Would you put in a hotcam if you aready owned it?
 

Hi guys. i've been collecting parts for a cam swap for some time now. Against many of the opinions on this forum I picked up a new ls1 hotcam kit new for a very good price last year and never put it in. Now I am having second thoughts. My question is this: if you had one of these lying around would you go through the trouble of putting it in or sell it and get a "real" cam? Will I see any worthwhile gains? I would prefer responses from people who have actually used one please. My car has lt headers ff cats cai and 6spd. What do you think?

Ah yes, the often maligned hot cam. Someone has a thread running right now that picked up 40 hp on a Mustang Dyno, not too shabby. I think its a great little cam, easy on valve springs and sounds nice. I would install it, most guys that have one love it, the ones that don't like it have never used it.

PM me with a kit price if you decide against the install !

And 10 ft lbs of torque... I had the Hotcam in my SS for awhile, but it was all bark with very little bite for the amount of work involved. If you already have what you need go ahead and install it, however I certainly would not intentionally buy this camshaft again, knowing first hand how superior other grinds are.

The hotcam is very dated. Comp can cut you a custom cam on any lobe you want and you'll make alot more power.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=2022238

check that thread out:thumbs:

Well I guess the replies are what I figured. After months of research on the cam I've read pretty much the same replies. I'm sold on the way it sounds at least.:thumbs: I do find it funny that it is a "dated" cam when the ls1 has only been around for 11 years. it must be right up there with the Duntov 30-30:rofl: I have actually never seen so much variation in opinion on a cam before. Interesting. Kind of makes want to try it for myself.

Whats Ia A Hot-cam

They make the same exact cam (specs) for the earlier LT1 motors as well. Im happy with it and i got one used with 2k miles on it for half the price with the springs. Driveabilty is unaffected as far as i can see and the HP gain is nice.

Its like the SSAutochrome headers that everyone hates (which are also on my car )......I love em so i guess to each his own:thumbs:

No, get rid of it. It made my vette a shaky 60s type machine. took away the classiness of the car. It is a choppy cam.

a milder 224/224@114 cam will make alot more power and its smooth

Cam lobe technology has come along way in the past 3 or 4 years.

What cam are you running in your Z06 to give you the numbers in your profile?

That's the kind of feedback I want. Someone who has actually had one in his car.:thumbs: So you're happy with your current setup then?

your in mass, contact Slowhawk in Seekonk, he's the only Lsx in New England, he will also spec out a custom cam suited to your need, often times 60-70rwhp is gained with just a cam

Thanks. I was thinking of checking with him then lining up a tune.:thumbs:

I certainly wouldn't put in the hotcam. A new cam costs only around 400, so not a deal breaker in my opinion.

The GM Hotcam is very mild, durations in the 210's I believe. It's a authorized GM factory option, that GM dealers can install and still warranty. That's the good thing. But then again, it's also an authorized GM part, which means it's not going to push anything to the limits.

I feel if your going through all the work a cam install entails, then just put in exactly what you want.

I've got an 11 year old PC if you're interested :lol:

Custom Comp Cam... 224/230 113+2 on XFI lobes (.609/.604)

Thats about the specs I was originally looking at before I bought the Hotcam. Might sell & by that one.:thumbs: Should do some better heads though...:willy:

I had the GM Hot Cam in my 01 z06 and I can tell you that on the autobahn shifting gears at or near redline my car always lurched ahead with each shift. This cam is a major power increase over both an 01 and 02 Z06 cam. It has a nice lope and is borderline stock computer tune compatible. I would suggest getting a tune though. I ended going to Switzerland (I live in Germany) to get a guy to do a dyno tune, we got about 510HP, that was with the tune, headers, straight pipes into stock Ti mufflers and Katech heads. That motor combination has gone the wayside, spun a bearing. :sadangel: Upgraded engine to an 04 Z06 motor with stock tune and stock heads for now, and some high flow cats from random tech and a new cam and blower are calling.

Here is a story about the GM hot Cam combo I had before:
I once ran into a RUK Porsche, circa 500+HP (NO, NOT RUF), and he was cruising in the right lane when we were coming back from some road racing at Bitburg, Germany, he saw me and sped up. The weekend before I was racing at Hockenheim at the Vette/Viper shootout and still had my number on the car. His car is in front of me and I saw him shift and shoot flames out the exhaust, actually close to my now near hood. When I shifted into 5th at about 145-150mph or so, my car lurched ahead and starting reeling this guy in with his big wing and big tires and loud exhaust and big flame throwers, his passenger was looking at my car and the driver was tight fisted around his steering wheel when I forced him over, the next thing he saw at about 160MPH was number 32passing him by. I was able to use the full force of the power combination and hitting 185MPH was very easy with the last tune I had, redline was set at 7000rpm. The GM Hot cam will run out of steam at about 6600RPM so accelerating much faster after 180 was slower, but getting there, I was untouchable. The springs will thank you also if want to road race with your car and stay NA, this is a great cam. It was developed for as a mild road race cam I believe.
Good luck,
Californiakid