PI cam installation worth it??

[CanadaStang]

So why can't the pressed on PI cams work? Those are the PI cams that are currently in my TBird.

I believe you can use the cam gears but you will require the PI cam bolts. Maybe someone who used the newer PI cams can answer that.

The cams with the press on gear from the Windsors will work, it's just that the gear cannot be removed from the cams.

 

[TGJ]

The cams with the press on gear from the Windsors will work, it's just that the gear cannot be removed from the cams.

I know they will work, they are what I have!

I was wondering why he said they wouldn't,

 

[xmikevankuikenx]

Well, I was wondering if I could use my stock cam gears (from a 96) for the 2001 PI cams I'm installing. If not, then I'd have to get some PI gears. I was saying the gears from the 99-00 cams can't be put on my 01 PI cams b/c from what I understand, they can't be removed...so I couldn't buy just the cam gears alone and slip them on.

 

[CanadaStang]

Well, I was wondering if I could use my stock cam gears (from a 96) for the 2001 PI cams I'm installing. If not, then I'd have to get some PI gears. I was saying the gears from the 99-00 cams can't be put on my 01 PI cams b/c from what I understand, they can't be removed...so I couldn't buy just the cam gears alone and slip them on.

Oh Ok, yes your stock cam gears will work.

 

[Mel96GT]

I installed PI cams with the PI intake. I like the PI intake. However, the PI cam install was tedious but fairly fast with the Anderson tool. You only remove the valve covers and the cams since the special tool locks the chains so the cams can be removed from the gears. I would say the PI cams give you a few more horses up top but a slight low-end torque loss. I went from 24 mpg to 20 mpg on the highway with the PI cams but the engine can rev to 5500+ rpm's. All this is with the stock tune but I am not yet done with the mods. It definitely needs a dyno tune since it seems to run rich. This is a cheap mod if you can live with the mileage. I dyno'd 200 rwhp with PI cams, PI intake, Magnaflows and K&N FIPK.

Is it worth it? I think you are better off with the stock cams since the PI cams are designed for PI heads and they suck gas with the NPI heads. I would just stick to the stock cams unless you have some 3.73-4.10 gears in back to take advantage of the higher-rpm capabilities. YMMV.

 

[LI98GTStang]

FWIW, I noticed no loss of torque with the PI cams with my install. Possibly the loss with the PI cams that Mel96GT experienced was either due to the fact that mine is a '98 with a more agressive (stock) tune or the maybe the order of install has something to do with it? I say the order may make a difference because when I installed the PI intake by itself, my car lossed 7tq on the dyno, but gained hp up top. Some people have, like Mel have experienced just the opposite. Order of install for me was PI cams then PI intake.

Also no difference in gas mileage from pre to post pi cams or pi intake for me. I get around 19 local and 24.5 hwy.

 

[TGJ]

I installed PI cams with the PI intake. I like the PI intake. However, the PI cam install was tedious but fairly fast with the Anderson tool. You only remove the valve covers and the cams since the special tool locks the chains so the cams can be removed from the gears. I would say the PI cams give you a few more horses up top but a slight low-end torque loss. I went from 24 mpg to 20 mpg on the highway with the PI cams but the engine can rev to 5500+ rpm's. All this is with the stock tune but I am not yet done with the mods. It definitely needs a dyno tune since it seems to run rich. This is a cheap mod if you can live with the mileage. I dyno'd 200 rwhp with PI cams, PI intake, Magnaflows and K&N FIPK.

Is it worth it? I think you are better off with the stock cams since the PI cams are designed for PI heads and they suck gas with the NPI heads. I would just stick to the stock cams unless you have some 3.73-4.10 gears in back to take advantage of the higher-rpm capabilities. YMMV.

A lot of people who took the short-cut and used the Anderson POS tool, have found that the cam gears slipped while installing the cams. They didn't notice that the slip had happened and they had problems like you describe. Just an FYI!

 

[Mel96GT]

A lot of people who took the short-cut and used the Anderson POS tool, have found that the cam gears slipped while installing the cams. They didn't notice that the slip had happened and they had problems like you describe. Just an FYI!

Now you really got me thinking. The cam gears never slipped off the chain. However, I never saw the crank gears. The car runs great, idles and revs fine, BUT the mileage dropped and low-end is a slight loss. What problems do others have when their gears slipped and cams aren't placed right? Just curious.

 

[TGJ]

Now you really got me thinking. The cam gears never slipped off the chain. However, I never saw the crank gears. The car runs great, idles and revs fine, BUT the mileage dropped and low-end is a slight loss. What problems do others have when their gears slipped and cams aren't placed right? Just curious.

1 cam off by 1 tooth = car runs and idles fine but loss of gas mileage, and loss of power.

both cams off by 1 tooth = Car had idling issues, bad gas mileage and lack of power.

1 or both cam(s) off by 2 or more teeth = broken parts.

A PI cammed NPI headed car should not lose power at all and should see gains from around 2500 RPM and up. Since you lost power and are having gas mileage issues, I am willing to bet one of your cams is off by 1 tooth.

 

[Mel96GT]

1 cam off by 1 tooth = car runs and idles fine but loss of gas mileage, and loss of power.

both cams off by 1 tooth = Car had idling issues, bad gas mileage and lack of power.

1 or both cam(s) off by 2 or more teeth = broken parts.

A PI cammed NPI headed car should not lose power at all and should see gains from around 2500 RPM and up. Since you lost power and are having gas mileage issues, I am willing to bet one of your cams is off by 1 tooth.

Thanks for the info. You are right, there is more power at +2500 rpm. The loss of low-end barely noticeable. I will keep an eye on this situation and figure something out, maybe I am being too picky! Would there be a loss of power throughout the whole rpm range if one tooth was off?

 

[CanadaStang]

Thanks for the info. You are right, there is more power at +2500 rpm. The loss of low-end barely noticeable. I will keep an eye on this situation and figure something out, maybe I am being too picky! Would there be a loss of power throughout the whole rpm range if one tooth was off?

If you do a compression test and notice that one bank of cylinders are all 10psi or so lower than the other side, then you are likely off a tooth on the side with the lower reading.