Thread: cam or rockers???

which one should i get. i know im gonna get more power out of a cam, but im more worried about install. rockers just seem alot easier to install.

i know the main question is how far do i want to take my car, and well, i dont want a full out race car but yea i do want it to move out.

so im looking for some feedback of the positives and negitives of both.

if a cam was as simple as rockers to install there would be no dought in my mind. but as of right now idk.

well lets see if i can help

cam
pros.
1. sounds sweet at idle.
2. makes good power 3k and up depending on setup and cam.
3.drop to a smaller pulley.
4. more power!
5. replaces the lim gaskets and others that could be worn out.

cons.
1. crappy gas mileage, depends on cam and how heavy your foot is.
2. hard to install for a first timer.
3. requires more money for gaskets, timing chain,heavier springs ect. (reccomended parts)
4. harder on valvetrain componets.


ok now rockers.

pros.
1. make good topend from about 4500 and up.
2. suppose to be better gas milage but not 100% sure on that.
3. easier install of course!
4. cheaper!
5. keeps that quiet sleeper sound.
6. more power!
7. less friction if there roller rockers.

cons.
1. only topend power no lowend.
2. some high ratio rockers require heavier springs.
3. more stress on the valvetrain.
4. dont make as much power as a cam.


if money isnt a problem for the parts list then it all comes down to how much mechanical knowledge you or a buddy have and how much time you want to devote to it. oh and how far you wanna take the car in the future

Here's how I see it. I'm going to go rockers for now. That is with the intention of one day going for a cam, and doing a lot more in the process. For now, the rockers will suffice.

well ill put it this way. im not really trying to get in the 12's with the stock tranny. with good street tires i know im in the 13's with just intake and headers so 3.4 (which should boost up my midrage i suppose) and rockers i have a feeling i could go mid 13's EASY. i just dont want to much power before i can get a beffed up tranny. and i know thats gonna take a while to get.

the gen V blower really seems to pull good on the topend side so the rockers would problew complement that greatly. idk.

and i nor anyone i know, or atleast one of my buddies that i would trust, except tdc knows how to install a cam. i dont have an engine hoist so i would have to go in threw the wheelwell which im sure is not easy.

idk rockers just seem so much easier all around. and they should do me good for mid 13's which is all i need for now.

its just hard tho because there about the same price but like tdc said he sold his for about the same price so that aint to bad if i want to resale in the future for the cam.

you can get into the 12s without a cam. im going for a big rockered setup, ill tell you how it goes when i go to the track next year.

im thinking with the e85, meth, and all the little tweaky mods i have that i SHOULD be able to run in the 12s.

Cam hands down but be ready to drop a new tranny.

My stock tranny lasted around a month with a mild VS cam.
But damn was it fun.

I started with rockers. Was nice in upper rpms. Then removed rockers and did cam OMG.

If you decide to do a cam install, I'll be more than happy to help out. Just PM me.
I put my cam and a 3/4 set of new cam bearings in through the fenderwell. It really isn't all that hard to do this way, either.

Even for a cheap, lazy person like myself, the cam is sooooo worth the extra time/money/effort!

yea but will my tranny last with a cam??? if i go the cam route i might as well save up to get a new tranny also. rockers just seem like the smarter choise for now.

im still on my stock 128k mile gt trans. how much punishment can it take? a lot because i dont drive like a grandma. im going to continually shove non-hd trannys in my car until i cant find them anymore or i sell my car.

i dont see how people go through that many transmissions.

hummm. well... idk. if anything i could get a cam and stay on the stock pulley for now.

Yea. I'm still on my stock trans with 115k on it now. The last 5k or so has been with the cam.

Originally Posted by Bio248

i dont see how people go through that many transmissions.

Pressure solenoid starts failing. They either don't do anything about it or don't notice. The wear on the trans goes up exponentially.

Also people not taking care of them and changing out the fluid when they should. Getting back flushes, that sort of thing.

Originally Posted by Sabrewings

Pressure solenoid starts failing. They either don't do anything about it or don't notice. The wear on the trans goes up exponentially.

Also people not taking care of them and changing out the fluid when they should. Getting back flushes, that sort of thing.

im pretty sure either my converter is failing or my lockup solenoid is toast because it unlocks a lot when im cruising.

also, i dont do transmission fluid changes and flushes. i think they are bad since youre changing the viscocity of the fluid that was once there for quite a while.

Originally Posted by Bio248

also, i dont do transmission fluid changes and flushes. i think they are bad since youre changing the viscocity of the fluid that was once there for quite a while.

I fail to see how running dirty, broken down fluid is better than running newer more stable fluid. Fluid wears out. The transmission was designed to operate with a fluid whose viscosity matches new fluid, not old fluid. If changing it was "bad", then GM wouldn't recommend changing it.

In an extremely high mileage transmission that has never had a change, I can agree. I've seen new fluid in a 200k+ transmission kill it. However, if that transmission had been maintained with regular fluid changes, it would not have happened. And it would've ran better the entire time.

^^ i agree 100% there

okay sooo if i had a good shiftkit and pcm tunning to shorten shifts times, and also keep regular tranny changes/flushes i should be okay??