some say that installing cams is easier than installing long tube headers.. and if you've ever installed LT's then you'll be pretty happy about that lol. I would definately go with 4.10 gears at the LEAST.
I noticed in your signature you have SLP LTs and their Catted X-pipe acompanied by a LM1. I will be getting my LTs and X today and i have a LM2. How do you like your LTs and X? Have you scraped the ground lately or do you get decent ground clearance? How does it sound?? I bet its loud as hell!
I don't mean to steal this thread but i was thinking about starting a very similar thread. When you install cams, do you just install cams or is there more to it? like do you need to install other things as well. I wanted to do cams but got scared off because i was told you needed to mess with the heads and they shot me a price of around 4 grand!!!!
I noticed in your signature you have SLP LTs and their Catted X-pipe acompanied by a LM1. I will be getting my LTs and X today and i have a LM2. How do you like your LTs and X? Have you scraped the ground lately or do you get decent ground clearance? How does it sound?? I bet its loud as hell!
On the SLP exhaust i love it. It sounds really good to me and everyone has told me it sounds badass. Most people on here run without cats which makes them sound like *****. It is loud as hell though for a daily driver. I very rarely scrape and the only reason i ever have at all is because the parking lot where i work is not really set up for a lowered car with lts. As long as you are careful you shouldn't have any problems. I think you made a good choice with the lm2 because i am going to be honest the lm1s with headers and mid pipe is not for everyone.
With the stage 1's you "can" use the stock valve springs anything bigger and you need valve springs which many consider a HUGE PITA.
As for gears with almost any cam swap more gear is a good idea. How big is up to you, personally I like 4.10's in the sohc as a good all around gear. and 4.30's in a dohc.
Also some believe in order to take FULL advantage of cams you need ported heads, valve spring upgrade and so on which really runs the price up.
But based off of a stg 1 cam and what research I've done. You'll need the cams (duh) and a good dyno tune to make sure AF ratio is good and take advatage of them .
I would think you woudl go with a vt stage II cam or a comp 270.
as for gears there is alot of confusion over what is best. the optimum gear for a 2v is most likely 4.30 with a slight raise to the limiter. now this is not the best for gas milage or drivabilty.
don't listen to anybody on this go to a gear calculator and take a look at trap speed vs engine rpm. just educate yourself. it is very mathmatical. once you camed you can run a bit higher rpm so you will need to bump the limiter a bit anyway.
once you know you peak rpm you want a gear that combined with you tire size put you running close to redline in 1:1.
also I do belive that on a 2000 you have pressed on cam gears and may need to switch over to bolt on. I would just call vt or something on this.