Thread: Whats the perfect cam?

I was lookin into getting either an XP cam from ZZP or the thrasher cam. The thrasher has a higher lift. Is that better? Also how do these or any cam effect drivability? Now obviously when i do the cam i"m gona do the double roller timing chain, 105 or the 130 pound springs etc. Now the bigger question is can you put on a different ratio rocker on opposed to the stock 1.6? How does all this work and whats a SWEEEEET combination of parts to get some awesome performance out of your stock heads?

I still want to be able to drive it daily. Also, ZZP says that with he XP cam you can run a 3" pulley. Whats your take on that? And i want a cam that will give you a sweet grin the first time you take the car outafter the install. Just want to be able to notice a significant difference in performance. Any ideas for a good setup?

We've got folks around here running all the various daily driver cams (VS, S1x, XP). They are all happy, and I've never had trouble with any of the parts (always a good thing, when you're the only installer/troubleshooter around).

I wouldn't even consider a Thrasher cam for a stock head application. Aside from the clearance up top being questionable even with modded retainers to try helping, the airflow of the added lift isn't going to be utilized properly.

The XP has treated me GREAT for the past 4+yrs and 55k miles. Even with a big blower running on it now, I'm still able to get 30mpg on ocassional road trips. The idle sound is the best "lope" of the 3, for whatever reason that results in. The VS has a smoother sound, but subtle gurgle to hint at being there. The S1x is a bit difficult to get a smoother rumble from, and I've played with various idle rpm's to try (just being picky). If you want vids of each, I can dig them up from my photobucket, or where-ever my buddys save theirs.

Power ends up coming from what else is done to the engine. Headers are almost a must, and that's another discussion for choice. I'd suggest valvetrain upgrades for the XP and S1x, but the VS is meant for stock valvetrain items with lower miles (get a fresh chain/tensioner if you're over 30k). Unless your butt dyno is somehow calibrated, you won't be able to tell the difference in power band without getting a dyno sheet later on. If it goes faster & runs clean, be happy when it's done.

- Dave

Well sounds like im gonna go with the XP. With that in mind, do you use stock rockers or do they need changed? And was there a big difference with the XP cam after you guys installed it?

Originally Posted by blowfishRus6

another thing to think about also is powerbands. where you want your power at. some cams make good power low, some make good power up high.

if it wasent for zzp's on and off tunning i would suggest the NIC cam. low 12's with cam headers and pulley.

just to give an idea. tdc went 12.7 with a 1.9 60" with an xp cam, fullsize intercooler, race tranny with 3.29 gears, zzp headers, zzp throttle body, 2.8 pulley and whatever else you need to run that.

True, but I went 12.7 with XP, stock 3.29 tranny, SSAC headers, GenV & Northstar... and power curves depend more on the way the combination works & is tuned. I've seen some fall off like a rock, while others carry to redline better, with cam version not mattering in this equation.

Whichever items you get, it's going to beneft from all the little details you cover. This is how people could squeeze more power back in the day from alot less mods than most folks run today... they'd tune & tune, find little things to improve on the engine/airflow here & there, and gain great experience as they went along.

- Dave

Originally Posted by blowfishRus6

did you have the higher comperssion then?? j/w.

tunning is a big aspect to it. that is one of the most critical things you need to look into in this whole process.

Yes, was on a 70k '01 L36 block at the time. I ran a 2.9 and 3.0 pulley back then, on partial GT100 mix. Similar to an L67 block with 2.7-2.8.

- Dave

Originally Posted by blowfishRus6

if it wasent for zzp's on and off tunning i would suggest the NIC cam. low 12's with cam headers and pulley.

Yea you know, just cam, intake, headers, race gas, weight reduction (a lot), slicks, built trans, god only knows what else is hidden. I get flamed if i leave out the fact that i use E85, so not mentioning race gas which is HUGE in a non i/c'd car is just as bad. They act like the cars just had intake, exhaust, cam, and ran f-ing low 12's... riiiiiiiight.

The NIC is junk, it's a cam meant to give everyone what they want, which is lope. Nobody wants a functional cam, they want a cam that sounds mean. 90% of the nic cars run like crap, and 2-3 ran low 12's non i/c'd. There's plenty of xp and s1x cars that did the same thing, and i bet they get much better gas mileage. The NIC would be cool on a 10.2-10.5:1 compression build with way more lift (so it would have to be a custom grind) on some s3-s4 heads, E85, and a Gen V. That would be a mean sounding and well functioning car.

lol, but but but it sounds mean... and run low 12's with just intake, headers, 3.0 pulley. That's it, zzp says so.

By all means they have every right to do that, and in no way shape or form am i going to take that away from them, BUT getting someone's hopes up by saying stuff like that is just mean.