Hey im kinda new to this but im desprate and i really need some help. i have a 1996 firebird formula. Im really strapped for cash and just wanted to put in a new camshaft but i dont wanna put in new heads rockers and all that jazz. just something i could put in there with as little replacement parts as possible. I would like the biggest or best cam for this car. I would rather have a lot of low end torque than upper end speed seein as it will be a weekend car and not a race car. Thank you.

 

I can't think of a cam that you can put in and get higher power levels without changing anything else. All cams will require a spring change and most will tell you that best power will be acheived with 1.6 ratio rockers in addition to the cam and springs.

About all you can do is add a set of 1.6 ratio rockers and skip the cam. They will work, marginally, with the stock springs and will make the car behave like it has a cam with slightly larger duration and lift....

 

thanks. ok so whats the best combo in springs rockers and cams to put in. im gettin mixed reviewes about the zz409 cam. Everyone seems to like the cc305 but i dont want to rev it up to 6000 rpm to have a noticable change. and how much would the cam combo be. if i do put in the cam i want it to be the best i can get with changing as little as possible.
Thank you again.

 

I wouldn't use either of those cams if they were FREE.

Do springs and rockers.

 

Is budget the limiting factor here?

 

yah ts only limited by budget. i just graduated college so this is gonna be my last horah kinda since im finally setteling down and thinkin about starting a family. i wouldnt mind payin like 500 to 700 dollars as long as i know it will work. or if u know of a different way to get it up to about 400 or 450 ft/lbs of torque. i just want more power down low. i do have a new 3inch exhaust and a 52mm intake. i was gettin ready for the cam.

 

A cam swap done properly is going to cost you far more than what your budget allocates. You simply don't have the coinage right now.

Cam - $300
Rockers - $300
Valve springs/hardware $150
Tune - $150
Lifters - $120
Pushrods - $80
Timing set - $120
Gaskets/fluids/misc - $100

This is using new parts, but even if you opted for USED parts you still don't have enough cash.

 

I am afraid that trying to hotrod on that budget is going to yield results you won't be satisfied with. I think you are either going to have to pick a budget and be satisfied with whatever gains you get or pick a goal and spend whatever it takes to get there.

 

is there anything i can do on that budget to push a little more power out of it?

 

Rockers, headers, electric water pump, other bolt-ons, tune, etc. Tons you can do. Try the search feature and look for beginner mods.

 

I suggest new rear end gears. Make sure you have them installed by someone who is experienced.

 

If it's an automatic, gears and/or a torque converter. For a manual tranny, gears.

Richard

 

Headers/y pipe/catback is where my money would be spent. If you can't go faster, at least it will sound to you like you are going faster. I have always found that a little louder/deeper exhaust makes me happy if my budget is too low to do some real performance upgrades. If you do cam it, you will need to do a full valvetrain/pcm upgrade which could run into a few thousand done correctly. For about $700 you can install some long tube headers, and maybe a magnaflow muffler, you'd be super happy. The cam and valvetrain upgrades would be useless without a larger exhaust for that new found power to breathe through. Look at your exhaust manifolds...It would be like a football player breathing through a straw...very restrictive.

 

Lets do this, what is your budget?

 

His third post said $500-$700.