive to school and back...

StealthFormula

iTrader: (35)

this should help out alot
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...200&highlight=

squeals99

iTrader: (8)

so basically that is telling me that almost no matter what cam i get, a aftermarket tq converter is basically required.. or at least recommended....
hmmmm

infinitebird

iTrader: (11)

You should do that before a cam yes. The stock converter is going to suck with a cam.

squeals99

iTrader: (8)

well with that in mind then, what should i be looking for for a decent mild setup? i would like to have a mildly choppy idle, but still be able to drive daily... and im not looking for like a 400 hp car or anything like that... it would be sweet to make that power, but thats not really what im going for right now... just something to keep around stock, with better power gains and still be driven daily....
anyone have a similar setup i could talk to?

camzaro28

the Crane 227, it works within the stock RPM range. That or the LPE 211/219. Most people will recommend them 2 cams for people wanting something better then stock, good street manners, stock rpm range, good driveability, etc.
I have the 227 with mildly ported heads and the setup works great. On my setup I hit peak power at 5700 rpm, so with stock heads that should come sooner.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

The two cams mentioned sofar are both good ideas.
That said I am another one who did a mild cam(ZZ4) before I had the supporting mods, gained almost nothing till I gave it stall, headers, gears and as I did those each gave me BIG gains compared to what they should have.
Car drove fine with the ZZ4 cam and stock almost everything else but like I said I didn't gain anything for all thaty effort till I properly supported it with other mods.

squeals99

iTrader: (8)

so its almost sounding like unless i am gonna dish it out and do it all at the same time... then start working with the supporting mods and go up to the major mods later... although i think i will prob. do it all at the same time just so it only has to be torn into once...