Thinking about swapping my cam!

go-stang5.0 · May 1, 2007

Ok guyz...I am running a comp cams extreme energy cam with my current setup.

Specs are 218intake/224exhaust @.050" lift, .544" max valve lift on both lobes and 112 lsa.
And the motor is a DSS331 w/ AFR 185's (with spring upgrade) and a performer rpm II intake. I obviously have all the supporting mods.

I put this cam in when I did the stroker (2 yrs ago) because I had to pass emissions. Now the car is exempt and so I was thinking about going with a larger (more duration) custom grind from ED and getting the car tuned (finally after 2yrs. on the stock cpu). Currently the car makes 330 rwhp at 5200 rpm. I believe theres a lot more in it, but I could be wrong....

Also I called a local shop and was quoted about $400 to swap just the cam + the price of the cam $350 + the chip and dyno tune $500 = $1250.

Do you guyz think $400 is reasonable for a cam swap...also I am considering doing it myself but I am lazy. Is there a good write up anywhere.

FInally, do you guyz think its worth it to buy a new cam and spend a bunch of time or money installing it or should I keep the current cam, get a tune and be done with it. This will be the last possible mod for this motor. Then I am just gonna maintain it and keep running it, hopefully for a long time.

Sorry to be so long..if you have opinions/answers to any of the questions above feel free to chime in.

Guero · May 1, 2007

After all the problems i've gone tru I would suggest to do it yourself....

go-stang5.0 · May 1, 2007

So you do suggest doing it then.....

Green 94 5.0 · May 1, 2007

my suggestion would be to just get it tuned. i truthfully dont think the minimal gain would be worth the cost to install it. the specs on that cam are decent as they are. just my .02

Killercanary · May 1, 2007

If you can do it yourself, I'd definitely swap the cam. That cam is pretty small for a 302, let alone a 331. What's your compression ratio? What RPM does it pull to now, and what RPM would you like it to pull to? Since it is now done making power at 5200, I think there would be a good bit to be gained by getting it to make peak power at around 5600-5800rpms which it should be able to pull to with that intake/head setup with a new more agressive cam. I'd do it!

go-stang5.0 · May 1, 2007

Well...the compression ratio is 10.8 to 1 w/ my current AFR's 58 cc combustion chamber. THe car pulls up to 5500 rpm and then power starts dropping off. I would ideally like it to peak in the 6000-6200 range so I can shift it at 6500. Remember I open track (road course) the car not drag race it. I think I will still have enough low end for the street tires even with the power band that high.

Also, I think I can do the swap myself. Didi some research and theres not much more to it once I get the intake manifold off (which I have to do anyways since it needs a reseal).

Suggestions...?

go-stang5.0 · May 1, 2007

Anyone estimate a HP gain from from moving the cam 800-1000 rpm up in the powerband? For all that work I would like to see at least 10 whp or so. Plus whatever from the tune...

BlackVert · May 1, 2007

yeah, that is a very tame cam for a 331. i bet you'd get probably 20 more hp with a tune, but with a new cam and tune, you could very possibly be over 375hp at the wheels.

a cam swap is like an 8 hour job, isn't it? it would cost more than $400 to do it here in the DC area.

final5-0 · May 1, 2007

Sounds to me like you already know what you want

I'd just put those specific desires along with combo specifics in an e-mail
to Mr. Curtis and see what he has to say

I got all I expected and them some from doing business with Ed

Grady

go-stang5.0 · May 1, 2007

375 rwhp does sound inticing...I was thinking in that ball park also but I thought it might be too optimistic. I think I'm gonna have a talk with ED and see if we cant take the hydraulic rollers to their limits.

final5-0 · May 1, 2007

I can't believe you been running that combo on an untouced t4m0 pcm

I'd have to believe you could pick up a noticeable amount of performance
with a good tune

I saw your peak dyno values

If you don't mind me asking ... How has your drivability been with that stroker
and the oem pcm?

Grady

go-stang5.0 · May 2, 2007

Well...It idles between 750-900 rpms depending on weather. Anything below 60 deg. it surges wildly until the o2 sensors warm up... and when you get around freezing it usually surges and dies until the o2's warm up. Below 50 deg. I usually have to start, sit in the car and hold rpms @1500-2000 for a min or 2 and then it settles down nicely. Also, the motor likes to buck when you put load on it below 1500-1800 rpm. Obviously the bucking is more prevelant in the lower gears. So usually I have to ride the clutch in stop and go traffic (anything below 15mph). Also its got a hickup in the 2600-2800 rpm range when you go WOT from that rpm. Oh and when you rev it up the idle likes to hang in the 2000-1500rpm area for a second or two then it settles down to idle.

Needless to say my friends who I let drive it absolutely hate it (some even find it stressful), except one of them (but he only drives when I let him take a few laps at the road course).

But also, I get complements from my friends girlfriends on how smooth I drive...
So chances are if I took you around the block you would have no idea...

What else can I say...I'm used to it.

final5-0 · May 2, 2007

go-stang5.0 said:
Well...It idles between 750-900 rpms depending on weather. Anything below 60 deg. it surges wildly until the o2 sensors warm up... and when you get around freezing it usually surges and dies until the o2's warm up. Below 50 deg. I usually have to start, sit in the car and hold rpms @1500-2000 for a min or 2 and then it settles down nicely. Also, the motor likes to buck when you put load on it below 1500-1800 rpm. Obviously the bucking is more prevelant in the lower gears. So usually I have to ride the clutch in stop and go traffic (anything below 15mph). Also its got a hickup in the 2600-2800 rpm range when you go WOT from that rpm. Oh and when you rev it up the idle likes to hang in the 2000-1500rpm area for a second or two then it settles down to idle.

Needless to say my friends who I let drive it absolutely hate it (some even find it stressful), except one of them (but he only drives when I let him take a few laps at the road course).

But also, I get complements from my friends girlfriends on how smooth I drive...
So chances are if I took you around the block you would have no idea...

What else can I say...I'm used to it.

I thought you would be saying things along those lines

Reminds me of some cars I've had in the past

Yes ... You do get to where you can learn about how to drive it in spite of those
little annoying quirks that can develop.

Your gonna love it when you get a good tune
as those kinds of issues ...
They can all be a thing of the past

Grady

go-stang5.0 · May 2, 2007

So anyone wanna sway me away from swapping cams...except Green 94 5.0?

go-stang5.0 · May 3, 2007

Numbles · May 24, 2007

Call ed. Order it. If you need help installing give me a call. Ill be needing help with my new car soon anyways. No more drag racing for me either.

Dan.

Therian · May 24, 2007

If you want a cam that will let you shift at 6500, you're probably going to need new valvesprings (depending on what were put on your 185s. If you have the PS3 upgrade you should be ok, but beehives would be optimal).

I have no advice on whether or not to do the cam yourself. I've never done it, but I would like to (but then again I'm not lazy when it comes to working on the car )

WhiteDevil · May 25, 2007

Cam swaps arent too hard. My cam is pretty close to those specs too. accept with 1.7 rockers. If you do it let us all know how much u gained.

Black95GTS · May 25, 2007

Swap the cam, get the tune. The stock tune is miserable.

Keep in mind that you might need a new screw to get the RPMS that high, I don't know what you're running now but I'd go with 4.10 minimum.

Adam

Numbles · May 25, 2007

Robin. If i remember right we went around the block in your car and you shift it a 6800 or so. Am I wrong?

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