Cammed Engines
#11
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What I was trying to say is that he needs to check to make sure everything can handle the power before just throwing money at one single part.
Its a little different if he goes boosted (ie like doing a top swap) and cam's that- but even then, the only other weak point that willl come out is the transmission. There is nothing to worry about as far as the engine goes.
I didn't think about a cam with the same timing as stock, excuse me! He needs to make sure he gets a cam that has the same timing though!
I still have a hard time seeing a whole lot of power coming from just one single modification though!
That is why so many people go boosted- it allows you to overcome all of those obstacles, and allows a single mod (such as a cam) to make so much more power. For example, if someone started with either a stock L67 or an L36 with a top swap- and just did an XP cam (a cam designed to maximize power on stock heads) and a SC pulley to up the boost- they would see a pretty large power gain.
He may make some power, but in order to make the most efficiency out of that cam, I'd think he'd have to go through alot of the top end!
#12
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Sounds like the best thing to do is to do the top end swap on top of the cam shaft then, and then a transmission.
I do agree with you about the cam and heads. I think it is important to look at the cam shaft, intake ports, valves, intake, and throttle body as a single unit, as in, dependent on one another. If any of those are limited, in some way, then you're not going to get the maximum efficiency out of any of it! If the rest of the intake system is good though.... maybe a L67 throttle body swap would do some good for him, or even those runners for the intake the ZZP makes would help to maximize the efficiency of that cam shaft. I never looked at this engine to see how much trouble it would be to take the cam out.... I guess you could do it through the wheel well... you'll be working in a bind though. Still, could be easier than trying to pull the engine!
I do agree with you about the cam and heads. I think it is important to look at the cam shaft, intake ports, valves, intake, and throttle body as a single unit, as in, dependent on one another. If any of those are limited, in some way, then you're not going to get the maximum efficiency out of any of it! If the rest of the intake system is good though.... maybe a L67 throttle body swap would do some good for him, or even those runners for the intake the ZZP makes would help to maximize the efficiency of that cam shaft. I never looked at this engine to see how much trouble it would be to take the cam out.... I guess you could do it through the wheel well... you'll be working in a bind though. Still, could be easier than trying to pull the engine!
#13
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Thanks some great posts but lemme clairify a little. I dont expect to get much HP outta my 3800 without dumping all kinds of money. It is NA and what I meant by resetting the pistons is just that some guy told me my pistons would most likely drop, and I would have to place and reseal them. What he meant by that, idk. The main reason I am wanting to put a cam also is for sound. Im not so happy with any sound that comes out of the engine now, stock mufflers, no mufflers, aftermarket mufflers, u bend delete, no resinator, etc... So changing out the cam should give me that sound I want. Im not gonna go with some monster cam either, I dont want to have to switch in to nuetral everytime im at a light. Alright so im looking at springs and my chain. thanks guys
#14
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Maybe the guy had you mixed up with a crank shaft? Then if you had the heads off and you took the crank loose, you MIGHT accidently push a piston out of the block. Resetting the pistons for a cam shaft... nah, don't think so... pistons should stay right where they are and never go anywhere....
#15
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Installing a performance camshaft is a LOT of work for making your exhaust sound better.
You wouldn't have to do anything with your pistons.
Installing a performance cam doesn't mandate the installation of higher flowing heads, throttle body, whatever, just because it's a performance camshaft. In certain cases, the camshaft is radical enough that it won't work with stock heads. It's platform independent, and each platform reacts differently to the parts you throw at it. For example, LSX's have great flowing heads and big valves right from the factory, so adding a more radical camshaft with no other performance parts will add a significant amount of power and torque. Ford 5.0Ls have crappy flowing heads with tiny valves from the factory, so adding a camshaft doesn't net the greatest results until you get better breathing heads.
In the L67 world, adding a camshaft on it's own, with stock heads/valves/throttle body/bottom end/waddever will make a huge difference. Since we're boosted and on the verge of detonation while stock, adding a more radical camshaft has two big benefits: In addition to allowing the engine to flow significantly better as the valves stay open longer and open farther, it also bleeds off compression and reduces your engines propensity to knock. Even mild camshafts give great results in boosted 3800-land.
You wouldn't have to do anything with your pistons.
Installing a performance cam doesn't mandate the installation of higher flowing heads, throttle body, whatever, just because it's a performance camshaft. In certain cases, the camshaft is radical enough that it won't work with stock heads. It's platform independent, and each platform reacts differently to the parts you throw at it. For example, LSX's have great flowing heads and big valves right from the factory, so adding a more radical camshaft with no other performance parts will add a significant amount of power and torque. Ford 5.0Ls have crappy flowing heads with tiny valves from the factory, so adding a camshaft doesn't net the greatest results until you get better breathing heads.
In the L67 world, adding a camshaft on it's own, with stock heads/valves/throttle body/bottom end/waddever will make a huge difference. Since we're boosted and on the verge of detonation while stock, adding a more radical camshaft has two big benefits: In addition to allowing the engine to flow significantly better as the valves stay open longer and open farther, it also bleeds off compression and reduces your engines propensity to knock. Even mild camshafts give great results in boosted 3800-land.
#16
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Sounds like the best thing to do is to do the top end swap on top of the cam shaft then, and then a transmission.
I do agree with you about the cam and heads. I think it is important to look at the cam shaft, intake ports, valves, intake, and throttle body as a single unit, as in, dependent on one another. If any of those are limited, in some way, then you're not going to get the maximum efficiency out of any of it! If the rest of the intake system is good though.... maybe a L67 throttle body swap would do some good for him, or even those runners for the intake the ZZP makes would help to maximize the efficiency of that cam shaft.
I dont expect to get much HP outta my 3800 without dumping all kinds of money.
what I meant by resetting the pistons is just that some guy told me my pistons would most likely drop, and I would have to place and reseal them.
The main reason I am wanting to put a cam also is for sound.
Plus, I've got a pretty big cam in my monte- its not too far under .600" lift- and while it sounds great at idle, I still get the same old raspy 3800 noise once I get into it at part throttle and WOT- there isn't really much you can do about that- its just the way the engine is designed. Sure the tone is a bit different than a stock 3800- but a cam doesn't really improve the sound other than at idle IMO.
I dont want to have to switch in to nuetral everytime im at a light.
Even mild camshafts give great results in boosted 3800-land.