Which cam would be best?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Portland TX
Which cam would be best?
I'm looking for a decently streetable cam for my LT4 that will be a bit hotter than the LT4 Hotcam but would still allow me to cruise comfortably in 6th gear on the highway with stock gearing. I would also like to have about 350-360 HP at the wheels once this is all completed.
My vette will have the following in addition to the new cam:
EM Long tube headers
No cats
Borla cat-back
K&N air filter
Stock 1.6 RRs
Extreme Duty LT4 timing set
New springs/retainers
Tuning by Ed Wright
From doing searches, I've pretty much narrowed my cam choice down to these three cams: Comp Cams CC306 (07-306-8), Comp Cams Xtreme Fuel Injection 230/236 (07-467-8), or the GM 846 (12370846) which is also known as Crane part #109831.
Do you think the above cams would give me the combination of drivability and horse power that I want? If so, which one do you think would be the best choice? Would one of these cams be enough to get me deep into the 12s?
Thanks for the help,
Wes
My vette will have the following in addition to the new cam:
EM Long tube headers
No cats
Borla cat-back
K&N air filter
Stock 1.6 RRs
Extreme Duty LT4 timing set
New springs/retainers
Tuning by Ed Wright
From doing searches, I've pretty much narrowed my cam choice down to these three cams: Comp Cams CC306 (07-306-8), Comp Cams Xtreme Fuel Injection 230/236 (07-467-8), or the GM 846 (12370846) which is also known as Crane part #109831.
Do you think the above cams would give me the combination of drivability and horse power that I want? If so, which one do you think would be the best choice? Would one of these cams be enough to get me deep into the 12s?
Thanks for the help,
Wes
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
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From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
Well, My motor is a 396 and the 230/236 cam is about right, just started about 2 hours ago for the first timein 6-7 weeks. The 847 would be too much for an auto and your LT4 though, I need brakes also. The 847 is a big cam, the CC306 is older technology that works great, and lots of guys have it.
For a 350 though the Hot Cam is sweet. I think it is an awesome cam, makes great power and is very dirveable. But the 230/236 cam is a little more lopey, so far as I just got my chip set up. I went frm the Hot Cam to the 230/236 cam and can tell the difference. Fora six speed it might be a better choice to get the 224/230(I know it is one step down from the 230/236) cam that Comp Cams makes in the XE line. Just my 2 cents worth.
For a 350 though the Hot Cam is sweet. I think it is an awesome cam, makes great power and is very dirveable. But the 230/236 cam is a little more lopey, so far as I just got my chip set up. I went frm the Hot Cam to the 230/236 cam and can tell the difference. Fora six speed it might be a better choice to get the 224/230(I know it is one step down from the 230/236) cam that Comp Cams makes in the XE line. Just my 2 cents worth.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 108
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From: Portland TX
I didn't see an Xtreme Fuel Injection 224/230 cam listed but you're saying that the Xtreme Energy 224/230 (07-503-8) cam may be a better choice than the Xtreme Energy 230/234 (07-306-8, CC306)? I don't mind a bit of lope at idle as long as it still has decent manners while cruising in 6th (in fact, I would kind of like a little lope).
Any thoughts on the GM 846?
Thanks guys,
Wes
Any thoughts on the GM 846?
Thanks guys,
Wes
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,786
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From: Minneapolis MN
If I were you reconcider the LT4 Hot Cam it is a sweet pice for a LT4 car. You should be close to the numbers you are looking for good luck. 
Last edited by redvette6spd; Apr 16, 2005 at 09:17 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 3,524
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From: Hinckley Ohio
Originally Posted by KP Texan
you're saying that the Xtreme Energy 224/230 (07-503-8) cam may be a better choice
Wes
Wes
combination of drivability and horse power that I want?
....driveability is a very personal thing in my opinion.....try to get a ride in a car with the cam of your choice....also tuning has a lot to do with driveability.....
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 108
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From: Portland TX
Thanks for the replies.
LT4BUD, how well mannered is your 503? Any cam surge at cruising speeds? Also, how much power did you put down with this cam and how much did you increase your fuel cutoff rpm? I understand you have ported heads so you'll be making more power than me but I would just like an idea.
Thanks so much,
Wes
LT4BUD, how well mannered is your 503? Any cam surge at cruising speeds? Also, how much power did you put down with this cam and how much did you increase your fuel cutoff rpm? I understand you have ported heads so you'll be making more power than me but I would just like an idea.
Thanks so much,
Wes
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,596
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From: Portland Oregon
Originally Posted by KP Texan
Thanks for the replies.
LT4BUD, how well mannered is your 503? Any cam surge at cruising speeds? Also, how much power did you put down with this cam and how much did you increase your fuel cutoff rpm? I understand you have ported heads so you'll be making more power than me but I would just like an idea.
