im set on a hotcam. i am almost positive from going back and fourth between different heads and cam setups. im planning on a hotcam with some LE1 heads. my concerns are...

i have 120k on the car. i know its not bullet proof but i still am hoping for it to last me a few more years with the cam and everything done. i will prolly rebuild the engine in about 5 years but until then i want it to last.

i am prolly only gonna run this thing to about 6k RPM's.

main question: should i go with a normal hotcam kit with the SA rockers and just do press in studs with out guideplates of coarse.

OR...
should i buy just the hotcam and get some NSA rockers, guideplates, hardened pushrods and screw in studs.

like i said before, i will prolly have the chip set for a 6k rev limiter, but i dont want to be cheap here. im doign everything the proper way because im only doing it once. the hotcam kit seems like something you buy just to throw in for some extra power but i want a little more than that. im hoping to run at least low 12's with all the extra goods on motor only.

so what do you guys think, basic Hotcam kit, or hotcam with NSA rockers, guideplates, screw in studs and that whole deal?

i dont want to hear "well you should try this cam cause its better" or anything like that. im set on the hotcam and i am very emmisions restrained. but i would like anyones opinions or personal thoughts on this. as always thanks for the help

 

In my opinion. The hotcam kit would be the best way to go. I have the Hotcam and I reused all my stock parts. I bought a set of rocker arms that are similar to the Comp Cams 1.6 roller tips rockers. I wouldnt worry about getting the NSA rocker arms and the guideplates and all that. I also bought my LT4 springs seperate off the board. Peace, Dustin.

 

I'd just do the Hotcam kit and the heads if you want. That would be the best budget oriented move.

If you were only concerned about power I'd have Lloyd talk to Bret about making you an emissions friendly camshaft to match the heads. To my knowledge Lloyds ported heads come back with springs and everything else except rockers. Then all you would need is some hardened pushrods and some ProMags or GMPP rockers depending on the overall lift on the cam.

Also I dont think the studs have ever been pressed in the heads, mine unscrewed and screwed back in. The NSA ones and such are more for high revving, although they are more stable I would not say its necessary it your only taking it to 6k.

-Dustin-

 

Just get the HOTcam kit and use the cam, SA rockers, locks, etc. I would recommend getting some better springs than what comes in the kit because they are borderline on being too weak with that cam and the 1.6 rockers. I re-used my lifters and pushrods.

You can play around with it some, but you'll need to set the shift points above 6k like you were originally planning. It's not a monster cam, but I had the shiftpoints on my HOTcam setup at 6200, and it probably could have been set higher.

 

do stock LT1's have screw-in studs? i thought they didnt but it sounds like they do. either way. can i just run a hotcam kit with my factory pushrods and all that and send Lloyd my heads and the Hotcam kit springs and retainers and all that?

 

Yes, all aluminuim LT1 heads have screw in studs. And yes you can run the hotcam kit with factory pushrods.

 

I believe all aluminum heads have screw in studs, because when up to temp the aluminum expands more than cast iron and the studs would pull up.

 

yea that makes sense, i was just figuring most factory cast iron heads had pressed in studs so LT1s prolly do to, but i forgot with the aluminum heads and all that.lol. should i just get an LE1 package, then just buy my own SA rockers and the cam seperate? as opposed to buying the hotcam kit and using the hotcam springs, because it was mentioned they are weak, what kind of springs come with an LE1 setup?