ProtoVette

What kind of maintenance is required on an engine with a aftermarket cam installed?
I'm doing my resaerch now for the future where I need to decide between a supercharger or putting in a cam (not sure if I will add heads too) along with all the other stuff needed for some nice HP, such as headers, intake manifold, springs, etc. (I'm already doing exhaust and I'm looking for an cold air intake or similiar)
I've read that with some cam installs that you have to change the valve springs at like 10,000-15,000 miles. I'm not really sure I want to change my springs as much as I change my oil. You get the idea. Are all cam installs like this? Are there any combinations where you can install all the good components, make about 400-425 RWHP, and not have to worry about touching it again?
Is there other required maintenance besides the springs with a cam package?
Thanks,
Chris

Vettegetsmwet99

the only cams that you have to change the valve springs every 10,000 miles are something like the T-Rex cam whick is 242/248 608/612. thats a lot of lift. My buddy with a z06 has put 12,000 miles on his with this cam and he has comp cam 921 which are duel valve springs, and he hasn't had no problems yet. If you want about 400-425 rwhp without heads you need an ls6 intake, good set of long tube headers, good cat back exhuast or exhuast cutout, and a good sized cam, something like the TSP 233/239. along with that cam you will need to get a spring kit, prefferebly a duel valve kit, Crane, Patriot Gold, Comp cams, or prc are the best to get. With all of this youll need a good tune and youll see about 410-415 rwhp in a 6-speed. If you want 425 rwhp you will need at least the size cam mentioned above or bigger. Good set of heads can easily add another 40-50 rwhp.

vettenuts

I am looking at the same thing right now and am just as disenchanted with the spring situation. I would really prefer to stay with the Comp 918's so I have backed off on the cams I am considering. Like you, I don't even want to have to check them. I am now looking at something like a 220 duration and .560 type of lift. I think the key is to find some heads that flow well at lower lift so you can reduce the strain on the valve train. The other thing I am fearful of is the aggressive lift and the potential for a lot of valve train noise setting of the knock sensors.

Suprfun

Chris,
Very good questions! I'm looking for the same answers. If we get a couple more people with the same goals as the three of us we could start a group purchase on a cam, springs, header package!

Hi vettnuts,
I'm with you guy's! It seems that there is more than a few of us out here looking to do this same thing. I don't mind paying for a good set of springs but I don't want to have to change them every 10 or 15 thousand miles. I started a post on another forum and I'm not getting much response so I hope we get some more input here. I have read posts on some of the smaller cams (.220 duration or less / .563 lift or less) making good power and retaining excellent drivability but not much on how long springs will last with them. I would hope a vendor or two would chime in here and help us out.

tcmc5

Yeah, this issue of valvetrain reliability seems to be a common problem in h/c cars. I drive in a lot of h.p.d.e. track events at sustained high revs so I chose a Comp cam(222/224 .566 .568) with low-moderate lift and the less aggressive XE lobes. I use Comp 918 springs/ti retainers in the stock heads and a 6400 rpm rev limit on my '00 coupe. Though I only have a few hours of tracktime on this setup, it seems to be working fine so far. Power is pretty good, too, for a small cam: +34rwhp(377/368) after the tune. I expect to put over 30 hours of tracktime on the car this year so it'll be a pretty good test of reliability. FYI, the ported GMPP LS6 heads from Scoggins Dickey and others, are the same heads run on the 7500rpm World Challenge Vettes ,like LG's, and they run stock springs with the GrandAmCup cam that has .570 lift. I'm sure they change them each race, but the stock springs(and lightweight valves) can tolerate some serious rpms and lift .20 over stock.

6Speeder

You CAN get good power and keep long spring life, with a mild cam and good heads. I am running a 218/218 114 cam, .558" lift and MMS 5.3 heads. The Erson springs will last as long as the motor will. I outrun C6's and stock Z06's, pass smog and get better than stock gas mileage. But I don't have a choppy idle sound or 450 rwhp for bragging rights.

KF9BD

I too, am interested in the answers to the valve train issues. As several others have indicated, I am on the fence concerning a head/cam package or an A&A supercharger. The two things that I don't like about the two options are:

Supercharger noise: I like to hear my motor and exhaust.

Head/cam: Having to worry about the valve train; I like being able jump in my car and take a 2000 mile trip without worrying about something failing.

corvettebob1

OK I've got my flame suit on, but no aftermarket spring will run as long as the factory spring!
I would not use any cam that couldn't be run with the ZO6 spring, now that being said.
Just get a nice S/C kit and a few other bolt ons and your good to go for a long time as long as you don't get crazy with the boost.
Of course then the fever will set in and then you will be just like the rest of us!

ProtoVette

Suprfun,
I also would like to hear what some of the tuners and vendors have available in the way of a nice reliable, streetable, long-lasting package.
If I could add a mild cam and really good springs, and not have to touch it again, I wouldn't mind adding a good set of heads and some other bolt-ons to get me up to my 425 RWHP max goal. If I do go this way over a supercharger, I would add a set of LT headers and free flow cats. I would also add an LS-6 manifold or even a FAST manifold. I hope to hear more input from anyone with their experience or knowledge.
Thanks,
Chris

Vettegetsmwet99

Why go with a supercharger kit that cost $7000 and then another $3000 in tunes and install for 450-500 rwhp, when you can get a nice sized cam and good heads installed and tuned for $5000 less, that can easily put you at 450 rwhp easy. If you get a good set of heads and all the other good boltons then you dont really need a big cam to get that kind of power. I know plenty of guys running big cams that haven't had to change valve springs, aftermarket springs are better than stock springs. Saying that stock springs are better than aftermarket, is like saying a z06 clutch is better than a stage 3 spec ctulch, thats not even close. Get a nice head/cam setup and good tune and youll love it, you cant beat the awesome sound.

