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Cam or I/C which would be the best benefit

C

Cobras 98 Prix

New member
I am contemplating a nic cam swap or putting a i/c on the car when spring comes arround. I have a zzp 1.0pcm, 3.4" pulley, 3" catted downpipe, 180 thermostat, cold air intake, and 104 autolites on the car now. I may go to the dragstrip 1or 2 times, but mostly cruising/fun factor. Which would benefit the car the most? I will be adding headers also in the spring.
 


both will end up producing similar overall power gains when used to their full potential, depending upon options of course. however, a cam will change the entire powerband of the car (normally a good thing).
 


I'd go cammed.. I was debating the same thing, but decided to go with the cam. You can always ad an IC later on..
 
This debate comes up time and time again. Some people think cam and some think intercooler. There are very real comparisons you can base your decision on rather than anecdotal testimony from someone who bought one over the other. Overall a cam like the xp/nic or similar grind should make more power than just adding an intercooler. It'll also allow you to rev higher and have an overall faster car.

The great thing about the cam is that actual volumetric efficiency is changed. With an intercooler you're simply cooling the charge... now you have to jack the boost up which creates more drag on the blower, higher boost levels make the blower less efficient (adiabatic and volumetric) where as the cam does the opposite.

As far as I remember they're both around the same cost. While some people will tell you an intercooler is easier to install the truth is they're both fairly complicated and you'll need to know what you're doing either way.

IMO the first thing that should be addressed on a 3800 is it's inability to flow air. An intercooler doesn't address that at all.
 
Cam increases the motors efficiency, not the blower.

You still have to drop a pulley to take advantage of your better flowing motor.

Blower is still inefficient.

Thus the more modded you are, the more benefit you'll see from an intercooler.
 
both will result in about the same end goal for power.

A ZZP pcm would work pretty darn good as is if you just bolted an intercooler on.

I think that even your most crazy cam/intercooled setups are dirt slow, so I would probably suggest an intercooler over a cam as it is a pretty good upgrade for cheap. In reality, you can do an intercooler for much cheaper and easier than you can properly and reliably do a cam.

Throw some modded 1.9 rockers and headers on the intercooler setup and you could make well over 300whp.... which will also make more torque than a NIC cam, and usually it will be more horsepower than a NIC cam car makes. MPG/tuning is also better/easier.
 


darkhorizon said:
both will result in about the same end goal for power.

A ZZP pcm would work pretty darn good as is if you just bolted an intercooler on.

I think that even your most crazy cam/intercooled setups are dirt slow so I would probably suggest an intercooler over a cam as it is a pretty good upgrade for cheap. In reality, you can do an intercooler for much cheaper and easier than you can properly and reliably do a cam.

Throw some modded 1.9 rockers and headers on the intercooler setup and you could make well over 300whp.... which will also make more torque than a NIC cam, and usually it will be more horsepower than a NIC cam car makes. MPG/tuning is also better/easier.
Click to expand...

Do you have to go around beating your chest in every thread? The OP is asking for help on deciding between a CAM and and IC. He's not asking for big bad feiro boy to come in saying his setup is, was and always will be "dirt slow". Are you that insecure with yourself that you feel the need to be such a jerk to people asking innocent questions?

Not only do you act in an immature manner towards people who could care less what your rattle trap car makes for power... but you are giving him false information as well! You say "oh your car will be dirt slow, so because of that reason I say go IC"

Read it! That's what you gave for advice!

OP please disregard this guys input... he's got no idea what he's talking about. A proper cammed (xp/nic/s1x) setup will outperform an intercooled setup on our cars EVERY TIME.
 
You do know I have had a few intercooled/1.9 rocker cars well into the 12s right?

I was mearly commenting that my experience is with cars that make real power and to only take my advice from that angle....

Again, you succeed at being a dumb troll... Reported.
 
I would say a used IC and rockers would be the easiest route, but if your goal is to make big power in the long run than start with a cam.
 
darkhorizon said:
You do know I have had a few intercooled/1.9 rocker cars well into the 12s right?

I was mearly commenting that my experience is with cars that make real power and to only take my advice from that angle....

Again, you succeed at being a dumb troll... Reported.
Click to expand...


I agree with snowflake. Look at the mods in my sig. I was originally planning on going the IC'ed route, but now am going cammed. After researching over and over again throughout various forums, it seems to be the best route to build power.
 
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Nothing wrong with a IC/Rockers/Headers setup. Certainly easier to set up than a cam. Going with just the IC and headers, though, it will certainly depend on what cam you pick.
 
Didn't mean to start a war guys, I would be going with a nic cam if i went that route. I am new to this car and what makes it go, and still be reliable. I went with my current setup from what I have read in these forums. I have gave the car a complete tune up, plugs,wires, thermostat, fuel filter, after I seafoamed the car and drove it about a hundred miles. The blower is also ported which should help kr from what I have read in these forums. Thanks ifor all the useful info guys
 
I am going to throw on an intercooler early next year. I plan on doing a cam down the road when my trans craps out and I put in a fully built trans instead of the partially built trans I have in now. As far as cost I think an intercooler is most effective. With a cam you will spend a bunch of extra money on fluids and gaskets. All that adds up and makes a cam expensive. If you piece together your own intercooler kit then it is a lot cheaper. Bottom line

Pieced together intercooler= cheap
Cam install= pricey, but more over all power.
 
More power on a dyno does not always = faster btw.

While it is very minimal on a SC car, a cam does move power around some... Also a cam is going to only show modest gains in the lower rpm ranges while on a dyno your peak number will be much higher than a previous peak.

There was a car in town here that went from a intercooler/rocker/headers setup to a NIC and no intercooler setup only to gain a fraction amount more hosrepower on a dyno.... And he went from 93 octane to E85 at the same time.
 
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