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Best cam for a stock motor....need a stright answer

  • Thread starter Thread starter Must-Be-A-Stang
  • Start date Start date Oct 9, 2005
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jackchan

New Member
Oct 17, 2004
507
0
0
Mobile Alabama
Oct 10, 2005
#21
  • Oct 10, 2005
  • #21
keep your stock cam.........and maybe add some 1.7 roller rockers if you want.........you alredy have, gears, tires,shifter, offroad x-pipe, K&N filter........my next step would be get shorty headers and get rid of the long tubes. As they all mentioned...to much flow in areas can actually hurt you velocity......And I personally belive that shorties are better than long tubes on stock heads!......And you never mentioned which K&N? panel? 9" conical?

I'd throw on a small dry nitrous system and drive that sucker.......till needed! (a daily driver.........with 250 to 300 reliable horsepower is WAY Way funner than a 10 second car you have to work on everyday! thats my .02 cents worth!
Jack
 

ExplodingGopher

New Member
Jun 11, 2004
517
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The mistake on the lake (Ohio)
Oct 10, 2005
#22
  • Oct 10, 2005
  • #22
heres a sound clip when i had the 302 in my car, mostly stock, B303, Offroad H pipe, Flowmaster 1 chambers into side exits. Made ok power, should have went with E303 or TFS1.

http://www.northcoastmusclecar.com/CCV/1.wav
 

mattkimsey

I've compiled a list to recap this thread:
Jan 22, 2004
346
0
0
41
Bessemer City NC
Oct 10, 2005
#23
  • Oct 10, 2005
  • #23
cleanLX said:
Simply painfull isn't it?
No one believes this, yet it's the absolute truth.
Depending on what you want to do with the car, and how serious you are, a custom cam on an otherwise stock build with decent intake and headers can put you up in the 290rwhp/320rwtq range, and with a 5600rpm shift point.
Click to expand...
Care to elaborate on this? What exactly is a stock build? Stock shortblock and heads?

I also heard you say something about spraying your car....have you done this yet?
 

jwzg

Member
Apr 6, 2004
237
0
16
Prattville, AL
Oct 10, 2005
#24
  • Oct 10, 2005
  • #24
If you have other plans for your engine in the future, don't waste the money or the installation time on a cam now. I know that's not answering the question you asked, but it's good advice...the stock piece is plenty and gets the best marks for power, drivability and sound. Get some Flowmasters if you're looking for sound only.
 

Must-Be-A-Stang

New Member
Sep 26, 2004
66
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43
Enid Oklahoma
Oct 10, 2005
#25
  • Oct 10, 2005
  • #25
Thanks for all the advice. I will wait and do cam with heads so it can be matched up. Guess that will go with my distant dream setup LOL. I will be going with a cobra intake though and hopefully that will free up some good power. Just seems so long from now till I will have enough saved for heads. =( But thanks again.
 

Euphoric306

New Member
Apr 5, 2004
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Oct 10, 2005
#26
  • Oct 10, 2005
  • #26
that intake should get you 15-20hp over stock easily.

ive never heard of anyone doing this, but if youve got a later aero car (90-93) and really wanna do a cam swap but match it to your stock engine, pick up an 87-88 cam froma junkyard really cheap and swap it in, its good for a few more horsepower lol, but it would be pointless really
 

cleanLX

Founding Member
Jan 17, 2001
976
537
144
Oct 11, 2005
#27
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #27
mattkimsey said:
Care to elaborate on this? What exactly is a stock build? Stock shortblock and heads?

I also heard you say something about spraying your car....have you done this yet?
Click to expand...

My car has seen no artificial atmosphere.
Stock shortblock/heads, with decent intake/tb/mam and headers, combined with a healthy cutom cam/spring package can make in the 290rwhp and 330rwtq range.
May not be the most fuel efficient rig around, and may not like parking lot driving, but will cruise fine and haul the mail for essentially a stock motor.

To the original poster, please, don't get rid of your long tubes, they are much more benifit that shorties.
 

