CAM swap in a stock GT

Red03Mustang · May 25, 2004

I am thinking about going the cam route for HP/torque purposes. My GT is completely stock, except the K&N at the moment. If I decided to put in a new cam, what would be some steps I have to go through to be sure I get a good cam? Also, what else would I have to change in the car for it to "keep up" with the power the new camshafts would give it?

I have been looking on modulardepot.com at their cams, but they have many to choose from, and this is something I am not familiar with. I have done some searches on here, but I haven't found anyone that is putting cams in their completely stock car. That leads me to think that either it can't be done that way, or I am asking a silly question, or both.

So, I guess what I'm asking is, can I change out the cams in a stock car without changing anything else, or do I have to change other things too? Plus, what would a ballpark figure be (a range) to have a shop swap my cams? Could anyone recommend a good cam package to get on modulardepot.com for what I am looking to do?

Thanks a lot!

Vipermmx · May 25, 2004

id like to see someone anwser this. I would think other changes would be needed. Then again My friends trans-am had a corvette cam put in it and it made some difference. Then again other things might have been done!

bdcardinal · May 26, 2004

generally cams on a stock motor arent really worth it. to make full effect of the cams you would want to have your heads ported and polished and get exhaust work done. an the average i would think it would be about 8 hours to do cams on a 4.6 including taking off the front cover. so multiply that by the shops hourly wage and there you go for labor.

kboy262 · May 26, 2004

I just finished a cam swap on my 98 GT a couple of weeks ago. I to was questioning the issues involved with new cams. The swap it self was very easy as long as you have the right tools and help. I used a Anderson Cam tool which keeps you from having to take off the front cover. A buddy of mine as Drew1287 on Stangnet put Comp Cams in his and after driving his car I was convinced. As long as you do not get too radical of a cam nothing else has to be changed. Just watch for how much lift and duration you want.

Doing a cam swap on a stock helps it out a lot. All I have is an o/r h-pipe, exhaust, and a cheap CAI (MAC). I would race a buddy of mine from work who pretty much has roughly the same car except for pullies, ignition ( if that did anything), and must importantly 4.10 GEARS. In the past he would kick my *ss from the beginning of the race to the end. I never had a chance. After the cams were put in I pull him now. We raced about 4 times. 3 from a roll and 1 from a stop. From a roll I could pull him at the beginning. At the stop he would pull about half a car's length on the launch on me pretty good. But when I hit the top of 2nd gear it is all over. The cams just make the motor run. This race was without a tune (running very rich) also. Cams can never hurt unless you go too radical with it.

nickthegenius · May 26, 2004

bdcardinal said:
generally cams on a stock motor arent really worth it. to make full effect of the cams you would want to have your heads ported and polished and get exhaust work done. an the average i would think it would be about 8 hours to do cams on a 4.6 including taking off the front cover. so multiply that by the shops hourly wage and there you go for labor.

I have to disagree.

VT Engines Stage II cams on a '00 GT that is all stock except Flowmasters welded into OEM exhaust. 29hp is well-worth it.

http://forums.modulardepot.com/showthread.php?threadid=19084&highlight=stage+flowmasters

My own car has zero headwork also. From what my tuner said, most stock '99-up GTs put down about 225-235RWHP. My car now puts down 290RWHP/301RWTQ with the following mods:

- CompCams XE270AH cams
- Comp valve springs
- Mac LTs
- Magnaflow catback with Spintech mufflers
- Steeda UD pullies
- Steeda CAI
- C&L Plenum
- Accufab 75mm TB

Not many mods and I'm up 60hp.

Rio96 · May 26, 2004

Red, you should not expect to gain torque with a
cam swap. The stock GT cam has a ridiculously
low duration. There is a lot of room for improvement
in power at the high end,,,with a wider torque curve,
but likely, not much gain in peak torque.

smokin'Red35th · May 26, 2004

check out this months issue of Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords. They do a step by step cam swap on a 4.6 GT and IMO did a good job explaining it. They also explained the "mildness" (phrase-ology ) of the cam they used vs others available and the ideal conditions that they would be best suited for. Its good reading and will give you something to go on.
Check it out, it may answer some or all of your questions

NiteMareGT · May 26, 2004

smokin'Red35th said:
check out this months issue of Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords. They do a step by step cam swap on a 4.6 GT and IMO did a good job explaining it. They also explained the "mildness" (phrase-ology ) of the cam they used vs others available and the ideal conditions that they would be best suited for. Its good reading and will give you something to go on.
Check it out, it may answer some or all of your questions

Good article, and very good numbers on hp and torque on a pre 99 Mustang IMO. Those wondering whether a cam swap is worth anything has much to learn about engines. Call Comp Cams and talk to those guys about your ideas. They'll let you know EXACTLY what you need to do.......

mogs01gt · May 26, 2004

If you do cams you will need:
Gears
Full Exhaust
Plenum

This way you will be able to benefit from the extra air flowing through the motor.

smokin'Red35th · May 26, 2004

mogs01gt said:
If you do cams you will need:
Gears
Full Exhaust
Plenum

This way you will be able to benefit from the extra air flowing through the motor.

yes, full exhaust and plenum should help with extra airflow, also check into stage II port and polish for your heads. The gears, well you should have those anyway, before you put this kind of money into the engine. But thats my opinion.

bullitt1723 · May 26, 2004

Peak hp gains with cams will not be much without exhaust and intake mods, but there will be more usable power in the high rpms. That's why it is important to get good valve springs, that will allow you to spin higher and take advantage of the additional usable power in the higher rpms. I wouldn't rev any higher than 6200 or 6300 rpms, not sure about how much the crank can take.

