I want to get a new camshaft kit installed and was just wonderin what the average installation cost is for one and what is a good cam that requires minimum ecu tuning to no ecu tuning and good mid to upper range power? i don't want to go with the hotcam because i think that would be to extreme, but i was just wondering what would be the total cost of the kit, ecu tuning, and installation on average?

 

Cam install takes 4 hours...plus the cost of oil for break in period, coolant...sometimes water pump gaskets....plus you'll need to upgrade you valvetrain if you go nasty cam....but you mentioned hotcam is too much...but IMO opinion it's tame...check out a hammercam....as for tuning....again it depends on what cam you get...you may not have any idle issue's...but then agian you can drill out your TB...that's what I did because tuning is rare in the Northwest....find Trevor from Texes Speed and Performance...cool smart guy...he just made a post regarding his 760 rwhp nitrous car...check it out

 

thanks for the info but i am still looking for an estimate on a decent streetable cam which won't need me to change valvesprings and which will work well with most stock parts i just want some decent mid range power with a nice throaty idle?

 

Hotcam is pretty mild, you'd be wasting your time and money if you go to anything smaller.

 

yeah but how much would a complete cam job cost?

 

To have a reputable shop do it i'd expect somewhere in the neighborhood of $350-450 labor.

 

First, if you think a hotcam is too "wild" for your car, then don't even bother with getting a new cam, as it'll be a waste of money to get anything milder then a hotcam.

If you want a fairly mild, yet decent cam, I'd recommend something with around 220 duration and .550 lift, on a 114 lobe sep.

Thunder Racing has a custom grind that might fit you, it's a 220/220, .553/.553, 114lsa.

With any decent cam though, some computer tuning would be a good idea. All you need to get done is have your idle increased to like 750 or so.

New springs and pushrods are also a good investment for any decent cam. The Comp 918 springs, and any hardened pushrods will be fine.

The cam will run you from $250 - $300. Springs will be about $150, and pushrods will be about $100.

As for installation? Cam install is rather easy, but if you don't know what you're doing, I'd go into the Regional section of this forum for wherever you live, and ask for an installer. Chances are you'll find someone locally who will install the whole deal for around $200 or less. I know there's a local installer where I live that'll do the entire thing for $185. Most shops will charge $300+ for installation which is a rip off IMO.

Hope that helps.

 

I told you...4-5 hours for a complete job...do the math...anything longer than that is a rip off...just like the V-6 said

 

www.ls1howto.com has a great install guide

and to do a complete cam install with everything it will be around 1000 dollars


i would just do it myself.......

 

Gee whiz, the HOTCAM should really be called weeniecam, its TINY. I ran a much beefier can with stock 3.42 gears and it was STILL driveable, only a retard could not get a HOTCAM car going with some tuning work, even without tuning they are not that bad. If anyone told you a HOTCAM is too insane then you are wasting your time to even think about a cam, if its only going to give you 15 more RWHP, waste of time and money going small.

 

4 hours!!!!!!!!!! WOW. I did an LT1 cam swap last summer and it took forever. There is a lot more room in LT1s. I'm looking at getting an LS1 soon so I may do the cam swap fast if it only takes 4 hrs! Mine wasn't AWEFUL but I'd never done anything like that b4. Do LS1s have the "intake leak" problem that LT1s have? The intake looks a lot better on LS1s.

 

You don't have to remove the oil pan on an LS1 and the intake seals are built in the intake as pretty much everything else....Trust me...4 hrs. for the cam I love the LS1

 

big thing is you dont have to take the intake manifold off


ANY cam swap = new springs.
just the way it is. I suggest doing some bolt ons first

Christ, I thought I was a whiney bitch about streetability