Lost

I'm considering doing some engine work this summer since my car is getting up there (just passed 100,000 mile mark).. I'd like to freshen the top end up a bit (new springs, lifters, and 1.6 nsa rr's) obviously this would be the time to swap in a new cam.. I'm not looking for ***** to the wall performance here - I'm a student and this is my daily driver so I'd like to keep it reliable and semi-gas-effecient. I'm torn between the 224 230 and 218 224... I think the choice hinges on what if anything I do to the heads. Dad, with his usually wisdom, strongly suggests that I have a valve job done which would require me to pull the heads.. I have no problem doing this (hell I've already installed hooker LT's - what could be worse?) I just don't know if it's really needed.. So, let me have your input - do either of these cams need some porting to compliment them? Should I pull the heads and have them cleaned up a bit? If I do have porting done I'll probably call Llyod.. the cam kit will come from combination motorsports of course.

So what would you do in my shoes? How much more work is it to pull the heads? Anything else I should do while I'm in there?

BTW the car is a '96 m6 with other little bolt-on mods - hooker LT's and 3" duals, CAI, spec stage II (already been through 2 stage III's and a stocker), and all the other usual stuff not worth listing.

Red96Lt1

I would pull the heads and call Lloyd. It will wake up whatever cam you choose. If it were me, I might go with one of Lloyd's cam/head packages.

Mikey 97Z M6

I would also strongly suggest pulling the heads and getting a valvejob and surface the heads. The job does entail quite a bit more work ie; pulling the headers, etc.. not to mention the added cost with new head gaskets and such. In the end, it will be great peace of mind knowing the top end is ready to go.

Mike

Lt1t56

My head gasket blew at 131,000 miles, so I took heads to machine shop and the machinist disassembled them while I was there. The springs were weak, and the valves were mushrooming on the top where the valve retainers were. Suprisingly the valve guides were like new.

mebanditws6

Go for the 224/230. You'll still be very streetable, and shiftpoints are not much past 6k.

Jason

dhirocz

I would say do just head freshening and cam swap if you have like $1000ish to spend. If you have $2000 or more, head porting is the way to go.

I'd go 224/230. I have a 224/232 and I think it's a great street cam. Rumbles and has a lopey idle, but not too rough. worked fine with my stock heads. Pulled from 2000 on up and got 28 mpg highway. I want more cam though Make sure you have good valve springs and rockers! If you're like me and cam is your thing, you can get a cc306 which works well with stock heads due to the difference in the intake an exhaust (more duration and lift for the restrictive exhuast side), or you can go to a GM847 which has good lobes and a nice rough idle which would probably work nice with LT headers and such. Both are damn nice cams and people are getting respectable mileage out of them in the right tune (23-25mpg highway tops)

Good to at least do the valve job and resurface. While you're there you can put in thinner head gaskets for a tighter quench and higher compression to compliment your cam. That way you dont have to worry about it! Make sure you get a good timing chain and some good head bolts like ARP. I think '96 has those PITA 'torque to yield' head bolts