I just recently installed the XE 224/230 cam in my car. I believe I may have an exhaust leak or a vacuum leak somewhere becuase I really feel no gains from the cam. It feels just the same as it did before the cam it just lopes now. I have had the computer tuned for the cam and all that did was fix the idle. Any ideas what my problem may be?

 

Who programmed your PCM?

 

Dyno it...or run it at the track...in many cases the power delivery is more linear up top and therefore you can't necessarily feel it in SOTP like you may think...

 

When I got mine back together, I found that my fuel pump wasn't delivering enough fuel to help me up top. It was already starting to fail. A Racetronix pump fixed that situation.

 

No, something is really wrong like a leak somewhere. My buddy has the same cam and we bumped the cars off the other day and he pulled about 3 cars on me. When we both had the same boltons we ran side by side and I know he shouldnt have pulled me as bad as he did so I know I have a problem.

 

O2 sensors good? Checked your cat? Fuel filter/pump?

 

Get it on a dyno and check your A/F and FP then you will have some info to work with. You can not change a cam and expect to pickup HP / TQ unless you retune your fuel curve.

 

One of my 02's is a little bad. Causing her to run a little lean. The fuel pump and filter were replaced about 3 months ago. The thing is I wasnt having these problems until after the cam install. The car runs fine I just seem to be not getting any power from it yet. I think there is a leak somewhere or perhaps a plug wire was put in the wrong place.

 

Again, who did your "Custom Tuning"?

 

PCMFORLESS! Then my buddy even went back into the computer and took knock away that I was getting from there tune.

I dont think its tuning related. The problem is something else.

 

maybe you have it a tooth off or something. you should definitely have noticed a difference. what plugs/ wires are you running? double check your wires. are you sure the rockers aren't too tight? just throwing up some things off the top of my head. the first time I really opened my car up after the cam install, I couldn't believe how the thing pulled. good luck, i'm sure you'll get it straightened out.

Michael

 

You'll really need to get a scan tool on there to see what's going on so you won't have the guess work. "Is it this?<replace part>", "Is it that? <replace part>". It might just be knock retard.
David K. Wilson
'96 Z28 A3 CC224/236, Vigi 2800, Long Tubes, Home ported heads, LT1 Edit
12.0 on motor only
11.1 w/100 shot

 

I know what its supposed to feel like. My buddy has the same setup and the same cam and his pulls like a raped ape. The tuning is really close to being perfect. By looking at the scan tool the guy did say the vacuum was kinda high and thats why he thinks I may have a leak somewhere. Im getting no knock at all. He got rid of all that.

I could possibly need some new plugs and wires. They were changed not to long ago but I have been spraying the car some and I dont have colder plugs. But the car ran fine before the cam install so I dont see why that would affect it now that I have the cam in. Hopefully this weekend he will be able to figure out what my problem is. Wish me luck.

 

Mind you, I am certainly no guru, but if PCMFORLESS tuned you for the cam, maybe you detuned it when your buddy got rid of the knock.

Perhaps you should have had an LT4 KM? If the knock was false and you altered the timing to get rid of false knock, you may have hurt your performance. Just a guess.

 

What RPM does the car idel at? Usually if you have a vacum leak the idel is higher than usual....When I put my intake manifold on my car I didn't use enough sealent around the back lip of the intake and it caused a vacum leak........You might have the same problem......It's very common to have a vacum leak when taking off the intake..........However it shouldn't cause a huge lose in power if it is very slight. Another way to find out if you have a vacum leak is to scan the computer for codes.......If it has a vacum leak the computer should throw a mass air code. Any Autozone will scan your computer for free, so it is worth tring.