Thread: Supporting mods for cam?

Very good points, but as I said before, I tend to be the overkill type. I dont like to be limited, and I like to turn heads. Yes, it is a 4 door Pontiac fwd car, but if I were to go through the same work I would have though shelling out a bit more to gain a good deal more would be the point. My thinking is maybe I won't get my hard pull at low stoplight to stoplight traffic, but when I want it, it will be there. Buuuut I haven't done it yet obviously lol


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What kind of difference in gains have you guys seen others get between the two cams? Putting aside the more streetability of the VS over the XP


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I don't think your going to have a definite answer comparing the gains of both. I don't think there's any guys that had done both with the same setups and dyno both to compare

Daven, I'll throw in a couple pennies' worth... just an opinion, take or leave it.

Your build will be less streetable (but take power adders into consideration) than those with more cubic inches and similar weights, such as Trans Ams and Corvettes as you mentioned. A super hot FWD GP might freak out your RWD friends but if you're DD-ing it, you will be sacrificing more driveability than they are. A slow car needs more race parts than a fast car, to get to the end of the block first. Another thought is the "stockpiling parts now" approach. Don't do it. Something could change, a better version could come out. Accumulate knowledge clear up until the day you need to order the parts to get them on the way. Measure twice, saw once. You're already one DP deep in mistake so far, but you did excellent to find this place and start inquiring. There is plenty of experience and feedback to utilize here, as you are finding out.

Originally Posted by Nchristopherson

http://www.zzperformance.com/blog/wh...-should-i-buy/

Here's a link from ZZP about cams

That was a good read! So it would appear that for a more mild build you would want a VS, considering the ability to use pretty much all stock components and it seems not even a tune?

But because of this, it has a lot smaller overlap. I'm guessing you guys idle about the same as stock? I'm not sure if the lopey idle of a larger cam plus more power is worth it to me to get more into things... I just don't see the real point of doing all the work and changing cams to be close to stock. But to each their own.


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Thanks "idrivejunk". You are right. But what my car has over them is a back seat (even T/As have horridly cramped backseats). And mine is a 4door, and won't force me to sell the second I need more room for a family for example (another positive towards the VS). And then there is the difference factor. We expect those cars to be fast, but it seems these 3800s are able to acheive big power for not that much compared to others. And that supercharger scream... But what it comes down to is this is the car I have now. I can't justify buying a car that I couldn't drive over half the time up here in canada.

And as for the downpipe, that was a peice of info I missed ehen researching headers before. Having only looked at the pros and cons of each, nothing mentioned that it is such a different setup over stock until it was too late.



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Originally Posted by Nchristopherson

But that's the thing. Just because it lopes a bit and idles close to stock doesn't mean it is stock, lol. There is a significant increase in power from doing it. If I was disappointed, I wouldn't try to sell it.

What kind of gains would you say you noticed with your cam install? And what all did you change with it? You said you went with a bit stiffer springs, why?


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Its referred to as a somewhat stock'ish cam because it doesn't have that stupid loud almost sounds like it's misfiring lobe sound that the others cams tend to have and it's characteristics can be easily referenced to a stock'ish type set up. Now that doesn't mean that it's a stock cam in any way because you will easily be able to tell difference as opposed to a stock cam'd car. No you don't necessarily need a tune hell I ran untune with it for awhile. I'm idled at around 750 or so now and was around 1k prior to tuning for it. Your saying doing all this work.. look at is as maintenance.. lim, vc gasket, coolant elbows should always be done. Replacing whats probably worn out valve springs. Timing cover gasket will sometimes leak.. inspecting your dampner and timing chain should be done as well if your wanting to lessen the chance of those going out and damaging things in the motor. Your really have to ride in a car that has the VS cam and you'll appreciate it. To many guys have the mentality to go big or go home well.. guess what it's still a fwd 6 banger 4 speed car so that mentality doesn't apply to every situation.

It seems if I did go with the VS, and kept essentially the stock valve train, I could still make good numbers with my other desired mods? Headers, VS, pully, possibly an IC? Would you figure much difference from these mods with say, an XP?


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Yup and be able to drop pulley sizes which essentially is why anyone goes cam'd. True is these cars should of came from the factory with a IC so really your just adding more reliability to it.

Cheap, fast, reliable

Pick two of those things and that should help with your decision

He has a 07... Chances are he won't outflow his stock TB so N* not needed not to mention the weird throttle response you get from it. Of course he'll need a bigger maf and injectors if he gets all pulley happy.

Nope. Not easily available around here yet and I'm not driving 2-3 hrs for it lol.