ZZ9 cam on ebay
Racer
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 421
Likes: 0
From: Glen Burnie Md
Re: ZZ9 cam on ebay (91z07)
91z07,
I read the ad, and if I were you I would not take the risk.
He mentioned that there are 4000 miles on the cam, but he made no mention
that the lifters come with the cam.
Anyone selling this particular cam would also be smart enough to include not only the lifters, but also be willing to state by marking them, as he removed them from the lifter bores...so as to insure the lifters were installed on the 'same' cam lobe as when removed.
Otherwise, it could be easy to 'wipe' the cam after a few hundred miles on it.
I've been running this cam for the past 7 years.
It's a very good cam...not the greatest...but it performs as promoted by TPiS.
If you are interested in the ZZ9, and you 'know' that it'll work for all your present mods, in addition to your future mods...then save yourself the uncertainty of buying this particular product 'used'.
I read the ad, and if I were you I would not take the risk.
He mentioned that there are 4000 miles on the cam, but he made no mention
that the lifters come with the cam.
Anyone selling this particular cam would also be smart enough to include not only the lifters, but also be willing to state by marking them, as he removed them from the lifter bores...so as to insure the lifters were installed on the 'same' cam lobe as when removed.
Otherwise, it could be easy to 'wipe' the cam after a few hundred miles on it.
I've been running this cam for the past 7 years.
It's a very good cam...not the greatest...but it performs as promoted by TPiS.
If you are interested in the ZZ9, and you 'know' that it'll work for all your present mods, in addition to your future mods...then save yourself the uncertainty of buying this particular product 'used'.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,597
Likes: 237
From: Bartlett Illinois
Re: ZZ9 cam on ebay (UDLUV12)
91z07,
I read the ad, and if I were you I would not take the risk.
He mentioned that there are 4000 miles on the cam, but he made no mention
that the lifters come with the cam.
Anyone selling this particular cam would also be smart enough to include not only the lifters, but also be willing to state by marking them, as he removed them from the lifter bores...so as to insure the lifters were installed on the 'same' cam lobe as when removed.
Otherwise, it could be easy to 'wipe' the cam after a few hundred miles on it.
I read the ad, and if I were you I would not take the risk.
He mentioned that there are 4000 miles on the cam, but he made no mention
that the lifters come with the cam.
Anyone selling this particular cam would also be smart enough to include not only the lifters, but also be willing to state by marking them, as he removed them from the lifter bores...so as to insure the lifters were installed on the 'same' cam lobe as when removed.
Otherwise, it could be easy to 'wipe' the cam after a few hundred miles on it.
It was my understanding that the ZZ9 cam is a hydraulic roller. That being said, my ZZ9 I purchased used as well. not sure how many miles. I installed NEW roller lifters, I have put at leat 5K miles ont he cam WITHOUT a Problem.
I just bought a ZZ409 USED with 4K I will do the same thing. The roller lifters don't wear the same as a non-roller which is what I thinky ou are referring to.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 421
Likes: 0
From: Glen Burnie Md
Re: ZZ9 cam on ebay (91z07)
91z07,
Personally, I'm glad you passed on this particular used cam purchase.
Yes, as mentioned above, you can purchase 'new' lifters to install on a used Roller Cam, and have no problems.
I guess I'm from 'old school', and just have a problem concerning buying used parts, especially when we're talking about the 'heart' of a motor.
Who is to say this cam isn't 'wiped' already. It can happen. Valves can be adjusted too tight, and before you know it the cam isn't putting out the power it should or could. So you end up buying a cam, that should perform to a certain level, when truth be known...it's not perfroming to its true capabilities.
Oh yeah, it's performing, but to what degree of confidence?
While it was on e-bay, did you ask the person selling the cam,...why he was doing so? Did he also offer the lifters as part of the sale?