John Shiels

I doubt you will get a H&C with 450 RWHP for 5000.

Noran Raad

I just had a conversation with the guys at Kelley im Miami. Apparently the 921(s) are the way to go (behive shape & dual for safety). The kit is around $500 at comp and can handle a .600 lift. Anyone using these springs for an extended time, please chime in with your cam specs.

Vettegetsmwet99

Correct me if im wrong.
TR Cam 236/230 $425
AFR 205 Heads $2185
TPIS Headers $900
Tune and Install $1200 "I would do it for cheaper"
Bolts and Gaskets $200

Thats a little under 5000 dollars, there maybe a couple other things you would need, but this would put you at about 450 rwhp or more, Ive done a car with this setup, and he put down 452 rwhp.

ProtoVette

That sounds really promising with those numbers, but please comment on the reliability, streetability and maintenance. Is the car 'stock mannered', or does it have a lopey idle, etc.? How would it be for a daily driver or close to daily? As I said earlier, I really like the potential and possibility of a cam car, I just wouldn't want to constantly maintain a set-up with major work such as changing valve springs every year or so, so can the springs that would be installed in this set-up last the life of the motor (assuming normal driving conditions and not a full race car)?
I was thinking that you could get an A&A P1SC for $5k new, or probably $4k or less used, install it yourself, add some gagues and get a dyno tune (about 475 safe RWHP) for a few hundred dollars, and be done with it for under $5k or 6k.
I was also thinking that if I picked-up as many used components for a head/cam or cam only job, such as headers, an LS6 intake manifold, etc, that you could have a decent h/c or cam only car for in the $4k - 4.5k range, making 400-425 RWHP.
Let me know if I'm that off base, but I think that it could be done either way if you do most of the work yourself, and wait for a deal or two. I just want to know that if you actually go into the engine, can you put together a good reliable package that you wont have to touch once its installed. I thank everone for all their feedback. Post like these from the members will help me decide which is the best way for me to go.
Thanks,
Chris

Vettegetsmwet99

if you want to get used parts and do the install and tune yourself it would be about half as cheap as above, For a good reliable setup, I would go with the Thunder Racing 224 cam or something in that range. It will have a little lope but not to much, with good tune it will idle like stock with a little rumble. Go with Crane duel valve springs, they are rated for 650 lift and the range of cam you want for your specification is only going to be at around 580-590 max. You can find a good set of heads cheap, around 1250-1500, headers aroud 500-1000 depending on what you want, I have the hp tuner on my setup, i think there is no other way to go as far as tuning. With a setup like this or something similar you would more than likely never have to change the valve springs. This setup would easily put up around 420rwhp if done right with the right boltons.

Used cam go for 225-300
Used heads 1000-1750
used headers 450-1000
used ls6 intake 300

If you do the install yourself it would save you money, and you would learn a lot about your car.

If you could find a used Supercharger setup and install and tune yourself then that would be good idea to. If you went with the setup i mentioned in my last post that made 452rwhp, that has a really lopey sound, but car is daily driven and drives just fine. But if you did everything the same except went with a smaller cam, you would be right in your goal, and have excellent drivability. Its all up to how good your car gets tuned as to how it will drive on a daily basis, ive seen vettes with thet-rex cam drive and idle just fine, on the other hand ive seen cars with hot cams run like crap. Just keep asking questions until you know everything.

vettenuts

One other thing to remember, boosting the HP will likely result in other drivetrain issues down the road. If an MN6, the clutch is likely the first thing to cause problems.

Ben01C5

I went about 20,k miles on my G5X-2 cammed car with the Isky dual springs Lou sent me after breaking several REV's.
They are still on the car, I am just not driving it right now.

Ragtop_Rob

Why is this? I would have to think that comp 918's (not dual springs) should last as long or longer than factory springs ( I have NO facts to back this up).

I am about to install a 220/226 - 570 lift supercharger cam and comp 918's. Chris at ECS assures me that they will not have to be replaced at 15k miles. I too use my car for long trips - reliability is key to my fun

ProtoVette

Did he give you an idea of how often they would need to be replace? What is the benefit of these springs over others?

mdhmi

ProtoVette - you are vastly underestimating the costs of doing a FI setup. I had the same thought as you last year. I figured $5K for a blower kit and another $1,500 - $2,000 for install / tune. I was half right. Don't forget valve springs, PCV catch can, valve cover breather, headers, fuel pump, clutch, hardened output shaft, differential strut brace, gauges, etc, etc.. A working FI setup is much closer to $10-15K than it is $5K. Just an FYI.

Vettenuts - I'm not sure 'boosting' has anything to do with driveline failure - I think it has more to do with running over 500 rwhp on DR's.

Mark