Thanks so much,
Wes
LT4BUD, how well mannered is your 503? Any cam surge at cruising speeds? Also, how much power did you put down with this cam and how much did you increase your fuel cutoff rpm? I understand you have ported heads so you'll be making more power than me but I would just like an idea.
Thanks so much,
Wes
To order this cam with the above specs the Comp part number would be:
07-000-8 3314/3316 HR12 +4
The +4 denotes 4 degrees of advance to be built into the cam when Comp grinds it. Most of Comps off the shelf cams has 4 degrees ground into their cams. The above cam is based on their Nitrous grind and works well. It offers a nice note at idle, a little more aggressive than a LT4 hot cam and has much better street manners than the 306, or GM 847 cam. Also fuel economy is still decent with this cam, I can average around 24 on extended drives. This cam has virtually no cam surge, it can at very low speeds and if you intentionally lug it down.
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Burning Brakes
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For nice driveability I would stay close to the Hotcam's duration and LSA numbers, but with LT4 heads you can use more lift. TPIS has a cam real close to the Hotcam using 1.5 rockers. It would make a nice LT4 street cam with 1.6s, to get that extra lift. The Hotcam is a good cam and Ed Wright has a lot of success tuning around it. I would not go bigger than 226/230 @ .050", use a 112 LSA, and try to get your lift in the .550" to .570" range.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,197
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From: lafayette co
I have a custom cam in my LT4, and was throwing down over 350 rwhp, with cam, and catback only!
My specs were:
570/575 Valve Lift
286/294 Duration
duration at 0.050 as 224/232.
lobe separation is 114
Awesome cam. Do not have any drivability issues.
My specs were:
570/575 Valve Lift
286/294 Duration
duration at 0.050 as 224/232.
lobe separation is 114
Awesome cam. Do not have any drivability issues.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 12,261
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From: O'Fallon Missouri
Originally Posted by boulderlt4
I have a custom cam in my LT4, and was throwing down over 350 rwhp, with cam, and catback only!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 108
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From: Portland TX
Wow, this is going to be a more difficult decision than I thought. Right now I think I'm leaning towards the Comp Cam 503 (276HR-12, 224/230). I think I read in one of LT4BUD's previous posts that he put down almost 370 rwhp with the 503 and stock manifolds. I should be able to use my stock rockers for this cam, right? What kind of springs and retainers would I need to accomodate this cam? Tjwong, what kind of horspower numbers are you getting with your Comp cam? I like the fact that you said your cam idled fine and cruises great on the highway.
Thanks for the help,
Wes
Thanks for the help,
Wes
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 3,524
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From: Hinckley Ohio
Originally Posted by KP Texan
Right now I think I'm leaning towards the Comp Cam 503 (276HR-12, 224/230). I think I read in one of LT4BUD's previous posts that he put down almost 370 rwhp with the 503 and stock manifolds. I should be able to use my stock rockers for this cam, right? What kind of springs and retainers would I need to accomodate this cam? Wes
CCA-07-503-8 Cam
CCA-1318-8-16 Rocker Arm
CCA-26918-16 Springs
CCA-7940-16 Push Rods
CCA-4505-16 Rocker Studs
With 4.10 gears I get 24-26mpg on trips at 60-75mph interstate, around town pretty bad...
Surging stops about 45-50mph...
I now have EM headers, high flow cats....dyno tuning scheduled for weekend of May 14, I can tell you there is SOP improvement above the 370rwhp.....hopefully the dyno tuning will improve driveability, which isn't all that bad in my opinion.....
There is no hiding the fact this is not a stock cam......streetability is a personal thing, but IMHO this cam is pushing it, especially around town......
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2005
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Thanks for posting the HP/torque graph. The HP gain is pretty good, but really only above 4800 rpm (also torque gain there). Does anyone know if its possible to boost the curves substantially in the mid-range as well as high end (especially the torque curve) with cam and heads in an LT4? Or is this really something that would need more cubic inches or supercharging to achieve?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 108
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From: Portland TX
Well guys, I know I've dug up an old thread but I just wanted to let you know I think I've decided to go ahead and go with the LT4 Hot Cam. It seems to be a perfect match for the LT4 and is a tried and true grind. Plus, I would maintain the driveability I want and would be putting down right around the numbers I'm looking for (400 chp with EM LTs). From looking at other posts, it looks like the only thing I really need to change out in my LT4 is the stock timing set with the extreme duty timing set. Am I correct in assuming this?
Thanks for the help,
Wes
Thanks for the help,
Wes
Last edited by KP Texan; May 10, 2005 at 11:33 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 12,261
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From: O'Fallon Missouri
Originally Posted by KP Texan
Plus, I would maintain the driveability I want and would be putting down right around the numbers I'm looking for (400 rwhp with EM LTs).