I'm leary about this, because a friend of mine was wanting to purchase a used Mini Ram off of e-bay, and the seller was claiming it to be the Mini Ram II, when in fact it turned out to be the Mini Ram I.
My friend contacted TPiS, (he's been a customer of theirs for years) and they confirmed for him that the seller had made purchase of the unit, 2 years before the MRII was released. The seller claimed to have purchased this unit new from TPiS. What was he hiding?
That's certainly not to say, we can't find some great buys off of e-bay, because we all know that we can. But why take a chance on the one part of the motor that is so very important?
As you said, you may want to do some additional research on cams, because the ZZ9 cam is not for everyone.
I'm convinced, after reading many other cam/engine combination topics from other Forum Members...there are many cams out there that perform just as well or even better...at more then half the cost of a TPiS ZZ9.
None of us should think we can go out and make a BIG CAM purchase, and begin claiming BIG Horsepower, because that's not the way it works.
We have to have all the other mating parts that make the combination a winner. This takes time and lots of thought.
I try to avoid making purchases that I know will be of no help to me, two years down the road.
To me, that's part of the fun of puting a combination together...thinking about it over and over again...and making all the modification plans accordingly, and best of all, trying not to make foolish purchases.
This usually takes me months to come to terms with the items I've selected to purchase, both now, and a year from now.
I'm the original owner of my '86, and I've been modifying my Vette since the end of 1992. I only allow myself to spend $1500 a year on all parts and labor (If I can not do myself). This defintely keeps me from making stupid butt purchases, and forces me to think...and PLAN, and PLAN...and PLAN some more.
91z07...I know you made the right choice.
John
Personally, I'm glad you passed on this particular used cam purchase.
Yes, as mentioned above, you can purchase 'new' lifters to install on a used Roller Cam, and have no problems.
I guess I'm from 'old school', and just have a problem concerning buying used parts, especially when we're talking about the 'heart' of a motor.
Who is to say this cam isn't 'wiped' already. It can happen. Valves can be adjusted too tight, and before you know it the cam isn't putting out the power it should or could. So you end up buying a cam, that should perform to a certain level, when truth be known...it's not perfroming to its true capabilities.
Oh yeah, it's performing, but to what degree of confidence?
While it was on e-bay, did you ask the person selling the cam,...why he was doing so? Did he also offer the lifters as part of the sale?
I'm leary about this, because a friend of mine was wanting to purchase a used Mini Ram off of e-bay, and the seller was claiming it to be the Mini Ram II, when in fact it turned out to be the Mini Ram I.
My friend contacted TPiS, (he's been a customer of theirs for years) and they confirmed for him that the seller had made purchase of the unit, 2 years before the MRII was released. The seller claimed to have purchased this unit new from TPiS. What was he hiding?
That's certainly not to say, we can't find some great buys off of e-bay, because we all know that we can. But why take a chance on the one part of the motor that is so very important?
As you said, you may want to do some additional research on cams, because the ZZ9 cam is not for everyone.
I'm convinced, after reading many other cam/engine combination topics from other Forum Members...there are many cams out there that perform just as well or even better...at more then half the cost of a TPiS ZZ9.
None of us should think we can go out and make a BIG CAM purchase, and begin claiming BIG Horsepower, because that's not the way it works.
We have to have all the other mating parts that make the combination a winner. This takes time and lots of thought.
I try to avoid making purchases that I know will be of no help to me, two years down the road.
To me, that's part of the fun of puting a combination together...thinking about it over and over again...and making all the modification plans accordingly, and best of all, trying not to make foolish purchases.
This usually takes me months to come to terms with the items I've selected to purchase, both now, and a year from now.
I'm the original owner of my '86, and I've been modifying my Vette since the end of 1992. I only allow myself to spend $1500 a year on all parts and labor (If I can not do myself). This defintely keeps me from making stupid butt purchases, and forces me to think...and PLAN, and PLAN...and PLAN some more.
91z07...I know you made the right choice.
John
