Cam
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Kansas City Missouri
Cam
Hey im 18 and I have a stock 1985 c4 l98 corvette. Im wanting a beefy sound and off the line ****** and go and I was wondering if someone could give advice on what would be the best route to go as far as a Cam?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,140
Likes: 1,729
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
What is the overall goal for the car? How much HP? What intake are you going to put on it? What do you have to spend?
These questions must all be answered first.
These questions must all be answered first.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Kansas City Missouri
I do not have any money at the moment, but for future references im looking for a little more horsepower and low end torque, around 350hp nothing to powerful without changing to much. I want a harder launch.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 109
Likes: 8
From: Twin Cities MN
You may be better off changing out the rear gears first. It will give you that seat of the pants feel from stoplight to stoplight. This my be enough to satisfy you for a while. Anytime you go into the engine one thing seems to lead to another, and pretty soon you are spending lots of money.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,448
Likes: 27
From: Valparaiso
Hi Nate , welcome aboard ! Both posts above are valid, i started 4 years ago looking for more power , i still can't get enough of it 
Gears,Longtube headers for now
Later when have get a budget, heads, intake and cam.
If you throw a cam there , you might want to swap valve springs
for matching them with the cam's new lift, if you skip that
you might end losing power or maybe won't get the full potential out of it.
Gears,Longtube headers for now
Later when have get a budget, heads, intake and cam.
If you throw a cam there , you might want to swap valve springs
for matching them with the cam's new lift, if you skip that
you might end losing power or maybe won't get the full potential out of it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,642
Likes: 5
From: One day you're a Comet...the next day you're dust... Arkansas
Figure at least $50 per horsepower and start saving. BTW, you are around 230 HP at the crank so do the math.
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Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,140
Likes: 1,729
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
85 does not need more stall, it has a 2026rpm TC from the factory. L98s also need no more than 3.07. You really won't get just more low end torque than you have now, that engine is already set up to make that. Best way to make more is to enlarge the engine, but you are not at that point in your research.
You don't get to put in a cam without doing the heads/intake/exhaust and get 350hp. It doesnt work that way.
Headers=$500-1000
Cam=$300 or so
1.6rr=$250-300
Heads, because 85 heads suck ***** = $1000-1500
Then either you port the sh*t out of the stock intake or switch to SuperRam or MR to get to that power goal on a 350ci engine.
And that doesnt even count the labor.
I would start saving up for headers and exhaust, its easy to do and gives good bang for the buck. You're not at a level yet to pick a cam, not until you can decide what intake to run and what heads you want to use.
You don't get to put in a cam without doing the heads/intake/exhaust and get 350hp. It doesnt work that way.
Headers=$500-1000
Cam=$300 or so
1.6rr=$250-300
Heads, because 85 heads suck ***** = $1000-1500
Then either you port the sh*t out of the stock intake or switch to SuperRam or MR to get to that power goal on a 350ci engine.
And that doesnt even count the labor.
I would start saving up for headers and exhaust, its easy to do and gives good bang for the buck. You're not at a level yet to pick a cam, not until you can decide what intake to run and what heads you want to use.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 86
Likes: 1
From: Puyallup Washington
does it take much skill and tools to replace the plenum and runners on an l98 i dont know how to do much but i just recently changed the gaskets on my hedders and am wondering if i could tackle the job.