Hey guys,

I have a near stock '94 Z28 with a 6 speed. The only engine mods currently installed is an MSD Optispark and coil. I also have a K&N fipk and a long tube headers/Borla exhaust waiting to go on in the garage.

Unfortunately I noticed that intake manifold (and possibly valve covers) are leaking oil. I read that this is a semi common problem for the LT1. I want to get these leaks fixed, but also something popped into my head as well. I'll be under the intake and valve covers anyway, is there any type of performance upgrades I can do since I'll be in there anyway? I hear the terms "Cams" and "rocker rollers" used a lot as big power adders. I'll admit I'm a complete beginner with all this internal modification. I don't want to go any deeper into the engine than just right under the intake, but hopefully I can swap in some new parts while doing the seal/gaskets. Any advice?

Thanks,
Paul

 

First I would set some goals as to the amount of power that you want your motor to put out. Also what would your budget be? Putting in a cam is not just as simple as it sounds. You will want to get valve springs, pushrods and roller rockers that can handle a bigger cam.

shbox.com is a good site with tons of how-to's, you can read on there to see what all is involved in modifying these motors.

 

Yeah man... It's a good idea to decide what you are expecting first.

First, if your ride is a daily driver and you need this vehicle to get to work... then I'd go ahead and tend to your general maintenance, leaving it at that.

If you're planning on performance upgrades, then it's time to zoom out and take a look at the big picture.



You're car is a '94... with I'd wager, major mileage. Thus you're valve train, rings, bearings, injectors, drivetrain are all substantially south of new.

To cam up an engine with a >150k valve train is silly... You'd likely get a similar increase in performance by pulling your heads and getting a quality valve job, as a result of the improved combustion...

While you're doing that, you'll replace the plugs, possibly the wires... and this would be a great opportunity to slap on a set of Headers... preferrably longtubes; the classifieds are an excellent resource; there, you can also find a nice set of 1.6 rockers, lifters and push rods, etc, for your future cam upgrade... Planning and patience is the key and you can pick 'em up as they come along and save some serious coin in the process.

On the headers... ya might want to check your local or regional F-body clubs for things like Emission requirements and what they're using, but you'll find that just those few items will give you a very sharp increase in performance, without putting a lot of pressure on your old drivetrain.

If your tranny hasn't been rebuilt lately, then you should plan on that... it's comin'.

If it's not an issue now, it's gonna be... use the time to ask around for a good performance tranny guy. You don't have to do anything crazy, but there are things a good tranny guy can do to set you up for success.

I will tell ya this, most local shops around here charge 15-1700 for a rebuild. Performabuilt.com can ship you one for that, including a cooler and it's set up for what you clearly have planned for your performance driving... they can set you up with a nice stall as well; although I'd recommend staying with Precision Industries "Vigilante" or one of Yanks SS stalls... but there are several others which I've seen highly recommended by other reputable f-body operators.

At that point, particularly if you pop for the stall, you should already have in mind the things you're looking for from your cam.

Understand when ya replace the cam, you'll be dollars ahead to consider replacing the opti... don't even THINK about not changing the seals in the timing chain cover and of course, no better time to replace the timing chain while you're there.

If you're looking for a little track time and some light to light, 0-60 runnin', I'd recommend the Cam in my sig... we run the 1/8th mile, and that cam is all about low-end and mid-range torque; and with the stall and Long tube headers, refreshed valve train... it broke the heart of most of the GTs and stock LS1 rides it went up against.

Which brings us to your posi... when ya start bangin' on it with all your new-found power, sooner or later; and probably sooner, rather than later; it's going to need replacing.

But at that point, you're going to be in pretty good shape for the long haul.

'hope that helps...

Edit: I see that you're running a 6-speed... so you can disregard the tranny/stall info; except for the certainty of replacing the wear items such as clutches, T/O bearings, etc.

 

Thank you guys. Wow, I didn't realize it was much more complex than literally dropping in a different cam and sealing her up. I will have to do my reading/research tonight. Looks like these upgrades will have to wait until next year at minimum. The car is daily driven until the first snow fall. Then the FWD Contour with all seasons takes her job. So I want to make her fast, but comfortable for daily driving in the summer months. In realistic goals, I'd hope for no more than 50 foot pounds of low end to mid torque in total over stock. No track beast lol.

 

Yeah I ended up replacing a ton of things when i did my "cam" swap.
I replaced all the valve train to the lifters, the water pump was trashed, the slave cylinder was bad, and some of the hoses were bad too. A simple $335 cam turned into like $4000 in parts. I replaced the heads and manifold, but still. Just a cam and valve train is like $1200 plus. Make sure you replace your timing chain too.

 

A good cam and valve train shouldn't cost $1200...

Think of a cam as part of a system. Anything can be changed seperately on that system but since they all interact you have to use compatible components to keep the system functioning properly.

Most aftermarket cams will not reach their full potential with the stock, unported heads....putting in a big cam won't do much. However, you can go with a mild cam, matching springs and roller rockers and get a good increase over stock. An example, although not a great one,is the LT4 hotcam kit.....all the components are there and designed to work together. If you're a beginner, a well thought out parts list is your best friend...avoid getting the biggest cam you can find and try to match things to it.

You can make out well by getting your stock heads ported and then using cam/valve gear designed to work with them. Lloyd Elliot, among others, can port your heads, recommend a cam and valve gear that will give you a nice improvement...