Longtubes or Hotcam?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 186
Likes: 8
From: Roanoke Virginia
Longtubes or Hotcam?
I have a 93 LT1 automatic 3:07 rear stock except for opened air lid and K&n. and A PCM 4 less mail order tune by PO.
I want to keep the cats on for the emissions as well as the smell.
Which will be more beneficial Long tubes or a hotcam.
I'm looking for mainly better sound slightly choppy idle.low end stop light to stop light power.
Definitely am going to do a catback.
I've read that the LT1 exhaust flows well thru the hstock exhaust and cats so I'm wondering if the headers/Hi flow cats are really worth the trouble/money?
I guess my goal for now is to make it sound more like a vette should without sacrificing drivability.
I want to keep the cats on for the emissions as well as the smell.
Which will be more beneficial Long tubes or a hotcam.
I'm looking for mainly better sound slightly choppy idle.low end stop light to stop light power.
Definitely am going to do a catback.
I've read that the LT1 exhaust flows well thru the hstock exhaust and cats so I'm wondering if the headers/Hi flow cats are really worth the trouble/money?
I guess my goal for now is to make it sound more like a vette should without sacrificing drivability.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,647
Likes: 4
From: Argillite KY
for the emissions as well as the smell
Pro
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 549
Likes: 13
From: Richmond VA
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,916
Likes: 48
From: Angier nc
Ditch the factory resonator if you want some more sound.
Flip a coin as both will help power and will compliment each other.
After doing either one I would get a dyno tune.Come on down if you don't have one close to you.
Hotcam is'nt exactly for stoplight to stoplight as it will turn higher rpm to make the extra power.
Without a stall converter with the hotcam and 3.07 gears you may be disappointed in the low end.
Flip a coin as both will help power and will compliment each other.
After doing either one I would get a dyno tune.Come on down if you don't have one close to you.
Hotcam is'nt exactly for stoplight to stoplight as it will turn higher rpm to make the extra power.
Without a stall converter with the hotcam and 3.07 gears you may be disappointed in the low end.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,706
Likes: 485
From: Everett WA
C4 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
As funds allowed I did what you're talking about in the following order:
1)Long Tubes & high flow cats ... kept stock LT1 exhaust
2)Hot Cam Kit & HD timing chain/sprocket kit & tune
The above two most definately compliment each other but its the LTs that give you a much deeper sound
3) Yank 3200 TC
1)Long Tubes & high flow cats ... kept stock LT1 exhaust
2)Hot Cam Kit & HD timing chain/sprocket kit & tune
The above two most definately compliment each other but its the LTs that give you a much deeper sound
3) Yank 3200 TC
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 830
Likes: 6
I can only say what worked for me. Corvette KBD Targa Mufflers, 2-1/2" Tips, Chrome, 1984-1990
•Good Looking/Good Sounding Free-Flow Muffler
•21/2" Diameter Chrome Tips
•2-1/4" ID Outlet
$239.99
Replaced my mufflers with these and love them.
http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1984-1990.html
•Good Looking/Good Sounding Free-Flow Muffler
•21/2" Diameter Chrome Tips
•2-1/4" ID Outlet
$239.99
Replaced my mufflers with these and love them.
http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1984-1990.html
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
From: Budd Lake New Jersey
[QUOTE=grantar2;1579800901]I can only say what worked for me. Corvette KBD Targa Mufflers, 2-1/2" Tips, Chrome, 1984-1990
•Good Looking/Good Sounding Free-Flow Muffler
•21/2" Diameter Chrome Tips
•2-1/4" ID Outlet
$239.99
Replaced my mufflers with these and love them.
http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1984-1990.html[/Q
my buddy has a 383 LT an he has longtube headders 2 cats at the end of each headder, K&N intake, ported heads and intake plenum, AFR heads, lingenfelter cam(not sure what one but its baddd
) he took out the 3.07 rear(if u do let me know ill buy it! 
