Cam only mod
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,004
Likes: 102
From: Buffalo Grove IL
St. Jude Donor '11
Cam only mod
It is worth doing a cam only mod? After reading some posts I'm thinking that a cam is an invisible mod unless GM tears the engine apart, where headers put up a red flag as soon as the hood is lifted. As for exhaust I really didn't like the loudness and drone of the Magnaflows I had on my C5 so I waas thinking of staying stock on the exhaust.
Basically would a cam be wasted without headers/exhaust?
Basically would a cam be wasted without headers/exhaust?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,398
Likes: 2
From: Allentown PA
Even with a huge cam, without exhaust you cannot achieve more than 15-20 HP. With a "baby" cam like the type you are thinking about, your looking at 5-10HP at the most. If the engine cannot diplace more air it cannot make any more power. Having said that, if they do find your cam, your warranty is gone. There is simply not reason to take apart a perfectly good engine with a warranty to put in a baby cam. You must go mid sized to large if you're going to risk warranty loss. You also need headers and intake for the cam to function properly.
A simple header swap will get you more power than a baby cam, and it will NOT effect your warranty. You can keep the stock mufflers and get a pretty decent sounding car.
A simple header swap will get you more power than a baby cam, and it will NOT effect your warranty. You can keep the stock mufflers and get a pretty decent sounding car.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 188
Likes: 5
From: Was Los Angeles, now Phoenix, Arizona
surprise !!!
Hi guys
Check out the results LG Motorsports is getting with cam only swaps for under 3K
I am considering this Mod
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...3&forum_id=101
Check out the results LG Motorsports is getting with cam only swaps for under 3K
I am considering this Mod
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...3&forum_id=101
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,372
Likes: 0
From: Springfield VA,
Originally Posted by magls2
Hi guys
Check out the results LG Motorsports is getting with cam only swaps for under 3K
I am considering this Mod
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...3&forum_id=101
Check out the results LG Motorsports is getting with cam only swaps for under 3K
I am considering this Mod
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...3&forum_id=101
"We just finished a C6 G5X-3 cam package with LG Pro Long Tube headers, and a Fast intake manifold."
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 18,666
Likes: 395
From: Tampa FL
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12'-'13-'14-'15
Originally Posted by SpinMonster
You can pick up over 40rwhp with a cam only swap. It is not going to sound stock though.
Thank you for bringing some reality to this thread bro. 5-10 HP
I dont think so. Headers will indeed help with a little more power but the are not required to make decent power with a small/mid cam (220-228). You can get a cam swap done for $1200 installed at some of the forum vendors. Call around and ask the EXPERTS the question you asked here. Good luck Cajun
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,398
Likes: 2
From: Allentown PA
Originally Posted by SpinMonster
You can pick up over 40rwhp with a cam only swap. It is not going to sound stock though.
I want to know which cam will get me 40 RWHP with no other mods.
Putting a cam in a car with no other mods is stupid, period. Call one of the EXPERTS.
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 18,666
Likes: 395
From: Tampa FL
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12'-'13-'14-'15
Originally Posted by CYA-Vett
He asked about a small cam. Can he pick up 40 RWHP from a stealth cam?
I want to know which cam will get me 40 RWHP with no other mods.
Putting a cam in a car with no other mods is stupid, period. Call one of the EXPERTS.
I want to know which cam will get me 40 RWHP with no other mods.
Putting a cam in a car with no other mods is stupid, period. Call one of the EXPERTS.
Cajun
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 18,666
Likes: 395
From: Tampa FL
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12'-'13-'14-'15
[QUOTE=CYA-Vett]He asked about a small cam. Can he pick up 40 RWHP from a stealth cam?
QUOTE]
Where is his original post did it say "small" or "baby" cam? Must have missed that................probably cause it wasnt there.
Cajun
QUOTE]
Where is his original post did it say "small" or "baby" cam? Must have missed that................probably cause it wasnt there.
Cajun
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,398
Likes: 2
From: Allentown PA
Originally Posted by ccajun4real
Are you speaking from experience? I gained 32HP and 27TQ at the wheels with a 226 .581 114 LSA with only and intake. When I added TPIS LT headers I got 16 HP and 13 TQ on top of the cam numbers. I must be stupid.
Cajun
Cajun
Cam AND intake, plus a tune I presume. Thats not cam only.
Was the car tuned before the cam...after the cam? What about weather conditions for the dyno pulls, temperatures?
We've done quite a few C5's and tried cam only and results were poor at best. Not to mention the power on the dyno graphs fell off like a rock over 4,800 rpm.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,398
Likes: 2
From: Allentown PA
[QUOTE=ccajun4real]
Oh, you're one of those poeple who go through all the posts looking for discrepencies.....
If you could think past one sentence, you would have figured out that he wanted a cam in the car that the dealer cannot notice, which means zero lope, minimal lift and no raised idle. Show me a large cam with no lope, no higher lift and no raised idle. I want one of those too, especially if it will add 40 HP! You can sell millions of these cams, you are soon to be a millionaire. Spend it wisely and remember your friends.
Originally Posted by CYA-Vett
He asked about a small cam. Can he pick up 40 RWHP from a stealth cam?
