Decisions Decisions
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,651
Likes: 0
From: Ocean County NJ
Decisions Decisions
Guys now that I sold my street bike....I am ready to do some heavy duty modding...Up till now its been all the bolt ons.....Time for the Heads/cam/perf clutch/underdrive pulley, etc......
This by far will be the biggest chunk of change outlay to date for HP...(at least for me)....
Those of you that have done just a cam...was there enough sotp improvement that you do not regret going all out and doing the heads too???
If I do the heads I figure I mind as well go all out and throw in the Z06 heads...instead of just having mine port/polished.....Opinions???
Will the underdrive pulley reduce longevity since the waterpump will not be running as set by factory IE:pumping as much coolant thru the block???
Any input is appreciated (well any constructive input that is..lol)
I just do not want to sacrifice engine life for HP.
Does h/c reduce the value of the car at resale or increase it??? past experiences???
Thanks Guys
At least I know that if I do the heads/cam I will be the road king compared to most of what we see on a daily basis...including the C6 for sometime to come...(at least till they come out with all the mods for that..lol)
This by far will be the biggest chunk of change outlay to date for HP...(at least for me)....
Those of you that have done just a cam...was there enough sotp improvement that you do not regret going all out and doing the heads too???
If I do the heads I figure I mind as well go all out and throw in the Z06 heads...instead of just having mine port/polished.....Opinions???
Will the underdrive pulley reduce longevity since the waterpump will not be running as set by factory IE:pumping as much coolant thru the block???
Any input is appreciated (well any constructive input that is..lol)
I just do not want to sacrifice engine life for HP.
Does h/c reduce the value of the car at resale or increase it??? past experiences???
Thanks Guys
At least I know that if I do the heads/cam I will be the road king compared to most of what we see on a daily basis...including the C6 for sometime to come...(at least till they come out with all the mods for that..lol)
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: Morgantown WV
Re: Decisions Decisions (skidmarc)
I'm right where you are in the decision making process. I'm hoping this thread gets lots of replys as I too would apprecite hearing what the "learned" folks on this board would have to say.
Uneducated autodidact
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 5,410
Likes: 250
From: West of the Sabine, Texas
Re: Decisions Decisions (skidmarc)
Okay, I've been posting about this same subject lately....the cam only cars are posting good numbers (peak, the question is how much below?). However, my car has 60k on it so if I'm going to cam it the heads would need to be refreshed, if I'm going to do that then I'll put on ported heads, if I'm going to do that MAYBE I should put on LQ9 heads. BUT, if I'm going to use a relatively small cam like a 224/224 (because I don't want to change valve springs every 10k to 15k miles, or toast my A4 immediately) do I really want to spend the extra $400 to $5oo for LQ9 heads when my cam will not utilize the flow capability? I'm not sure yet. Just trying to spur debate, trying to learn here....just my $.02.
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: Morgantown WV
Re: Decisions Decisions (WolfeBros)
I've talked to LPE and Cartek. They tell me that the Z06 head is worth 10-15 RWHP over the LSI head after porting. Considering the cost of buying the Z06 cores, is it worth it for 15 RWHP?
Anyone heard numbers on the new AFR Heads yet?
Anyone heard numbers on the new AFR Heads yet?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,324
Likes: 0
From: central NJ
Re: Decisions Decisions (skidmarc)
Ive decided to go cam only, and will have it in by late feb early march if you can hang out that long and want to see what a cam only car feels like. Im on a budget, and this is all I can swing this season otherwise I would be doing heads as well.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,154
Likes: 25
From: Jasper GA
Re: Decisions Decisions (brent eb02)
Since you're a Joisey guy, Cartek is the only way to go. Their head/cam cars make far more power than the C6 and probably the C6/Z06 when that appears. As Brent says, Dave Busch can answer all your questions, and will make you a happy man.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,104
Likes: 0
From: "In a van down by the river" CO
Re: Decisions Decisions (skidmarc)
There are heads out there that are worthy of your attention. If I'm not mistaken, some of the stage 3 heads outflow the LS6 heads unported. Also, if you take advise from a tuner and pick the right cam for your situation, you can get great results with the cam only swap. Unless I can find some cheap but effective heads here, I will be going with a cam only swap in the very near future. Also, you might consider a gear swap. Great value and bang for the buck on both the street and at the track. I would take the pre-posters' advice and gice Cartek a call, they definately have ther stuff together. Chris
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,651
Likes: 0
From: Ocean County NJ
Re: Decisions Decisions (lowdowndirty)
Thanks for the input....I already have the gears installed :)
Now I am wondering if I do heads and cam...will i have too much HP to get traction on street tires?????
Now I am wondering if I do heads and cam...will i have too much HP to get traction on street tires?????
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,104
Likes: 0
From: "In a van down by the river" CO
Re: Decisions Decisions (skidmarc)
Just a guess, but you probably ALREADY have too much power for the crappy run flats. So, yes. Any more power will kill the tires. However, it will depend on how you drive and the level of power you attain. IMO, runflats are no match for even the stock C5, let alone any power mods. In the end, it all depends on how you drive your car. If you race, get a set of dedicated tires/wheels (drag or autoX). If you don't kill the throttle non-stop then your tires will last. But power is addictive.