95COBRA241

New Member
Sep 3, 2005
339
0
0
Delray Beach, FL
Oct 11, 2005
#28
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #28
Grn92LX said:
The best cam for a stock engine is a cam custom grinded to maximize those poor flowing E7's. That cam is NOT a stock cam. Don't forget valve springs.
Click to expand...

A custom ground cam is best for any combo because its tailored to that particular combo. But why would someone spend $325 on a cam for a stock shortblock, unported E7 heads, and stock intake.
 

willys1

Active Member
Dec 2, 2003
1,004
1
36
New Jersey
Oct 11, 2005
#29
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #29
I like the stock cam,its quiet at idle but has great low and mid range.with some port work to the stock heads,1.7rr's and that cobra intake,,it will give you alot more up top
 

Grn92LX

Fidanza Man!
Founding Member
Jan 14, 2001
6,819
64
129
New York
Oct 11, 2005
#30
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #30
95COBRA241 said:
But why would someone spend $325 on a cam for a stock shortblock, unported E7 heads, and stock intake.
Click to expand...


To get the best cam for a stock engine combo like the whole point of THIS thread was
 

tmoss

Gettin Wired
Founding Member
Jun 28, 2001
7,153
32
128
Saint Louis, MO
Oct 12, 2005
#31
  • Oct 12, 2005
  • #31
buddy rawls said:
(Recommending stock replacement cam) - I was referring to the Comp Cam 270/270, 215/215, 110.

But there were some criteria with that. The main part of that is that the valve events are more conducive to a BONE STOCK set-up. Once you increase the inlet capability, even just with GT-40 heads, it sort of changes things around (especially if the intake is changed as well as the heads). A cam is not good in and of itself. The valve events are what make it work. So if the valve vents your motor requires match pretty closely then it will work for the better. If they don’t, then you just put a cam in it. May rev higher, may idle rougher, but it wont necessarily increase the cylinder's breathing capability within the rpm range you need or run. Increased filling will translate into better cylinder pressure and more torque and typically quicker progression thru the power band.

It’s not about the part number or the specs. It’s about engine parameters. That’s why there is some criteria added to that snippet about the 270hr camshaft.

Buddy Rawls
Click to expand...


With just the intake change, this cam may still be a good candidates, but I would stick with the stock cam and forget the rump-rump for a different engine build.
 

Paul Perreca

New Member
Mar 30, 2005
1,085
0
0
Oct 12, 2005
#32
  • Oct 12, 2005
  • #32
cleanLX said:
Simply painfull isn't it?
No one believes this, yet it's the absolute truth.
Depending on what you want to do with the car, and how serious you are, a custom cam on an otherwise stock build with decent intake and headers can put you up in the 290rwhp/320rwtq range, and with a 5600rpm shift point.
Click to expand...

hearing this kind of thing pisses me off, cuz i'm doin an entire H/C/I and anew block, w/ all the supporting mods, and i'm told i'll make 280 - 300 horsepower, when all i had to do was save 2000 dollars and put in a custom cam and intake? i hope you dont know what ur talkin about lol
 

nazstang

Member
Mar 26, 2004
204
0
16
42
Rhode Island
Oct 12, 2005
#33
  • Oct 12, 2005
  • #33
i got a b-cam in mine, but mine is just a bit out of stock form. i still have the e7's, just with new springs, but it's not the best performance wise. it's a fun cam(i just love to hear it lope) but for a stock motor, you minus well go on ebay and find you some other stuff with that $. i'll tell you right now, the damn heads will rob power from you , everytime, if one mod normally gets 15hp, you'll be getting 10.... a custom cam is the best option, but if i were you, i'd spend the money on other stuff first. the right cam, will give you the best power, but only once you figure out where your at(with mods) or where your going. here a quick look at the b-cam sound. http://www.geocities.com/nazstang/8812.WMV
 

jackchan

New Member
Oct 17, 2004
507
0
0
Mobile Alabama
Oct 12, 2005
#34
  • Oct 12, 2005
  • #34
hearing this kind of thing pisses me off, cuz i'm doin an entire H/C/I and anew block, w/ all the supporting mods, and i'm told i'll make 280 - 300 horsepower, when all i had to do was save 2000 dollars and put in a custom cam and intake? i hope you dont know what ur talkin about lol
Click to expand...

