Hey fellas,
I need some honest answers. Here is my delima. I'm getting closer to my goal of putting in the 230/236/112 with Lloyd Elliots heads (my heads will be sent off in 2 weeks). I've already got the cam with ALL matching parts. I need to know if I can cruise around town with this cam on stock 3.42 gears. This isn't a race car and most of my cruzing is around 1500-2000rpm in the lower gears of coarse. On the freeway, I can go 70mph and be at 1500rpm---go 80mph and be at 2000rpm in 6th gear. Will switching to this 230/236 cause some serious bucking and surging. I need to keep my 3.42s for a while. OR should I just put the heads on with the zz9 cam and call it a day? I've even considered the 224/230 (man, I'm so confused right now!).
All replies and honest opinions are welcomed.

Thanks

Tim

 

I think you need to pick realistic power goals and what your willing to sacrifice-

"daily driveable" is a VERY relative word around here

 

My car has some cam surge down low with the 3.42's i have some 4.10's in a box waiting to be installed. I wouldn't plan on running that cam too long with stock gearing or maybe my tune isn't as good as it could be. I am going to dyno tune this week maybe that will help it out some too. My car will cruise on the high way at 75 in 6th gear fine but i rarely run it like that i feel that anything below 2000 is lugging the motor so i run 5th.

 

I have the exact setup you are talking about. I just got the car back on Friday. I had it professionally installed and dyno tuned. I made 381 rwhp, so flywheel should be about 430-440.

I've only put about 150 miles on it so far around town. My impression is that low end is about the same or somewhat less. It feels like stock until you get into the higher revs. Above 4000, it really comes alive, and from there to 6500, it pulls like mad. I think sometimes that I have it in a lower gear than I do. In third, it pulls like it used to in second.

You absolutely can drive it around town. I have driven it in stop and go freeway traffic a couple of times (this is LA), and no problem. The only thing is that you have to keep it in a lower gear than you might normally. Just keep the revs above 2000, and you'll never know the difference.

My only problem right now is that it's pretty noisy with the Hooker cat-back. I'd like to quiet it down some, so as not to get pulled over. It sounds freaking mean right now, but I think it's loud enough I might get a ticket.

If you have some more questions, you can e-mail me at llafro@yahoo.com.

BRAD

 

IMO XE 224/230 is plenty of cam for an M6 daily driver. People told me to go with the XE 230/236, but I didn't want that high of a powerband. After my heads/cam/fuel system upgrade, I'm happy that I chose the XE 224/230, since I have to rev it to at least 1500-1800 rpm to keep it from stumbling all over itself, even with 4.10s. I couldn't imagine how high I'd have to rev the XE 230/236 to get it rolling from a stop. Now, it may not bother some people, but not everyone has an "unrestrictive" exhaust system like I do... You can imagine the dirty looks I get from people who have their windows down in 5:00 traffic...

 

Thats why you get an A4...

 

llafro - I'm in LA also...what part of LA are you in? I have a Comp Cams XE 236/242 on a 110lsa waiting for heads....I'd love to check out your car!

-B

 

Ild say go with the 224/230 ....even with that cam your gonna have to stay above 1800-2000 rpms to cruise smoothly.

 

I have stock gears, full exhaust, and mail order tuning. I drive 80 miles round trip to work everyday and some is stop and go traffic. Even running the A/C there is no drivability problems. I can creep along in 1st at 1500 RPM. If you have any plug/wire or ignition issue it will surge and buck below 2000 rpm. I have had this cam for over a year and no regrets. Hope this helps.

Larry

 

You guys are freaking LIFE SAVERS. I can't thank you all enough for the help and honesty. I just didn't want to regret going with the 230/236. I've dug into the car once and don't want to have to do it again until I need a rebuild, which I hope is many years down the road. 230/236---hear I come
I understand that there is a trade off in 99% of every mod performed. I didn't mean to make a blanket statement of "daily driveble", but I'm glad you all knew what I meant. You guys really came through for me and probably others that were in the same boat.

Peace

Tim

 

I do believe it helped me make up my mind some as well. I as well couldnt decide between the 224/230 and the 230/236. Im goin with the 230/236. Thanks also!

 

Actually, it used to be an a4...then an a3...then I got sick of autos and swapped in a six-speed. BTW, auto or no, it'd still be revving high enough to be obnoxiously loud @ low speeds... Give me low end grunt any day...if I wanted to spin high RPMs in an f-body, I woulda bought an LS1...