QUOTE]
Where is his original post did it say "small" or "baby" cam? Must have missed that................probably cause it wasnt there.
Cajun
QUOTE]
Where is his original post did it say "small" or "baby" cam? Must have missed that................probably cause it wasnt there.
Cajun
If you could think past one sentence, you would have figured out that he wanted a cam in the car that the dealer cannot notice, which means zero lope, minimal lift and no raised idle. Show me a large cam with no lope, no higher lift and no raised idle. I want one of those too, especially if it will add 40 HP! You can sell millions of these cams, you are soon to be a millionaire. Spend it wisely and remember your friends.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,094
Likes: 197
From: Colorado Springs, CO
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
[QUOTE=ccajun4real]
A 224228 xer cam will give him 40rwhp and will be stealth in nature if tuned properly-- if not it will be stealth if it is a mail order tune.
I have a 224/230 in both of my cars with the 2001 running very stealth as far as lope.
Also the 215/230 cam from thunderr will acheive the same results and will be stealth. He can get 15rwhp from the 2002 Z06 cam and that I agree is very stealth.
He never said baby or stealth....he said hidden by the nature of not visible as headers are. He can get this one in a dealer and not have it noticed.
Also a 226 with .581 leaves a bit on the tabel since it isnt as nasty a ramp rate as an XER cam (it is close but still not there). Historically the 226 cam, if it is not a split is poor in comparison to a standard split 224/230 or 224/228 on an XER lobed cam on the ls1 and ls6 heads.
Originally Posted by CYA-Vett
He asked about a small cam. Can he pick up 40 RWHP from a stealth cam?
QUOTE]
Where is his original post did it say "small" or "baby" cam? Must have missed that................probably cause it wasnt there.
Cajun
QUOTE]
Where is his original post did it say "small" or "baby" cam? Must have missed that................probably cause it wasnt there.
Cajun
I have a 224/230 in both of my cars with the 2001 running very stealth as far as lope.
Also the 215/230 cam from thunderr will acheive the same results and will be stealth. He can get 15rwhp from the 2002 Z06 cam and that I agree is very stealth.
He never said baby or stealth....he said hidden by the nature of not visible as headers are. He can get this one in a dealer and not have it noticed.
Originally Posted by revo1059
It is worth doing a cam only mod? After reading some posts I'm thinking that a cam is an invisible mod unless GM tears the engine apart, where headers put up a red flag as soon as the hood is lifted. As for exhaust I really didn't like the loudness and drone of the Magnaflows I had on my C5 so I waas thinking of staying stock on the exhaust.
Basically would a cam be wasted without headers/exhaust?
Basically would a cam be wasted without headers/exhaust?
Last edited by SpinMonster; Feb 26, 2006 at 02:27 PM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 18,666
Likes: 395
From: Tampa FL
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12'-'13-'14-'15
Originally Posted by CYA-Vett
Yes, I'm speaking from experience.
Cam AND intake, plus a tune I presume. Thats not cam only.
Was the car tuned before the cam...after the cam? What about weather conditions for the dyno pulls, temperatures?
We've done quite a few C5's and tried cam only and results were poor at best. Not to mention the power on the dyno graphs fell off like a rock over 4,800 rpm.
Cam AND intake, plus a tune I presume. Thats not cam only.
Was the car tuned before the cam...after the cam? What about weather conditions for the dyno pulls, temperatures?
We've done quite a few C5's and tried cam only and results were poor at best. Not to mention the power on the dyno graphs fell off like a rock over 4,800 rpm.
Cajun
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,398
Likes: 2
From: Allentown PA
Originally Posted by ccajun4real
No I installed a cam on an A4 with no tuning........of course it was tuned. Since you have so much experience with installing cams I am sure you know that it would not be real smart to do a cam swap without a tune. Also might take into account that the LS2 heads flow better than the restrictive LS1 heads. I am no expert but I can tell you what "I" got from a swap on a more restrictive system. Thanks for your expertise, I am sure the original poster will take your opinion into account and that is good, he should listen to all intelligent information and past experiences of other members here. That said I dont want to get into a back and forth with you on his thread so will not post anymore on the subject. Take care
Cajun
Cajun
We each had different opinions/experiences. I don't know your experience, it may be greater than mine, but I have worked one many, many C5's-C6's and been to at least 200 dyno runs. I can tell you, I've seen less than 5 HP form a cam already. I did see 35 with a T-Rex cam on an otherwise stock car (C5) but when the car hit about 5,000 rpm, it fell on its face. The car was barely able to idle with that cam.
I even think you might agree that if this person wants to put an unnoticeable cam in his car, he can get more power from a set of headers. Not to mention the amount of labor involved with a cam swap vs headers.
I have no axe to grind...just speaking form my experiences...
Spinmonster drinks coffee
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 615
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From: Boston MA
Dont put a cam in your car. If you are going to put a cam in your car you need to kiss teh warranty good bye. If you put headers on your car you dont have to kiss the warrenty good bye. Cams is like an invasive surgery for your car. Headers is like take these apsirin and call me in the morning.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,398
Likes: 2
From: Allentown PA
Originally Posted by SpinMonster
Thats more dyno runs than I've even read about let alone done. You get the nod on dyno runs.
I'm trying decaf
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