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Going Cam Only (cam experts help!)

Ok, here is the situation. Hopefully some cam experts or people running cams can help.

I'm currently running a 3" Stainless Works cat-back, no other mods. I'd like to do a bigger cam, but I'm strongly leaning toward not doing LTs first for 4 reasons: 1) I'd like a nice bump in power; I think I'd be happy with 400+ whp. For now. I think. 2) I love the sound of the exhaust as is. To me it's perfect. It sounds like sex, but loud sex. I've heard my system with headers and adding LTs will make it TOO loud, even for me. 3) I live in a certain state with as many laws as there are pretty women, particularly emissions laws. 4) I confess: I love the sound of a cammed LS3.:wub:

Now, my tuner, whom I trust, can do and would do the cam swap and thinks the car would run great, but thinks LTs are the best bang for your buck mod for the SS. I agree, but it's not the path I'd like to go right now.

The question I'm hoping someone experienced can answer is: is there any disadvantage, other than leaving 30 or so hp on the table, if I just do a cam swap without changing to long tube headers? Will I have a car I'm happy with?

Thanks. Chris

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS 376 (Post 1791853)

Depending on how agressive your new cam is, not having headers may defeat some/most of the gains the new cam provides. Increasing the internal ability of the engine to move air in/out is useless if external air intake and exhaust are restricted.

I would ask the cam manufacturer if headers are recommended for the cam(s) you're considering.

Dont worry about the Long Tubes being too loud at all!!

Heres a LS3, stock catback with a set of Doug Thorley Long Tubes on it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZGk7267wXI

WOOHOO! Now with your Catback it would def be deeper but I wouldn't worry about loud.

At all.
-Ivan :thumbsup:

Ohh come on... You cannot tell me that a car getting almost 100hp extra with a cam and headers with be a lot lower without headers. Please correct me if im wrong but I can see maybe 10 to 20hp less but not much more then that. Yes headers helps the breathing, but because you do not have headers does not mean the breathing stops.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bad Karma (Post 1792434)

Too good of a deal for me to pass up Ivan! Check your PMs. :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS 376 (Post 1791853)

Here you go , I did just that , cam , cai , tune .
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80827

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS 376 (Post 1794774)

Too good of a deal for me to pass up Ivan! Check your PMs. :D

Most excellent! Thank you for your business again and enjoy them!!! :thumbup:

Quote:

Is this a question for me??

Kinda lost on your statement here sir. Are you saying that factory manifolds are about 10 hp less than a set of Long Tube headers? Or that you don't think that a cam cannot attribute to a net gain of 100hp with headers??

-Ivan

If you are avoiding long tubes due to the emission nazis, I think you will run into the same problem with your cam swap. For most cams, you will want to get a tune which is certainly not emissions legal. Even if you don't tune it the extra duration will probably cause you to fail the test. I must admit I don't know whether they will check for tuning on your ECM during your annual inspection though.