How large of a cam (within reason) can I put into a 1987 vette with auto. I've been looking at a TPIS ZZ-X cam Gross lift .558 .558 Anyone know how brutal this cam will be? Right now I'm running 14.23 in the 1/4 with 60' times just over 2 seconds. The vette has not been modded by me.

 

thats a good question. u would need springs, thats foresure!

 

I know you need to change springs anytime you go over 1/2 inch. I'm just wondering how low end torque would be

 

Without anything else to support it that cam is way too large. ZZX is 239 239@50 duration camshaft. You will need to look at other mods. to compliment swapping into a bigger cam (intake, exhaust etc.)
MO, biggest from them in a 350ci. might be their zz9 or zz409 (that's pushing it), even with that, you would need additional headwork, converter, exhaust, a tune etc.etc.

 

You can stick just about any cam into it as long as you have matching valve springs. However without intake and exhaust mods you will be choking it in the upper RPMs. Just remember, intake = output. You can't do one without the other If the car is stock, and if you must have a cam, then a LPE 74211 would make a good cam for you, but you need valve springs and to get all of the advantages, a set of 1.6 rocker arms as well.

 

IMO that cam is too big for most applications, especially anything under 400 cubes. If you combo is under 400 cubes and you have it setup to run that kind of duration, it's probably time for a solid roller anyway.

Someone on here used that cam with decent results in a motor under 400 cubes, but it wasn't the friendliest thing to drive and i think he changed cams.

Like TW said, the LPE 211 would be a good choice.

 

After much research for cam selection, I went with a 211 in my 87 engine with TPI and A4. I had the stock heads and intake system ported, so it flows a little better than un-ported, and am happy with the pull up to 5000, where it runs out of steam. It will rev to 6000, but the power just tapers off over 5. I believe it is a characteristic of the restrictive TPI system, esp. the runners.
Great cam though for a strong mild street car.
btw tjwong suggested it...and he tuned my chip too.

 

Anyone who is familiar with the specs of the ZZ-X cam will tell you that it is too big for a 'mostly stock' 350, not to mention anything with a TPI intake. I put one in a healthy 350, carbureted '81 with a newer 6 speed, that has 11:1 compression and big headers (which is what the ZZ-X cam 'likes'). Even with a 114 LSA, it does not have a lot of vacuum at a relatively high 900 RPM idle. With this big of a cam, and the 6 speed's gearing, we are going to have to replace the 3.55 rearend gears with 3.73s or 4.10s. If you are NOT trying to make over 450 HP, then you don't need a ZZ-X cam! It is a good cam for a 500 HP 383/396/406.

You need a cam with intake duration in the low 220s, exhaust duration in the mid 220s, and no less than 114 LSA. Your stock, unported heads won't need much more than .500" lift, but you will still want new, stronger valvesprings. The milder LPE and TPIS cams are good examples of proven performers on TPI 350s.

 

That cam will require more mods to get its potential, which is probably going to run alot more $$$ than you are planning to spend.

If it is staying with the same intake system, then the Accel 211 or TPiS ZZ9 would be a better choice.

 

As long as you upgrade the springs / valvetrain to handle it, why not buy a cam with more potential than needed? I'm not saying go over the top, but for the same (or at least close) amount of money, why not get a cam that can grow with the mods?

My 350 cam had a duration in the mid 230's and 0.574/0.571 lift (with 1.6 RR) and idled like a kitten. I didn't feel that I lost any street manners at all and I was willing to lose them (track only car). Granted, I had all of the supporting intake, valvetrain, and exhaust mods so I made a lot of power. But if all you're losing is HP at top end, what's the damage?

Now, if someone tells me that you can damage your motor with too much cam and no support, I'll change my story. But that's not what I'm hearing. If you're not getting enough air you'll run rich, that doesn't hurt anything but the O2's. With stock EFI you're not going to climb much over 5500 RPM anyway.

 

Well, it would mostly depend on his overall plan for the car. Although it may not damage the engine by being to big, it could kill the down low torque the rest of the car is set up to optimize, nmaking it a complete dog that's no fun at all to drive on the street. Not to mention the loss of vacuum, horrible milage, probably won't even idle in gear without a converter, and the endless computer tuning everytime he's upgrades something to try and reach the potential of the cam (this is assuming the rest of the car is basically stock. Unfortunately, he didn't give a whole lot of info on the rest of the combination). That would be the danger of over camming it! If he's on a budget (aren't we all?), the best choice would be to make a plan, gather all the component's, then change everything out at one time, so he only has to tune it once. That way, he can enjoy driving the car basically stock till then! I realize it's not the funnest way to do thing's, but it is the most economical way to get there! I've got a couple of cars I've been gathering parts for for 20 years, a 1930 Model A Coupe pro street, and a 1966 Front engine, Top Fuel Dragster. It sucks that neither is done yet, but their both getting closer, and they'll both be worth $50,000 to $75,000 when they're done! That's just what you gotta do when you're on a budget! IF the car is still basically stock, there are a LOT of other upgrades he can/should do first to support that cam, and give him a lot bigger bang for his buck! It would be a lot more livable on the street if he had a manual trans., but that's just not the case.

 

Yeah, I guess I didn't think things though. I did all the work at the same time (including a custom tune), so saying that my car idled fine doesn't mean squat to someone else. It's not apples to apples.

Man, how soon we forget the basics

Sooo...a lot of people like the hotcam set up.

 

Wow! alot of good info here.I'm really looking to keep my low end grunt, but add on the upper rpms. I'm tired of kicking a$$ to the 1/8 then seeing a civic drive by me before the 1/4. How about some full roller 1.6 rockers? Will they do me any good with my stock cam?

 

They usually add about 15hp or so.

 

If it is staying with the same intake system, then the Accel 211 or TPiS ZZ9 would be a better choice


For half the price of the 211, you can get new take out ZZ4 cams , similar specs.Will still require upgrade springs from stock.
ZZ4 cam and intake mods with LT's have pushed my 100,000 engine to 12.9X.Plenty of bottom end and excellent manners.