I'm definitely puttin a cam in my 96 Z soon. I will be getting TPIS Long Tube headers with no cats. I am the type of guy who always has regrets unless he gets the biggest and best. But, in my case, my car does have to be streetable. It will probably not be an everyday driver, but definitely a street car that will go to the track friday nights and cruisin on Main Street on saturday nights. I think I will be sticking with stock heads, for now anyways. I will be getting all the little accessories that go along with a cam install (1.6 rr's, pushrods, new valve springs, ya know all the good stuff) I would like to get descent gas mileage too, I'm not asking for 20 mpg, but enough to not go crazy. Let me know what you think is best.

 

ttt

 

How long until you plan on having your heads ported and how high do you want to rev your bottem end...?


If it will be awhile on the heads and you dont wanna rev the hell outta the bottem end, may i suggest the XE224/230. With stock heads it makes around 340 and ~370 with worked heads.


Those cams are all pretty big for a stock headed car, your gains (on stock heads) wouldnt be much over the 224/230, and the gains would be at very high RPMs, while sacrificing some low end grunt.


my 2cents

 

I'll second the above response. Also all the cams you list could not be used with the stock springs. So even if you don't port the heads you will at least have to change the springs.

If you want to go that big on the cam, do the heads too.

another 2 cents

 

Those big cams have been proven great on stock headed cars.

 

There is a guy around this board that has a CC306, with all the valvetrain stuff, no headers, no worked heads and he runs around a 13.6 in the quarter mile. So I would say that even with stock heads and stuff the 306 will put out good power, even though by watching him run it looks like it doesn't kick in till around 3500 rpm's.

 

uhh i hit 13.6 with 3.73's, nitto's and free mods.

so 13.6 with a cam isnt good power at all if you ask me.

a cc306 with all the valve train stuff as you put it is choking to death with stock heads and manifolds. tell that dude hell gain a secong at least with headers and a mild port. at LEAST a second.

 

id second the 224/230, on stock heads, and i just happen to have one for sale but beside the point, when you make power, you have to be able to get rid of it too!! head work on a relitvely big cam is almost a must!! just my 2cents so thats what 6 cents!!

 

Food for thought:
GM847/stock heads = 11.98 @ 117
CC306/stock heads = 12.7* @ 116 on street tires I believe.

 

I thought a cc306 was a solid lift cam. IMO don't put a solid cam in a street car, too much maintance. And those are fairly good sized cams too, anything over 300 degrees advertised Dur. is pretty damn big on stock head IMO

 

Hydraulic roller.

 

can you purchase the gm847 from gmpartsdirect.com?

 

I would say go with a smaller cam as well, until you work your heads and bottomend. You're also going to need a 3000+ stall torque converter if you decide to go with one of the three you stated.

It's not like cams are expensive, you can always swap one out and not lose much money by selling the old one. I would stick with a smaller cam for now.

 

If you are wanting stock heads, get the smaller one. I got my CC306 in the mail today. I plan on rebuilding to a 355, max ported heads, 3200 stall, 3.73's w/ the CC306. If you get a big cam like that, you want it to run good.

 

thanks guys for all the opinions....i was considering the 224/230 cam too, but I just know I'd be hating myself right away for not getting a big cam...I will be getting new valve springs (dual coil) so the heads will have to come off and be worked on. I guess I might as well have them P&P'd now that I think about it.

With that kind of work done, what would you guys suggest for a cam?

I will probably be getting the bottom end rebuilt too while it's an option...anyone have a price range on that cuz i have no idea?

I dont really want to rev the **** out of it, so I dunno. Just let me know

Thanks