I am getting about ready to do a cam install on my car. I am stuck between the HotCam, C305, and C306. I really want more power than what I can get out of a HotCam, but I like the complete package set-up with it. I want a real lopey idle, so I want to go with a 112 lsa. I am really leaning towards the 306, but its my daily driver, and I have not heard how well this cam does for daily. Does the 305 come on a 112 lsa? I have only seen it on a 114, can you have it ground to a 112. Also, would I be able to re-use my stock lifters/pushrods. I am planning on 1.6 rockers and new springs. Does the 96 LT1 have hardened pushrods? Any insight on how these cams have been on a DD, please let me know. Also, the car is a 6 spd, and I am looking for around 350 hp or so.

 

I have the 306 cam and as a DD I would choose something different. You lose alot of bottem end torque and unless your gonna winder up to 5500 rpm every shift it takes the fun out of it. The cam doesn't really pull till 3000 rpm. In the city you never get the chance to wind it up and it fells like your driving a 4 cyl. Thats just my experience with it. Also under 1600 rpm you get some cam surge and end up going down a gear to keep the revs up. If you want driveability and 350 rwhp then you'd be better with a smaller cam and ported heads.

 

go get a custom cam made you know you want to! and ive driven 306 on daily driven 383 with a spec 4 and i didnt have any problems. but the fact that it was a 383 made it a little easier to drive. its all goingot depend on how streetable you want. oh i think i can pick u up a set of 4.10s real cheap if you dont mind a set of used ones

 

I don't have much experience with the 306, but can tell you from experience the HOTcam lopes along just fine at idle. Every time I took the car out with the HOTcam in it I got compliments- seriously. I think it's silly to have a cam ground on a different LSA just for lope. You're also going to be leaving a good bit of power on the table with any of the cams you listed due to choking them out with the stock heads. So when looking at it from that perspective, I'd get whichever one is cheaper (HOTcam kit, it's all there and cheaper). Not to mention the HOTcam kit has self aligning rockers, so you don't have to use guideplates. I could be wrong, but I don't think your year has hardened pushrods. In my opinion, you can re-use your lifters and pushrods this way. I re-used mine when my HOTcam went in. I was perfectly streetable, and still got 22 mpg on a 70% highway/30% city trip through a stalled auto.

Fight the HOTcam haterz club on this site, get the HOTcam!! Later on if you want more, save up for some ported heads, keep the roller rockers, sell the HOTcam and go bigger. You can get around the .575" lift max with the HOTcam roller rockers if you use Beehive springs. I'm at .608" now with no clearance problems.

 

Why are you so interested in such old cams. Comp has the XE series and now the XFI. I would look into those before buying anything. I am not saying the choices you listed are bad, but they have been around a long time. The hotcam and the cc305 will make good low end torque, still retain decent gas milage and little cam surge. I would recommend going with something smaller. Get some work done to the heads will really help out the cam. So if you can afford it, do it.

 

From what I have seen using stock castings with no work at all the GM 847 cam would make good power and give you a nice lopey idle. Check out www.atljar.com he ran an 847 and un worked heads for a while and made impressive power. Upgraded valvetrain is needed, 1.6 pro mag rockers, hardened pushrods, better valvesprings locks and retainers.

Steve

 

Go with the 503-8. Best all around cam I've seen so far off the shelf.

 

custom grind!!!!

 

I don't really now what to say about this, but for your goals I would think there would be at least a few options that would work. I have had the LT4 hotcam, and the XE 224/230 out of the cams listed in this thread. The hotcam definately loped harder than the CC-503(224/230), and pulled further up top. They both seem to perform very well, and of the 2 I would probably go with the hotcam for a cam only car that was a driver. I also like the hotcam for the reasons they sell the entire kit for a reasonable price, makes getting everything needed very easy. If you are willing to spend alittle more, you could go with a custom, but then springs/retainers etc will also cost more. Last thing I can think of is, if you decide to go with a XE cam like the CC-503, invest into a good set of springs that can really control the valvetrain. I had that cam with the CMS EX 612 springs, and they just weren't enough, I was fighting a valve float problem that I contribute to be from the springs. The car would fall off in power by 5800, which is actually where i think it should have peaked...but not totally fall off in power.

 

Thanks for all of the input. Greatly appreciate it. As much as I want a custom grind, I think I am gonna go for the HotCam set-up, because I can get it all in one kit for a reasonable price. At the same time I am doing this I wanna get a new timing chain and go to an electric water pump. I don't really have money for headwork right now, so I think I am gonna go the smaller cam(hotcam) and then one day when I have something else to drive, I will go bigger. Adam, hit me up on those gears. Not sure if I wanna get used gears, but if you know what type of shape they are in, and know about em I might consider em. Thanks again.

 

LT4 conversion from summitracing.com hotcam, 1.6rr, etc Idle was set at 700 rpm

http://southernboyztoyz.frknlo.com/search.htm

right click and save target on THE BEAST . (wasn't really a beast, just what I called it)

 

It is much more easy and cheap to just buy the CC305 and LT4 spring's. Its all you need besides a gasket kit and some RTV and threadlock. Im on stock pushrod's and rockers and it runs great. I still wish i went with a cc306 myself. Save the money for an opti and get the c305! =p

 

My opti has under 15K on it . It was replaced right before I bought the car.