Heads w/o cam?
Thread Starter
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8,550
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From: Republic of Texas
Heads w/o cam?
Anyone done a head swap without swapping the cam (to maintain factory drive-ability but gain better airflow? I was thinking about going with ported/polished/decked 243 heads on my 02
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 754
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From: dothan alabama
There was an article a long time ago where they swapped a set of AFR 205's onto a stock coupe other than a catback and intake and gained 38 to the wheels, so definitely a benefit,I have thought about it as well but I really want both so I am gonna wait i think
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Bay Area CA
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: pawleys island sc
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Race Director
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Rio Rancho NM
if I'm going to spend 3k plus for heads/parts/labor and only gain 38rwhp I would not be happy. Like someone said before you can get a cam that has great street manners and still gain power. or call one of the vendors and have the spec you outr a custom cam.
Thread Starter
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8,550
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From: Republic of Texas
I'm looking for a cam that will maintain my epic highway mileage. With the 2.73 gears, I can see 30mpg on the highway @70 mph. I"m afraid having a different cam would affect that. Am I wrong?
Team Owner
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 23,480
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From: East Meadow NY
St. Jude Donor '12
It shouldn't affect your gas mileage significantly. The reason you get such great gas mileage is that your engine is basically idling at 70mph. That won't change with the addition of a cam. If you are going to go through the trouble of the head swap and tune, get a mild cam, even a z06 cam would give you more hp and still maintain good drive-ability.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 15,449
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From: Everywhere and Nowhere at all
Radio... Look at LG's G5X1E... PERFECT balance of power to the wheels, w street manners.. Search for Toque's car and PM him... I am running the X2 w Ported,Polished,Milled(59cc) heads.. My car chops,thumps and i still get 25-26 mpg on hwy when driving sensibly.
Racer
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 399
Likes: 3
From: jacksonville fla
As mentioned earlier you are getting good mileage because your engine is just loafing at 70 mph. If you are running 2.73s and the stock converter your car is being crippled when it comes to performance. If I were you before I did any engine mods I would go with a hi stall T/C and 3.42 gears.
Last edited by mitchell c; Feb 13, 2012 at 11:44 PM.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 354
Likes: 18
From: TX
As mentioned earlier you are getting good mileage because your engine is just loafing at 70 mph. If you are running 2.73s and the stock converter your car is being crippled when it comes to performance. If I were you before I did any engine mods I would go with a hi stall T/C and 3.42 gears.
Racer
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 399
Likes: 3
From: jacksonville fla
Mitchell C, I am in a similar situation (2.73, stock converter) getting ready to do headers and maybe a small cam. Why would you go w/ 3.42's and Hi stall T/C first (I am not mechanically inclined so I am asking for educational purposes). **edit Not trying to thread jack**
Last edited by mitchell c; Feb 15, 2012 at 03:45 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 812
Likes: 2
From: Metairie Louisiana
If you are really going to do motor work to up hp but want to avoid a cam for driveability issues, your gains will be small but the cost won't be. Just get a mild cam, Comp has a 222/224 that with a simple tune would not negatively impact street manners at all. This cam or a very similar one would compliment the heads and give you a nice boost for the money spent. Heads alone will help, adding the right cam will make it worth your time and money. The above mentioned cam will be just a bit better than the C5 Z06 factory grind and is made on XFI lobes that gets the job done without killing valve springs and without increasing top end valve train noise. Cams in this spec range will work fine with factory exhaust if that is a concern. Now about epic gas mileage...put 3:15 gears in and lay claim to epic mileage from a mild gear, head, cam car that drives every bit as good as it did when stock but now performs MUCH better.
Last edited by had2have-it; Feb 15, 2012 at 10:45 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 9
From: Morrisville PA
I did it, I made 370 with headers/heads/vararam with the stock 99 cam, which is the smallest ls1 cam out there. It is something like a 199/199 .479/.479 or something, really small.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/perf...on-99-frc.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/perf...on-99-frc.html
Racer
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 399
Likes: 3
From: jacksonville fla
I did it, I made 370 with headers/heads/vararam with the stock 99 cam, which is the smallest ls1 cam out there. It is something like a 199/199 .479/.479 or something, really small.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/perf...on-99-frc.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/perf...on-99-frc.html
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 354
Likes: 18
From: TX
The stock converter stalls at just 1300 rpm. A hi performance cam makes most of it's power above 3000 rpm most of the time. A hi stall 3600 converter for example allows your engine to instantly rev up over 3000 rpm thus giving you much faster acceleration. The stock converter because of it's low stall speed forces your car to lug up to 3000 rpm your stock 2.73 gears make the problem even worse by slowing your acceleration even more. You can accelerate a lot faster with 3.42 gears than you can with 2.73 gears. A hi stall T/C also gives you higher shift extensions. Meaning your engine will only drop back to 4800 rpm when your tranny shifts at WOT instead of maybe dropping back to 3600 with the stock converter. On an A4 your converter and gears are the foundation for much better performance. Excluding NOS a hi stall T/C is the best bang for the buck on an A4. Feel free to contact me or ask me if you have anymore questions.
Al