I have a 1996 Formula with a vented opti, and someone I know has a cam in his 1994 Formula with NON-vented opti.

What would it take to get the non-vented cam to work with my vented setup? Would it even be worth it?

 

Worth it? It all depends on the cam.

If it's a stock cam it wouldnt work, because the hole in the center of the face is to small to work with your vented opti. It's possible to have it machined to fit the oringed shaft on your opti, but I doubt that the machining cost would make it feasable. You also need a longer dowel pin. (you can do a search to get the correct length)

Most aftermaket LT1 cams have a hole in the face of the cam that's setup for the vented opti, but will also work with the non-vented ones. If this is what your getting, you'll only need a longer dowel pin to make it work with the vented opti. (Sometimes if you call up the cam manufacturer, they'll send you a new dowel pin for free - comp cams did it for me, when I swithced from a non-vented to a vented opti )

 

This is for a Comp XE 230/236 cam.

Maybe I'll send Comp an email about it or something.

 

You should have no problem with the Comp Cam and opti compatibility - You'll just need the longer dowel pin.

 

Yup, the cam should work fine, you just have to find a good way to make the dowel pin longer. I believe it is a little more than twice as long as the non vented opti version.

 

The guy that owns the cam says it doesn't have the larger hole for the vented opti.

Guess I need to be looking elsewhere for a cam.

 

That's odd. I thought all comp LT1 grinds are setup to work with the vented opti. The CC cam I ordered for my non-vented opti, worked fine when I swaped to a vented opti, once I changed the dowel pin. It might be worth your time to call comp cams and ask - maybe the person who has the cam was confused.

 

Yes I agree, I think your buddy is confusing something because I would imagine that ALL LT1 aftermarket cams are designed to fit the vented version because there are more cars with the vented than the non-vented opti.....I would be willing to bet it will work if you change the dowel pin, but if it makes you feel better call Comp Cams

 

Perhaps it's not a Comp Cam after all or maybe they did make some different ones. There should be identifying numbers etched into the back end of the cam.

 

If you look in the comp catalog the XE grind is pretty well universal accross the board on SBC Hydraulic roller cams, traditional retrofit, originally equiped (non-LT1) , then the LT1. so if they use a different blank for each one the hole may not be there. and I know the traditional SBC originally equiped with hydraulic rollers cams will slide right into a 93,94 LT1 with no problems whatsoever.