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cam help

4K views 21 replies 3 participants last post by  Chris 96 WS6 
#1 ·
i am looking into cams and i need to know what kind of cam i should get, how involved the instalation is(i have been working on chevy 350's for a few years now so i know what i am doing) and if it is something i could do in a weekend. any :eureka: help?
 
#2 ·
The LT1 is so similar to a regular SBC if you've done a cam on a small block you can do an LT1.

The fans and radiator are going to have to come off, as will the intake manifold, water pump, optispark and front timing cover. Losen the pan bolts and drop the front enough to get the cover out, and be carefull with the pan gasket not to rip off the part that goes into the bottom of the timing cover.

Would be a good idea to replace the timing chain, but essentially it is an easy 2 day job for anybody that's experienced with a wrench.
 
#3 ·
ok that doesnt sound too bad, any recomandations on what cam i should buy?
 
#4 ·
Depends on what else you're going to do to the car. If you are going to stick with stock heads and add headers I'd suggest the XE 224/230 from Comp Cams. If you're going to port the heads too then you can go with that cam or you can step up to something more aggressive.

There's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all cam, it all depends on your goals for the car, your tollerance for driveability problems, and your other mods.

Is this a daily driver, weekend warrior, street/strip car, or full out racer?
 
#5 ·
my plans are to do cai, tb, full 3.5 inch exhaust, ported heads, power programmer, and just a few other basics, and my goal is a daily driver that is still capable of blowing the doors off a honda(or an srt-4 OVERRATED!!) and i will run it at the track probably twice a month or so.
 
#8 ·
ihaterice said:
my plans are to do cai, tb, full 3.5 inch exhaust, ported heads, power programmer, and just a few other basics, and my goal is a daily driver that is still capable of blowing the doors off a honda(or an srt-4 OVERRATED!!) and i will run it at the track probably twice a month or so.
CAI-good
TB not needed
3.5 exhaust overkill
ported heads and a cam is good.
Programmer ditch it

You need alot more though.

Valvetrain,igntion,knock sensor,timing chain is a real weak spot also
 
#9 ·
what size wxhaust would you recomend?
 
#10 ·
i ment exhaust. and any suggestion for an ignition box, personally i like the mallory highfire VI-A i have it installed on a 1957 chevy with a bored, cammed, and ported 350 and i could feel the increase in performance.
 
#11 ·
Im not running a box. I got the plugs/wires/and a new coil and im fine. Spend the dough and get a dynaspark opti and youll be good. And for exhaust depends if you want loud or not so. For good gains,loudness,and cheap SLP loudmouth its what i have and i love it. Borla is my fav though but it cost 900$. Get you a set of longtubes and a good catback and ypipe and youll see like 25hp gains.
 
#12 ·
ya i was looking at the slp exhaust but i have never seen anyone with it and didnt know how they liked it.
 
#14 ·
oh i love it loud, how loud is it inside?
 
#16 ·
ok, what exactly is an optispark?
 
#17 ·
Optispark is the distributor on our cars. Its a horrible design and usual shits out right at 100k miles. Its a bitch to do plugs and wires unless your VERY patient. It was right up there on chevy's greatest f ups. Right along with crossfire injection and tbi.
 
#18 ·
ok i figured it had to do with the ignition hence optiSPARK
 
#20 ·
500 for all of it? and where can i get it because i should do it im at 106000 as of today. and hows it to put in is it going to be a bitch like the plugs/wires?
 
#21 ·
Well a GM opti is liek 300$ The Dynaspark is 500$. Wires are 70$ plugs are 20 and the coil is about 50$. So the amount you spend depends on the stuff you want. A stock one will be just fine. Or msd makes a cap and rotor which is fine to just rebuild your current one. Yea its a bitch to install. Fans need to come off,and harmonic balancer. You also need to make sure you line it up correctly when reinstalling.
 
#22 ·
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