) threw in a 4.33 gears and just kills the street. Make a plan what you want to do, typically Id work with the flow of air first, intake->headers->Air-to-fuel ratio, then work on how to keep the engine cool, once u get that down then id start making a list and compare products
u maybe spending more money on a hotcam than anything else, ud figure, hotcam + rockers + valve springs + torque converter + timing chain, and while ur down there might as well replace the water pump and optispark alotaa mulaaaa for a small gain
•Good Looking/Good Sounding Free-Flow Muffler
•21/2" Diameter Chrome Tips
•2-1/4" ID Outlet
$239.99
Replaced my mufflers with these and love them.
http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1984-1990.html[/Q
my buddy has a 383 LT an he has longtube headders 2 cats at the end of each headder, K&N intake, ported heads and intake plenum, AFR heads, lingenfelter cam(not sure what one but its baddd
) he took out the 3.07 rear(if u do let me know ill buy it! ) threw in a 4.33 gears and just kills the street. Make a plan what you want to do, typically Id work with the flow of air first, intake->headers->Air-to-fuel ratio, then work on how to keep the engine cool, once u get that down then id start making a list and compare productsu maybe spending more money on a hotcam than anything else, ud figure, hotcam + rockers + valve springs + torque converter + timing chain, and while ur down there might as well replace the water pump and optispark alotaa mulaaaa for a small gain
Last edited by Iown1badvette; Jan 22, 2012 at 08:08 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,254
Likes: 7
Ditch the factory resonator if you want some more sound.
Flip a coin as both will help power and will compliment each other.
After doing either one I would get a dyno tune.Come on down if you don't have one close to you.
Hotcam is'nt exactly for stoplight to stoplight as it will turn higher rpm to make the extra power.
Without a stall converter with the hotcam and 3.07 gears you may be disappointed in the low end.
Flip a coin as both will help power and will compliment each other.
After doing either one I would get a dyno tune.Come on down if you don't have one close to you.
Hotcam is'nt exactly for stoplight to stoplight as it will turn higher rpm to make the extra power.
Without a stall converter with the hotcam and 3.07 gears you may be disappointed in the low end.
with what you have now a stall converter alone would out perform a hotcam only.Go with longtubes first and X pipe,then a stall and then a cam. PS I have no cats and I never smell anything.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 14,668
Likes: 749
From: NEwhere Ohio
I have a 93 LT1 automatic 3:07 rear stock except for opened air lid and K&n. and A PCM 4 less mail order tune by PO.
I want to keep the cats on for the emissions as well as the smell.
Which will be more beneficial Long tubes or a hotcam.
I'm looking for mainly better sound slightly choppy idle.low end stop light to stop light power.
Definitely am going to do a catback.
I've read that the LT1 exhaust flows well thru the hstock exhaust and cats so I'm wondering if the headers/Hi flow cats are really worth the trouble/money?
I guess my goal for now is to make it sound more like a vette should without sacrificing drivability.
I want to keep the cats on for the emissions as well as the smell.
Which will be more beneficial Long tubes or a hotcam.
I'm looking for mainly better sound slightly choppy idle.low end stop light to stop light power.
Definitely am going to do a catback.
I've read that the LT1 exhaust flows well thru the hstock exhaust and cats so I'm wondering if the headers/Hi flow cats are really worth the trouble/money?
I guess my goal for now is to make it sound more like a vette should without sacrificing drivability.
The smell issue of a high performance cam is something nobody ever told me about.
I'm talking about a nasty smell at idle, that can't be completely eliminated via tuning.
I had this issue w/ my hotcam, long tube headers, and no cats.
I messed around w/ lots of tunes to no avail.
I almost wondered if the 160 f tstat I put in caused the engine to run cooler and not burn up all those unburned hc's.
Interstingly, when I added a blower to this combo (and got an ostrich moates w/ basetune from blowerworks), the smell did get better. And that was with 60lb /hr bigger injectors!
I suspect that the blower 'force feed' of air (even at idle with blowoff valve hissing it off) gave the motor a little more air to squelch the richness of the cam at idle.
I never did add cats, but if I go any bigger in cam, I will add rt metal substrate hi flow cats just to reduce odor.
Esp. Since my car is a vert.
Im not very sensitive to smells, but you are not cool when you and your passenger smell like a burnt cigarette.
Last edited by dizwiz24; Jan 22, 2012 at 12:38 PM.
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
From: Budd Lake New Jersey
The smell issue of a high performance cam is something nobody ever told me about.
I'm talking about a nasty smell at idle, that can't be completely eliminated via tuning.
