Just to let all know that there is another source for some cam/spring swap info.

It has taken me a while to compile this and I can tell you that the other people that have web pages out there for this stuff are to be commended. It takes some time to put it all together correctly.

There are several good pages out there and I may not have done one if I did not promise some people that I would do it. It's a lot of work. I will keep looking it over to make sure there are not any mistakes and I will maybe add some stuff as time goes along.

As some of you might know, I won a set of valve springs from Combination Motorsports a while back. That is what started this whole mess. I ended up putting in a CC 224/230 - 114 LSA, CC Pro Mag 1.6 rockers, new pushrods, lifters, valve seals, timing set. My car is more daily transport and I don't have any other internal engine mods. (K&N FIPK and SLP 2OTL going in and out).

I got an initial re-program from Ion at MadZ28.com (a very helpful dude ), but now have Tunercat and have been playing with that (fun). I have not taken it on a strictly highway cruise, but in mostly city driving, I have been averaging 16-19mpg (not far from what I was averaging before). I have put about 1500 miles on it since the swap. No problems and no leaks.

Thanks goes out to Seth at Combination Motorsports for taking my tech questions about their products as things went along. (I gave them some shameless advertising on the pages )

Here are links to the articles. They are on my Tech Page menu, also.

Cam Removal
Cam Install
Spring Swap
Quick matrix for torque values when doing the swap

 

 

How does it idle with the 114? Also how does it sound at idle?

 

It depends on what rpm you set the idle at. I have it set down enough to where it does not want to creep any more than the stock cam did. I have it set at 750 when it is warmed up and there is some lope to it. If you were to give it another 100 to 150 rpm, it would not lope too much. It has a good sound, just enough to let you know it is there. Nothing wild.

 

I commend you on your tech pages!!!!! Its people like you that show me these things are not complicated like they look. I know the time it takes to build web pages Your efforts are much appreciated

P.s. Wish i had this guide on my first cam swap

 

Very nice Rob, i always look forward to new items on your site.

 

Nice job Shoe,as always. How do you like your new cam?

 

Very impressive write-up

 

It's been fine. I have not had that many "high rpm experiences" with it yet. It is plenty streetable, being a 114LSA.

 

good work on the new cam install page!

i have that same cam on a 110 LSA and its really not that noticable till i stop of course and it lopes a bit but on a 114 lsa it must be pretty stock sounding... kind of the sleeper affect which is cool. why did you have it ground on a 114?... spray it in the future?

 

Since my car is used more in daily service and I don't have headers or worked heads, I did not feel the need to up the rpms for the power band. Plus, I can still retain some decent gas mileage. When I am ready for some real HP, then I will throw in something bumpy. Not planning on spray, though that would fit well with the "sleeper" mode.

 

Do you have a stall?

Trying to figure out what cam to run w/ my A4 and no stall.

Thanks.

 

I am running the stock stall. The 114 LSA is not so lumpy that you need a higher stall. It can idle low enough that it won't bother you much stopped at traffic lights. That was one reason I went with it, so I would not need to change the stall. Of course, if you want a higher stall, you can do that, too.

 

I really would rather not change the stall right now.

I had pretty much decided on going with the 218/224, because it works so well with the A4, yet has slightly more power than the hotcam.

After seeing what you have done, I am a little torn

Do you have any idea of the power differences of the 218/224 vs. the 224/230?

Thanks once again.

 

I cannot comment on power differences without any firsthand experience.
My thinking was that I might get some headers in the future and that the 224/230 would probably be able to use the extra breathing. I did want to retain good streetability for now and I definitely don't feel my cam is too much for that goal (especially after logging some miles with it).

If you plan on some future mods (but not too extreme) and don't want to end up changing the cam again, I would step up to the 224/230. The 114 LSA keeps the power band in a good range for the street. I have no complaints about any loss of low end, because I have not really felt any loss.

Extreme tuning is not a must, just some tweaking to the idle and the converter lockup were the main things it needed first. I am still playing with timing tables, but am not too worried about that part at the moment. That will come along as I experiment more.