I know they have got a hotcam for the LT1's but is there one for the LS1's? If not what is a good cam for an everyday driver?

 

yes they do sell a hotcam for the ls1, good for streetability but there are other cams out there such as the tr224 that are a lot better, the hotcam has barely any lift in it, its not worth it to do all that effort and not put something bigger than almost stock in it.

 

agreed

i think the hotcam is something like .525" lift

even mild cams are pushing the upper .5s for lift these days.

great daily driver cam the 224 or the 228

 

I'm going to say that the best daily driver cam largely depends on what gears you have (and converter for an auto).

That being said, IMO the best daily-driver cam that makes the most power is the Futral F-13.

I'm using the F-14 HL for a daily commuter and it's about 80-85 miles a day... no driveability problems at all, but I do have 4.10 gears.

 

always wondered...

what is it about gears that makes a cam more streetable?

i still have stock gears. and i'm not sure what difference it would make to change them.

rpm is rpm right?

i'll admit it would be nice to use 6th gear more where i live....closest highway is 85miles, so 99.9% of my driving is 40-60mph. and 4.10s would allow for 6th gear more efficiently at 55mph (little sluggish now). but in reality running 1700rpms in 5th isn't that big of a deal.

 

Taking off in 1st without bogging?

 

i still don't see how that would be affected by gears....at least not THAT much. theres obviously some difference. but engaging the clutch at 1200rpm with 3.42s is the same as engaging it at 1200rpm with 4.10s right?

i realize there is some mechanical advantage to having a higher ratio...

hmm...guess i'm just clueless since all i've ever driven was stock gears

 

There is a huge difference. At 1200 rpm with either gear you're putting out xxx torque which is multiplied by the 3.x:1 first gear of the trans then by the rear gear ratio.
Now let's plug in some numbers. The numbers used are for example only.

Say 150lbft of torque x 3 = 450lbft x 3.42 = 1539lbft applied to the axles.
then 150lbft x 3 = 450lbft x 4.10 = 1845lbft applied to the axles that's 20% more power when you let out the clutch to try to get the car moving.

 

thing I like about the hotcam is you won't have to worry about changing the springs again. Many high lift aggressive cams require a spring change pretty often. I myself like to get it done once and forget about it, especially since with my luck they'd need changing right in the middle of winter.

 

If you read the LS related boards on a regular basis, you will see many are running way to big cams for their application and mods. Most of the cams in the high 220's, 230's and 240's are just to radical IMO. The hot cam would be a very street friendly cam. Torque range is a key for a good all around street cam.

 

Stop. Hammertime.

 

If yor going to go with a GM Camshaft and are worried about spring life forget about the Hotcam and step up to the ASA. 226/236 .525/.525 110 LSA

 

Now your talkin!
From what I've read this cam does real well on street and is very drivable with a good tune. I wanted the hotcam until I read about the great torque this thing puts out

 

I've been running a GTP 226/226 grind w/ .590 lift and 112+4 LSA for around 2 years now. I'm using patriot gold springs and driving this car daily and haven't had to change the springs yet. I've got a 40 mile round trip to and from work plus all the other side trips and track runs. I know guys running much more radical cams and they're on their first set of dual springs too.

The reason many had to change springs often was because they used the springs (usually 918's) at their max. They're good to .610 lift and if you use them on a .590 or .6" lift cam it'll wear them out. Now run the same cam w/ springs that aren't maxed by it and they last much longer. Springs don't magicly go bad at 20k miles w/ aftermarket cams. Thats a big internet myth that people have latched on to.

Run your hotcam or ASA if it makes you feel better, but just know that you are leaving some power and torque on the table.

 

Seeing that you're still running a GTP "pig" cam, you don't seem to have any experience with the more modern aggressive intake lobes that recently came out. The "high lift" Futral stuff and cams that use Comp LSK lobes are very aggressive, and DO turn even the most stout valvespring into butter before very long.

IMO, anyone who thinks that a high 220 duration cam is too radical is stuck in 1975, and the slow lane. LS1s don't see drivability issues until they get into the mid 230 range. My 239/242 behaves no different than my old 222/222 cam did, but makes a ****load more power above 5000RPM - where it matters most!

The Hotcam was designed to be used with a stock LS6 spring, and thus is a huge compromise. If you're willing to step up to a better spring, you can make another 20HP easy with a better designed cam thats as tame as stock.