Thinking about doing Cams
- Thread starter mjg11
- Start date
A ton, and unless you have a big blower and a built motor , not worth besides sound.
My guess, $3K.
So, not worth it IMO.
Cams are about $1-1,200 just to purchase?
Cams are about $1-1,200 just to purchase?
I agree, not worth it. Only maybe if you’re building a motor and it’s already out. Just to do cams only... not worth it.
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Mine were about $1375 as a DIY job:
$900 - Unused Custom Comp Cams and Bolts (project abandoned)
$400 - Spring Kit
$75 - Unused Timing Chains (owner sold car)
$1375
The other cost was a weekend spent filing the stock gears, test fitting them and repeating until the correct degreeing was acomplished.
$900 - Unused Custom Comp Cams and Bolts (project abandoned)
$400 - Spring Kit
$75 - Unused Timing Chains (owner sold car)
$1375
The other cost was a weekend spent filing the stock gears, test fitting them and repeating until the correct degreeing was acomplished.
Car I recently bought (description in sig below) had Stage 1 Comp Cams installed by previous owner; 227-232 duration, .480 lift @ .050. He had car dyno'd before and after, and the car LOST torque after the cams. But did pick up some horsepower.
I'm perfectly happy with the cams. They do not adversely affect drivability. But not sure I would ever have sprung for them.
I'm perfectly happy with the cams. They do not adversely affect drivability. But not sure I would ever have sprung for them.
Click on the dyno results in my signature to see!
Cams were for a larger PD blower with ported heads. That was the combination I was building. They were going to use race gas with higher compression, but I wanted to use pump gas. So, I used a more pump gas friendly dynamic compression when it came time to buy pistons. They are strong midrange cams that pull through to the top end.
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So your at over 700rwhp on pump gas?
741 RWHP to be exact with the emission system totally intact since 2010. 93 octane and 48oz Torco in the tank on the race tune used for that dyno run. 93 and 16 oz Torco (not needed) in the tank for the street tune with a .25 larger upper.
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Think you mean bigger upper, smaller would mean more boost. Impressive though on 93, what is the max boost 21-22? Do you know what the timing is?
Edited - I saw it. Believe me I know the difference. I have about 6 pulleys here. I can run up to 25# on that same race tune using a one size smaller pulley then used on the dyno, but I have never tried it. It is scary fast as it is. I run around 20# with the one size larger pulley then on the dyno on the street tune. Herman never gave me the specifics on the timing, but said it was safe. I don't drive it much anymore, but there are at least 6k miles on it since the dyno and 7 years. I think it's OK. I installed the Vampire Knock/Retard system and have not had it step in yet.
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My car came with Cams. I ran into issues and had to replace the heads.
I didn't front the cost for the cams, but ended up putting a decent amount of money to fix the issues. (heads, studs, cam gears, oil pump ect ect).
Even with the issues, and me having to have them basically redone, I'm happy with them. I LOVE the sound and thats worth it to me. I'm not sure how much they are helping preformance wise because I dont have a baseline.. But if you have the money and the time to get them done, I doubt you'll be disappointed.
I didn't front the cost for the cams, but ended up putting a decent amount of money to fix the issues. (heads, studs, cam gears, oil pump ect ect).
Even with the issues, and me having to have them basically redone, I'm happy with them. I LOVE the sound and thats worth it to me. I'm not sure how much they are helping preformance wise because I dont have a baseline.. But if you have the money and the time to get them done, I doubt you'll be disappointed.
Haha knew you knew the difference just had to point it out for those that didnt, not trying to insult you. Sounds like a bad ass combo. Now that E85 is the thing there's a lot more 700hp cobras, weren't/aren't many doing it on straight 93 though. Sounds like you really put a lot of thought into the build.
If your going "balls out" cams are pretty much a given. If you have a street car and want minimal trouble with lots of miles stay with the factory bumpsticks. The hollow factory camshafts won't add 10 lbs. to your engine like a solid aftermarket shafts will which is an added bonus.
Most all valve train failures I've seen in this motor involve high lift/duration cams which usually takes out the rest of the motor. For those people the cost was very expensive. The blower is the 800 lb. gorilla in the room, cams won't register much at your butt-O meter why stress the system with steeper and higher ramp angles unless you have to?
A set of PAC or Associated valve springs, steel retainers and gears is a good idea at rebuild time. The rest of the OEM valve train will be hard to beat I'd keep what's left. Timing the stock cams can be worth 25 hp they are usually off as much as 7 degrees. Next to piston meltdowns, valve train "explosions" are the main failure modes that doom a Terminator engine. For me this is not an area I want to screw with too much.
Most all valve train failures I've seen in this motor involve high lift/duration cams which usually takes out the rest of the motor. For those people the cost was very expensive. The blower is the 800 lb. gorilla in the room, cams won't register much at your butt-O meter why stress the system with steeper and higher ramp angles unless you have to?
A set of PAC or Associated valve springs, steel retainers and gears is a good idea at rebuild time. The rest of the OEM valve train will be hard to beat I'd keep what's left. Timing the stock cams can be worth 25 hp they are usually off as much as 7 degrees. Next to piston meltdowns, valve train "explosions" are the main failure modes that doom a Terminator engine. For me this is not an area I want to screw with too much.
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^^as my man here said
There’s ‘throwing some cams in’ and then there’s doing it right. Right is ‘expensive’ to most. You’d be at $2500-3k in just labor for a reputable shop to do. Much more to putting cams in these cars than throwing cams in 3V, ya know?
Of course ‘expensive’ is relative, but it’s not going to be a $3000 job.
There’s ‘throwing some cams in’ and then there’s doing it right. Right is ‘expensive’ to most. You’d be at $2500-3k in just labor for a reputable shop to do. Much more to putting cams in these cars than throwing cams in 3V, ya know?
Of course ‘expensive’ is relative, but it’s not going to be a $3000 job.
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