With the additional rpms 1/8 and 1/4 mile will improve. Get the valve springs, it will be worth it. Comp cams springs are just under $200.

Have fun

Stangt00 · May 26, 2004

smokin'Red35th said:
yes, full exhaust and plenum should help with extra airflow, also check into stage II port and polish for your heads. The gears, well you should have those anyway, before you put this kind of money into the engine. But thats my opinion.

Naturally Aspirated, I would not recommend a stage 2 P&P. You lose too much velocity that way. Stage 1 P&P is what most performance specialists would recommend from what I have seen. And as far as cam swap on an otherwise un modded motor, it is worth it. Even if it's only a 20hp gain, the RPM range will be much better.

Best first investment in my opinion is going to be gears. 3.73's if your going to supercharge, 4.10's or 4.30's N/A. The C&L upper intake seems to be a worth while investment for the $ as well, and a K&N filter always helps the engine breath better. Lastly, a good dyno tune not only gets the most power out of your setup, but makes sure your running safe timing etc...

00VERT GT · May 26, 2004

I just asked my tuner about doing a cam swap or maybe some lt headers he shook his head and said for the money it is not worth it. I asked him if he was sure and he told me again that it is not worth it on a N/A car. So i know i'm completely lost now.

Stangt00 · May 26, 2004

00VERT GT said:
I just asked my tuner about doing a cam swap or maybe some lt headers he shook his head and said for the money it is not worth it. I asked him if he was sure and he told me again that it is not worth it on a N/A car. So i know i'm completely lost now.

For every one tuner that says that, there are 10 more that say different. The two biggest mods you can do for power without forced induction is LT headers and cams. Add an intake and it will be WELL worth it. Look at my sig. How many N/A 4.6's are breaking 300? Not too many. There are lots of people in the high 280's, low 290's with LT's and cams with an exhaust setup and intake. I guarantee you would hit atleast 270 with cams and headers as long as it is tuned. Since you want to do long tubes, you would need a new mid pipe anyway, so there ya go for freeing up the exhaust. Considering your at about 220 stock, that's atleast a 50hp increase.

stangman · May 26, 2004

who's your tuner???? cause bill putnam gained 20+ rwhp with his vt stage 1's, & i can't remember for the life of me who it was with the stage 2's, but they gained 35rwhp at 4500 rpm, & around 50rwhp at 6000 rpm i'd say it's worth it

mogs01gt · May 26, 2004

Stangt00 said:
Naturally Aspirated, I would not recommend a stage 2 P&P. You lose too much velocity that way. Stage 1 P&P is what most performance specialists would recommend from what I have seen. And as far as cam swap on an otherwise un modded motor, it is worth it. Even if it's only a 20hp gain, the RPM range will be much better.

Best first investment in my opinion is going to be gears. 3.73's if your going to supercharge, 4.10's or 4.30's N/A. The C&L upper intake seems to be a worth while investment for the $ as well, and a K&N filter always helps the engine breath better. Lastly, a good dyno tune not only gets the most power out of your setup, but makes sure your running safe timing etc...

Im not sure where you get your info from but I have stage 2 porting done and I make more power than you. You even have larger all motor cams and a bullitt intake. I have a basic blower cam with the stock intake. If I had your setup, I would be well over 315 or closer to 320 to the wheels.

Im not sure where you got your info from but you wrong on the Stage 2 thought.

Stangt00 · May 26, 2004

mogs01gt said:
Im not sure where you get your info from but I have stage 2 porting done and I make more power than you. You even have larger all motor cams and a bullitt intake. I have a basic blower cam with the stock intake. If I had your setup, I would be well over 315 or closer to 320 to the wheels.

Im not sure where you got your info from but you wrong on the Stage 2 thought.

Both VT and Kauffmans and one other performance shop here recommended the stage 1 porting because I wanted more torque down low. Nothing pissed me off more than when I had stage 3 porting on my original heads and no bottom end. Yeah, I could have had more top end, but in the search for the fun to drive aspect, stage 1 leaves velocity for torque while sacrificing some top end. I guess I was a little over zealous in that statement because thats my opinion. But I want the torque for the around town fun to drive aspect.

Also, what gears do you have? The more gear, the more the actual power is masked. Not to mention the fact that Kauffmans has a Dyno that is known to read almost 10 low.

mogs01gt · May 26, 2004

Stangt00 said:
Both VT and Kauffmans and one other performance shop here recommended the stage 1 porting because I wanted more torque down low. Nothing pissed me off more than when I had stage 3 porting on my original heads and no bottom end. Yeah, I could have had more top end, but in the search for the fun to drive aspect, stage 1 leaves velocity for torque while sacrificing some top end. I guess I was a little over zealous in that statement because thats my opinion. But I want the torque for the around town fun to drive aspect.

Also, what gears do you have? The more gear, the more the actual power is masked. Not to mention the fact that Kauffmans has a Dyno that is known to read almost 10 low.

I only have 3.90s and a very safe tune. I wanted more low end so I went with the less duration cams. However, mine are blower cams. I have a pretty good torque curve.

yes only a few more ponies but you have much more aggressive cams.

Rocketman · May 26, 2004

The 4.6 Bible will show you the way. I suggest you read it!

mogs01gt · May 26, 2004

I need to buy that book soon. From what I read, Sean was very detailed and didnt talk himself up too much. Even though everything they build is WAY over priced.

CAM swap in a stock GT

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