INFERNY

This coming summer I plan to finally give my 2001 Z28 the power upgrade that it so desperately needs. I want to put a new cam in it.

As of currently my 2001 Z28's mod list consists of:
-K&N FIPK intake
-LS6 intake manifold
-JBA Shorty headers (I live in California, so I cannot run long tubes)
-SLP LM1 full catback

The heads are still completely stock and will most likely remain so. I want to know if it is possible to achieve 400 WHP cam only. This car is my daily so I don't anything too ridiculous. I've been looking into the MS3/MS4 cams, but I see that they have mainly top end power and a lot of people say that they aren't "streetable". Are there any cams that can get me to my 400 WHP daily driver goal? Or is this a little too farfetched to achieve?

G Atsma

I noticed you're in LA, which means you need to keep it smog-legal. A cam wild enough to give you 400whp will never pass smog. OBDII is checked, and that kind of cam will throw codes that will fail it.

INFERNY

So what cam do you recommend that I get that will pass smog and is close to 400 WHP?

00pooterSS

iTrader: (40)

Very few cams that are going to add much power will be smog friendly. You'll have to do a very mild cam and you'll likely end up around 370 or so. Depending on tons of factors of course

You need to take a different approach to power adders. I would focus on the heads and intake and making everything flow as good as it can other wise and reduce parasitic drag.

Is your car auto or stick?

00pooterSS

iTrader: (40)

To answer your question there are a ton of cams that will get you close to 400 that are much more friendly than a MS3/MS4 and will likely drag a slapped together ms3 car. I used to drag donkey dick cars in the 1/8th and some on the highway with my stock long block stock weight LS6 intake and headers car. Had a really good cat back on it and a 3800 stall and 3.73 gears. Was tuned very well and ran really well. If you consider a MS3 you really need to build around it. Throwing it in a stock intake/head car will likely end up being a dog until right before redline then be okay. But be **** everywhere else compared to a better matched cam to the combo.

INFERNY

My car has the manual 6 speed

INFERNY

What about the Torquer V1/V2 cams? I've read that they make decent power that's usable in a lower range unlike the MS3/MS4 cams

Ls7colorado

iTrader: (3)

I wonder if the ws6store High lift ASA cam will cause cancer in California?

Kjduvall

I have no clue of Cali emissions except from what I've read here at ls1tech. Maybe a small blower and good tune. And run with it. Or will they fail you for that??? Heads/cam/valve train/and trying to fly under Cali radar don't sound cheap either.

99Silver6.0

iTrader: (2)

There have been a few guys get dam close to 400whp with their high lift hot cam.

03Sssnake

iTrader: (20)

I had that hotcam in my 99 formula, it was a great stick! its been years, but I recall that car made somewhere around 380 ish rwhp with shitty mac mid-lengths, ORY, lid, ASP pulley, borla catback. A better intake manifold like the LS6 or a FAST would have pushed that car real close to 400 rwhp...

Kjduvall

Personally I would feel pretty nervous pulling in to a California emissions check with 11+ of overlap on my cam. (Evan with very mild exhaust) asa/V2/ms3.

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

Broccoli causes cancer in California. So yes it will

Tang2

Can't you use carb certified heads in Cali? If so, I believe AFR and Mamo heads qualify. Those with a mild cam may be the ticket.

00pooterSS

iTrader: (40)

Fully agree

00pooterSS

iTrader: (40)

Probably have to be something like a 210/218 ish cam on a 115-116 or so so that it has 0 or less overlap. And then were talking about a cam that'll add what, maybe 40? A stick F body usually dynos around 310-315 or so. So a smog legal cam isn't worth it but as part of a package it can make it close to that 400 whp. Good intake setup, good manifold, good heads and a small cam should get it there. I'd also look at doing things like light weight flywheel and clutch, light wheels and tires. Crank scraper and electric water pump. Low drag power steering pump. Getting weight out of the car where you can with tubular suspension and seats, getting rid of things you don't need or aren't worried about like a/c or the spare etc.

It sucks but it will be expensive/harder than just a cam swap to hit 400 and pass smog. Could also do some of the above with a LS6 intake and heads and mimick some of what Hio did and he was well over 400. Which is probably the better direction to take. Good intake setup, LS6 intake ported, LS6 heads maybe touch up the bowls and do a valve job, crank scraper electric water pump, light clutch and flywheel. Should be fun and may get close to 400. I think he had 1.8 rockers on it though so that would be a good one to also consider.

99Silver6.0

iTrader: (2)

INFERNY

http://www.ws6project.com/user_stor/...oducts_id=8542

Is this the hot cam you guys are talking about?

99Silver6.0

iTrader: (2)

Pulse Red

I made just under 400 rwhp in my 5.7 LS1 here in Australia which based on my observations would probably equate to around 410-15 rwhp in the US through shorty headers and an LS6 manifold (standard on our LS1). Configuration is as follows:

216/220 112 cam
CNC Ported 241 heads
Stock rockers
Rollmaster Double Row timing chain
25% underdrive pulley
Ported stock TB with stock LS6 manifold
OTRCAI with SD tune
1-5/8 short headers with 100 cpi cats
Twin 2.5" Stainless exhaust

I don't know what its like over there but its quite stringent in Australia if you want to try and pass emissions with a late model modified car (mine is a 2004 when a lot of newer emissions equipment came in). I think with a good tune this combo probably would pass emissions except for the cats, may need to move up to 200 cpi or higher cats which may cost a few hp. I previously ran opened to 2.5" standard cats and that would have been fine.

I replaced the 216/220 112 (-6 overlap) with a 218/226 116 (-10 overlap) and it sounds 100% stock but didn't make 400 rwhp, it made around 380 rwhp but is incredibly smooth. This may actually be closer to 400 rwhp on US dyno and that's what Cam Motion sort of indicated to me from memory. It doesn't have the low down of the smaller cam I had but that may not be an issue in an F body which weighs less than my car. I would be pretty damn sure that with a good tune and factory cats it would pass emissions over here. So you should be able to get a combination of cam that will do the job if everything else is right.