Anyone install a cam only and wish they'd done heads as well?

 

I did on my LS1 Camaro SS about 5 years ago.

I love the cam and it made decent power considering it needed a tune badly (361-rwhp). Though just a few months after installation I was really wishing I had waited and done heads too.

I had 4.10 gears in that car too. I wish I'd stayed with the stock 3.42.

 

i did a ms4 cam only and love it, will prob do heads eventually just to complete the package.

 

Its never about want, its all about the money at the time. I have never had a customer say they dont want heads becasue they dont need the extra power We do a whole lot of cam only packages and we usually end up adding the heads at a later date. Its really not a huge deal to split them up for budget reasons. If money is not an object we always recommend doing them together to save a few dollars on the tuning. If the customer is on a budget we will do a cam only first and then we can always add heads down the road.

 

Initially I wasn't sure if I wanted to go with heads or a supercharger (eventually decided against SC due to cost). So, I selected a mild cam (did not want anything really lopey) that would work in either scenario. At the same time I had the cam installed I also went with headers and a Halltech Stinger air intake, and had my 3.15 gears swapped with 3.42. I went from 305 rwhp (with bolt-ons) to 367 rwhp. My gas mileage increased 5%+ and my car felt much faster.

The next year I went with AFR 205 heads and a Fast 90 intake manifold. This increase my rwhp to 423. My car is much faster but does things like spinning the wheels on the highway when passing someone (speeding-up but not really trying to go fast). The gas mileage decreased ~10%.

I could have saved money doing everything at once had I known what I wanted. With just the cam and headers the car was a great daily driver. With the heads it turn into a real muscle car, but occasionally that has the unintended consequences of having the car do things that I was not planning (spinning sideways, spinning the tires at high speeds, fishtailing, etc).

If I were to do it all over again I would probably either stay at the initial stage, or stick with the 3.15 gears if I did the H/C. Since the quarter mile isn't my focus this would help keep the car a little more under control.

Either way, it sure beats stock performance.

Below is the dyno showing stock (with bold-ons), cam only with headers, and H/C with Fast 90.

http://www.comp-soln.com/Dyno3Run.jpg

 

Anyone else with thoughts ?

I'm thinking of doing the same on my '03 w/3.90's & 2800 stall converter. While doing the cam I'd add headers & CAI.

 

if you do a cam you WILL do heads. start saveing up the money

 

It will only be a matter of time before the mod bug bites again. I started with just a cam but in the end I wanted more. If you do the work yourself breaking it up is no big deal. If you're paying someone else I'd advise to just save and wait to do both at the same time to save on labor cost.

 

I started with a cam, long tube only plan as well.... Then, of course I found a nice set of 243's, had them ported and grabbed an LS6 intake. It took a while to get the parts together so I could milk the most out the parts without breaking the bank. I just knew I wouldn't be happy in the end if I didn't change the heads and intake at the same time. It's a matter of knowing if you will be happy or not with your mods, and on my part the hardest thing was having the patience to take the time to get the right stuff and not just throw it together..

 

You know, one of the things we don't talk about too often is the real soul of modding - continuing to make changes, and enjoying the satisfaction of ongoing incremental improvements. How many of us get a car, do a whole bunch of mods at one time, and then just keep it that way for 5 years?
So, doing a little at a time may cost a bit more, but the personal joy of modding is greatly enhanced and extended.

Consider this; if you do the heads next year, you get your modding "fix" for next year. If you do the heads now, then what will you do to satisfy your modding "habit" next year? You WILL do something, and it WILL cost.

So,,,, maybe incremental modding is actually cheaper, and more rewarding???

Now, how much HP did you say those heads made? Time for my next "fix".

DG

 

I had to replace my harmonic balancer so the cam was a no brainer... I also installed headers, h-pipe, and B&B bullets. I plan to add heads, gear, and the new street warrrior intake this winter. That being said I am VERY pleased with my results so far just remember always go one size bigger on your cam

 

If you are doing it yourself I'd say do the cam only. Heads are easier to do as you don't have to mess with the radiator and steering rack. If you are paying someone to do it you will save some $$$ by doing it all at once.

 

I did an MTI X1 cam and was happy about 2 months then the mod bug bit again and I had a set of 243's ported. My car came stock withe 243's and I still gained 32rwhp by having them ported and a good valve job. Dyno sheet is in signature.

 

I had cam installed and tuned and held off on the Heads because I didn’t want to fork out and additional $2,400 bucks(plus labor & tuning) for new heads at the time. I'm sure that I will eventually.

 

If you are completely stock, do the cam first.

If you don't have LS6 intake -- do that or FAST next.

I know it sounds backwards, but do the headers and heads at a later date as the headers fall in with the heads off.

Then do gears and drivetrain beef.

There's 3-4 years worth of modding fix.

 

I love what you had here. More rwhp + More gas milage = That's a match made in Heaven. I'd love to have that exact set up, not looking for anything too radical either. Plz let me know how its possible, or what exact parts did you use?

Thanks... Keep the thread going guys..

 

I have a 2000 6sp, already have B&B exhaust as well as cold air intake (breathless) will a new cam give significant inprovement without long tube headers, and/or heads? How big of a cam can I go without heads and long tubes? I know that heads and long tube headers will help complete the package, but as mentioned in previous posts budget is always a concern

Thanks

 

since budget is a factor, search the forum for used headers and do them with the cam. i just added used tpis headers along with a "baby cam" and gained 53 rwhp and about that much tq.

 

I had a cam put in my 03Z 2 years ago and looking back now I wish I would have done the heads at the same time. The cam and associated mods gave me about 35rwhp which was nice at first, but you get used to the power real quick and end up wanting more. If you have the extra money, do it all at once.... you won't regret it.

 

What did yours put down stock and then what did it put down after the cam? Also what mods did you add with the cam, longtubes?