I had this issue w/ my hotcam, long tube headers, and no cats.
I messed around w/ lots of tunes to no avail.
I almost wondered if the 160 f tstat I put in caused the engine to run cooler and not burn up all those unburned hc's.
Interstingly, when I added a blower to this combo (and got an ostrich moates w/ basetune from blowerworks), the smell did get better. And that was with 60lb /hr bigger injectors!
I suspect that the blower 'force feed' of air (even at idle with blowoff valve hissing it off) gave the motor a little more air to squelch the richness of the cam at idle.
I never did add cats, but if I go any bigger in cam, I will add rt metal substrate hi flow cats just to reduce odor.
Esp. Since my car is a vert. You are not cool when you and your passenger smell like a burnt cigarette.
I'm talking about a nasty smell at idle, that can't be completely eliminated via tuning.
I had this issue w/ my hotcam, long tube headers, and no cats.
I messed around w/ lots of tunes to no avail.
I almost wondered if the 160 f tstat I put in caused the engine to run cooler and not burn up all those unburned hc's.
Interstingly, when I added a blower to this combo (and got an ostrich moates w/ basetune from blowerworks), the smell did get better. And that was with 60lb /hr bigger injectors!
I suspect that the blower 'force feed' of air (even at idle with blowoff valve hissing it off) gave the motor a little more air to squelch the richness of the cam at idle.
I never did add cats, but if I go any bigger in cam, I will add rt metal substrate hi flow cats just to reduce odor.
Esp. Since my car is a vert. You are not cool when you and your passenger smell like a burnt cigarette.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 186
Likes: 8
From: Roanoke Virginia
The smell I was commenting on is the Rotten Egg sulfur smell, I have usually associated it with punched out or missing cats. Is this not the case? If not then the cats comment is kinda moot as I thought they kept that god awful smell at bay.
I understand that its the Law to have them but I think we here in south Va simply have "visual Inspections" and if they find out a cat is mis functional they have to replace it.
I understand that its the Law to have them but I think we here in south Va simply have "visual Inspections" and if they find out a cat is mis functional they have to replace it.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 14,668
Likes: 749
From: NEwhere Ohio
Ill agree that too-retarded timing at idle can cause a nasty idle stench like Im describing.
In my case, on a 93 corvette with computer controlled optispark in great working condition..impossible.
In fact, Ive tested my MSD-6BTM boost retard's boost input by simulating a boost condition via a Mityvac. This will cause the motor to stumble and smell extremely bad as it retards timing close to nothing. Thats how I know it does work.
if you think about it, it makes sense that a high duration cam that expands the rpm range upwards by providing more fuel at higher rpms is going to also be providing more fuel at idle/low rpms -where it is not needed.
Thats what variable valve timing seeks to accomplish on newer cars.
Also remember the 92-93 cars are speed density. Its been known that they are not as 'forgiving' w/ mods as the MAF based cars.
If you have 'split BLM's', which you will from the overlap of cams such as 'hotcam' you cant tweak the VE tables to completely eliminate it. Make one bank better and the other becomes worse.
You can split the difference equally between the 2 banks, to make one bank not so far off of 128 (at the expense of the other bank), but cant get it all perfect.
In my case, on a 93 corvette with computer controlled optispark in great working condition..impossible.
In fact, Ive tested my MSD-6BTM boost retard's boost input by simulating a boost condition via a Mityvac. This will cause the motor to stumble and smell extremely bad as it retards timing close to nothing. Thats how I know it does work.
if you think about it, it makes sense that a high duration cam that expands the rpm range upwards by providing more fuel at higher rpms is going to also be providing more fuel at idle/low rpms -where it is not needed.
Thats what variable valve timing seeks to accomplish on newer cars.
Also remember the 92-93 cars are speed density. Its been known that they are not as 'forgiving' w/ mods as the MAF based cars.
If you have 'split BLM's', which you will from the overlap of cams such as 'hotcam' you cant tweak the VE tables to completely eliminate it. Make one bank better and the other becomes worse.
You can split the difference equally between the 2 banks, to make one bank not so far off of 128 (at the expense of the other bank), but cant get it all perfect.
Last edited by dizwiz24; Jan 22, 2012 at 04:24 PM.