trophy stock guys (some of them)
run #24 injectors, stock GT-40 heads with valve job and springs, a stock cam, 65mm tb, 77mm mass air meter, stock bottem end, GT-40 intake, shortie headers and make over 300hp! I know because I have a buddy who does it! I'll try to dig up his email from his last dyno trip and show ya!.......will edit soon!

here is the email I got!
on the dyno Saturday, and came up with 315hp/ 352 torque. The temp was 88 degrees ( it had rained and cooled down) but the humidity was 76 %, all the heat was rising up. The first pull I was super rich and made 300, then I leaned it out and got the 315. I could still stand to be a little leaner because I would like to get to 13to1 Air fuel but I was low 12's to high 11's. I think with my air fuel flattened out where I need it, it might get to 320 something and maybe 330. I did'nt think that was to bad for a stock cam) The dyno operator seemed a little surprised I think.
Click to expand...
 
T

tjm73

Founding Member
Aug 3, 2000
2,418
2
48
Rush, NY
Oct 12, 2005
#35
  • Oct 12, 2005
  • #35
When will people learn their is no straight answer for this type of question? Their are varieables that need to be considered. The question is fundementally flawed.

Best how? Best mileage? Best torque? Best horsepower? Best rpm range? All of these will be different cams. One person may consdier hp the "best" cm, while another person may consided a torque cam to be the "best " cam.

Also other things that HAVE to be considered are vehicle weight, intended usage of the vehicle, the axle ratio, the tranny type and ratios, tire height, engine configuration (how 'stock' is stock?) and others.

This is not a simple tell me what's best because I don't want to think for myself and understand how things interact question.
 

QDRHRSE

New Member
Dec 31, 2002
1,590
0
0
Palmdale, CA
Oct 12, 2005
#36
  • Oct 12, 2005
  • #36
I say retard the stock cam 2 to 4 degrees.
 
T

tjm73

Founding Member
Aug 3, 2000
2,418
2
48
Rush, NY
Oct 12, 2005
#37
  • Oct 12, 2005
  • #37
jackchan said:
trophy stock guys (some of them)
run #24 injectors, stock GT-40 heads with valve job and springs, a stock cam, 65mm tb, 77mm mass air meter, stock bottem end, GT-40 intake, shortie headers and make over 300hp! I know because I have a buddy who does it! I'll try to dig up his email from his last dyno trip and show ya!.......will edit soon!

here is the email I got!
Click to expand...


Just proves that the overall combo is what matters. All the "best" parts can add up to a big disappointment.
 
W

webshot

Member
Sep 11, 2005
738
0
17
Yay Area, California
Oct 12, 2005
#38
  • Oct 12, 2005
  • #38
tjm73 said:
.........This is not a simple tell me what's best because I don't want to think for myself and understand how things interact question.
Click to expand...

Amen, when I ask questions of this sort I try to give the intended use of car (daily driver, track, street), target hp, and what I have done so far. I agree that it can be confusing understanding the terms and combos when you are new to the performance scene because I am still learning. But you got to try to not make your questions so general.

But alas you still have received some valuable gems of knowledge in this thread.
 

mattkimsey

I've compiled a list to recap this thread:
Jan 22, 2004
346
0
0
41
Bessemer City NC
Oct 12, 2005
#39
  • Oct 12, 2005
  • #39
I've yet to get a clear answer as to why the factory stock guys can make 300+rwhp with those mods on a stock shortblock.

Someone list the tricks they use!!!
 

jackchan

New Member
Oct 17, 2004
507
0
0
Mobile Alabama
Oct 12, 2005
#40
  • Oct 12, 2005
  • #40
for one they use speed density cars, and they shave their heads down a bit more than your usual street car. And I hear thru the grape vine that they use some seriously high spring pressures. adjustible fuel pressure regulators, NO oil on their K&N's, use straight shot style air filters not inner fender bender type filters., and have balenced and blue printed shortblocks. Also I hear they use 5 angle valve jobs from top builders like kuntz, bennett........as well as many other tricks. Some they arent telling!
I have ideas as to how they go so fast but I cant confirm them!
 
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