Thread: Help me decide on a good build

After researching and researching I have decided to get some opinions.. After the winter I am planning to do some serious engine mods to my 102K mile 3800. This car was my daily driver, but it now more of a "weekly" driver, as I own two vehicles. I no longer drive it in the winter, however I do drive it a lot throughout all other seasons.

What I'm looking to do is build a good, street-able car that will be reliable and retain decent gas mileage. Over the months I've contemplated between doing a cam vs. an intercooler (or both), but now after researching I am seriously considering going cammed and doing heads at the same time with NO intercooler.

I am leaning towards the S1X for a cam, but now need to decide on heads... As of now, I am looking into vendor heads as opposed to local machine shop heads. The thing is there are so many different vendor heads out there. Obviously I would not need any stg4 heads with 130+lb springs, but what about stg2 heads ZZP or Intense? What about CNC heads? Which rockers would I be able to run with an S1X and the heads mentioned above? 1.6, 1.7, 1.8?? Any suggestions.. Again these are just "plans" for now. I want to learn more and make the right decision the first time around...

This is what I have envisioned as of now:

Intense stg2 heads with 105 springs
S1X with maybe 1.7RR's?
Gen V starting with a 3.4 then maybe a little lower from there
42.5lph injectors
N* tb
New factory GM timing chain/dampener (would I need a double roller?)
All other supporting mods and a custom tune

Looking to make 300+whp.

First thing. If you want to run the S1X with 1.7 rockers it's gonna cost 2-300 more than if you just got a little bit bigger cam. You'll lose a little bit of fuel effeciency and the idle will be a little bit rougher with the bigger cam but it'll be a bit cheaper.
S1X with 1.6 rockers is .514"/.526" With 1.7 rockers it's .545"/.559" where as the stage 3 intense cam is .541"/.554" It's just a TAD bit smaller BUT you won't have to buy new rockers. You can reuse the stock rockers(assuming you still have them since your sig says you have 1.9's)

Second thing. If you're already ready to spend the 1800 bucks on stage 3 heads, why not just fork over the extra 200 and get the stage 4 done. You're already gonna be spending 1800 bucks, you might as well get them the best you can and spend the extra little bit. Look at it this way. Save the 200 bucks by getting the stage 3 cam instead of the stage 1 and 1.7's and put that 200 towards the heads. You're still not really spending anymore than what you wouldve to begin with and your getting better flowing heads with an EVER SO slightly smaller cam, probably unnoticeably smaller.

If I was you..seeming like you have a pretty nice budget I would get the Stage 3 cam(which intense says is streetable), the stage 4 heads since you'd save the 200 or so from the rockers, 130# springs. Not sure if you would need a double roller...i would assume so. And i'm sure you'll need a few other odds and ends too.

EDIT: I could've swore I read stage 3 heads and not stage 2....well then. That's a big diff in price so now if I was you i'd do it like this lol
Stage 2 heads...good for .600 lift so you'd be fine with a stage 2 or 3 cam.
You could still do the stage 3 cam but I think I would do the stage 2 and run crow 105's since you can probably use an OE chain and a new dampener...I don't know for sure though..MAKE SURE FIRST. I'm betting you would need a double roller for the stage 3 cam since you'd probably need 130# springs and to do that properly ive heard is a decent bit of work....so like I said i'd stick with the stage 2 cam
Sound ok? I dunno, you tell me.

Originally Posted by 4THGENCAMAROFAN

First thing. If you want to run the S1X with 1.7 rockers it's gonna cost 2-300 more than if you just got a little bit bigger cam. You'll lose a little bit of fuel effeciency and the idle will be a little bit rougher with the bigger cam but it'll be a bit cheaper.
S1X with 1.6 rockers is .514"/.526" With 1.7 rockers it's .545"/.559" where as the stage 3 intense cam is .541"/.554" It's just a TAD bit smaller BUT you won't have to buy new rockers. You can reuse the stock rockers(assuming you still have them since your sig says you have 1.9's)

Second thing. If you're already ready to spend the 1800 bucks on stage 3 heads, why not just fork over the extra 200 and get the stage 4 done. You're already gonna be spending 1800 bucks, you might as well get them the best you can and spend the extra little bit. Look at it this way. Save the 200 bucks by getting the stage 3 cam instead of the stage 1 and 1.7's and put that 200 towards the heads. You're still not really spending anymore than what you wouldve to begin with and your getting better flowing heads with an EVER SO slightly smaller cam, probably unnoticeably smaller.

If I was you..seeming like you have a pretty nice budget I would get the Stage 3 cam(which intense says is streetable), the stage 4 heads since you'd save the 200 or so from the rockers, 130# springs. Not sure if you would need a double roller...i would assume so. And i'm sure you'll need a few other odds and ends too.

EDIT: I could've swore I read stage 3 heads and not stage 2....well then. That's a big diff in price so now if I was you i'd do it like this lol
Stage 2 heads...good for .600 lift so you'd be fine with a stage 2 or 3 cam.
You could still do the stage 3 cam but I think I would do the stage 2 and run crow 105's since you can probably use an OE chain and a new dampener...I don't know for sure though..MAKE SURE FIRST. I'm betting you would need a double roller for the stage 3 cam since you'd probably need 130# springs and to do that properly ive heard is a decent bit of work....so like I said i'd stick with the stage 2 cam
Sound ok? I dunno, you tell me.

I heard the stg 2 cam it not worth it and that the stg 1 is actually better. I'm now thinking s1x, stg 2 heads, and run stock rockers?

I'm a bit confused as to how the stage 1 would be better than the stage 2 when the stage 2 has more lift AND more duration at the same LSA...doesn't make any sense to me. Higher lift+more duration=more power(assuming your heads flow well enough)...so I'm gonna have to disagree and say the stage 2 cam is indeed better than the stage 1...just my opinion though....going off the specs provided by intense of course.

dont buy stage heads from a vendor. you can get fully done heads from a local engine builder for normally in the $800 area instead of $3000. this way you can also match the head porting to the cam or make a custom profile cam based on the flow characteristics when they are done porting them

i would suggest the same with cam though. go bigger with the stock rockers rather than paying out the ass for some roller rockers that will give you minimal gains.