HotCam & Headwork or just the HotCam

Polar LT4 · 01-25-2003, 11:02 AM

I asked this question in the C4 Tech/Perf section but wanted to check here too:

I have a 96 LT4 & I'm thinking about putting in a HotCam. The car currently is stock & has 44,000 miles. The car has 3 uses: it is a daily driver, goes to the drags, and is road raced (high speed).

I will do this myself & when I do, I'll open up the intake manifold (gasket match). I'm on a tight budget, but 'as long as I'm there' would it make sense to port & polish the heads? I would do these myself (except for the 3-angle valve job). What difference in power can I expect between just doing the intake and doing the intake & heads? How much do most places charge for a 3-angle valve job? BTW, my car is otherwise stock - no elims, longtubes or anything else!

Also, I do plan on replacing the springs & valve keepers. I want to go with the titanium keepers. Can someone help me out with part numbers for the suggested springs & keepers?

After I do all this, is the redline still 6400, or will this move the redline up a little.

I don’t plan on getting the computer reprogrammed yet. I will someday, after I get longtubes for it.

Also, will the car pass emissions w/ the HotCam? If I port match the intake & port & polish the heads, will it still pass emissions?

Thanks in advance for the responces!

John W · 01-27-2003, 07:37 PM

The HOT cam seems to make peak power in around 6100-6200 RPM. The HOT cam kit contains matched springs, cam and roller rockers. After installig this kit on my LT1 I gained 46rwhp without any additional tuing (other than raising the rev limiter with a hypertech).

Pulling the heads is relatively easy. If you can afford it, you may as well get it done, more power is good ;-). Just porting the intake won't get you anything measurable, a good head porting can add 30-45 hp. Fully tricked out heads/HOT cam/HEaders cars usually dyno in the 370-380rwhp range. Just cam kit dynos around the 320rwhp area. 3 angle valve job costs vary, I want to say my last valve job cost $120 (this was 4+ years ago, so I really don't remember precisely).

My vehicle was able to pass North Carolina emissions after the installation of the HOT cam. My "numbers" did not change much from original. At the time, my emissions equipment had about 50k miles on it. I really don't know how much efficiency is lost as the emissions equipment ages (gets used), but at the time mine passed the NC sniffer test easily.

Have fun,
John

Zora · 01-31-2003, 03:49 AM

:iagree:

DRAGRCR1005 · 02-01-2003, 10:35 PM

how rough is the idle with the hot cam??? :flag

tpi 421 vette · 02-02-2003, 04:41 PM

It is actually pretty mild mannered with a little lope.It will have excellant driveability and throttle response.

96GS#007 · 02-13-2003, 04:22 PM

Quote:

It is actually pretty mild mannered with a little lope.

:skep: At 700 rpm (stock '96 LT4 idle speed), it ain't a little lope it shakes the car. Bump the closed throttle spark advance a bit, raise the idle to 850rpm and then it's just barely noticeable. IMO, the stock idle conditions would be annoying for a daily driver if you spend a lot of time sitting in traffic. The first couple weeks would be pretty cool :D

Quote:

It will have excellant driveability and throttle response.

:yesnod: The only issue is that some experience minor cam surge under part throttle (<5%) low rpm (~2000) low speed (25mph) conditions. This can be tuned out.