91Bird305

Man, what a pain in the *** that was. LoL. Took a whole weekend but I got it running and man does it pull hard. Wasn't able to change the valve springs with my new and better ones cause I couldn't get the air attachment into the plug holes because of my headers but I am gonna have a shop do it. So for right now I can only rev it to 4500rpms but man does it pull all the way till and I know it has a lot more in it past that. I can't wait to get those springs in a check it out. I have the fuel pressure set at 12 psi right now and my timing at 8 degrees. I will more then likely have to have a custom prom burned. Anyone have any good recommendations? I went with accel shorty plugs and man did that help make it easier to take them on and off. I HIGHLY recommend picking up a set to anyone with aftermarket headers. My edelbrock elite series valve covers are lookin good too and I'm not hearing any ticking from the rockers so we must have done them right. All in all it was a pain in the *** and I never worked on a car that long in my entire life. 2 1/2 days. 1st day started at 1:00pm and went until 4:00am, woke up at 12:00pm the next day and went till 8:00am the next morning! non-stop. Getting that timing cover on was the biggest pain in the *** having to drop the oil pan and all so I can get the bottom gasket on the bottom lip of the timing cover. Anyways, anyone who has done this swap already have any recommendations as far as tuning goes? Timing, fuel pressure, custom proms, etc? Thanks, I will have pictures soon. The engine looks sweet and my air cleaner stands really high with that intake, 1 inch spacer and 14x3 open element. Hahah, thank *** for my ASCD Hood.

TransAmTBI

Good work man!! I am actually getting ready to do the same job!!! Let me know any problems and such! What prep did you do to get the old cam out with engine in car? I knOw the basics! good job hope to see those pics!

91Bird305

What do u mean by preped? Sorry, I sometimes can't follow that NJ lingo. j/k

TransAmTBI

Like I know you have to take the radiator out... what did you do to get enough room to take the cam out.. any work outside of actually putting new intake and cam on

SSBlueOx

Nice i got the LT1 cam just 2 days ago for $50 and im gunna get some RRs/Springs/lifters before i install it eheh. And BTW just went to your site your vids kick ***! I made one of my friends and it wasnt as good as what u did so ima try harder once i get my car up and running with some **** this summer hehehehe

SSXeon

91Bird305

Heheh, cool SS.

Well a lot has to be taken out in order to get the cam in. Its a bitch man let me tell ya.

Fuel system, distributor, intake, valve covers, rocker arms, lifters, (should replace ur valve springs, have to use an air attachement for ur spark plug hole to keep valves up), water pump, dampner, radiator, condenser, um, let me think. Theres more I think. Oh, timing cover, timing chain, alternator to get my valve covers back on (I switched to Edelbrock Elite Series ones), Oil pan to get the timing cover back on properly, had to drop my y-pipe to get to all the bolts on the oil pan, plugs, wires, cam and then finally u can start putting stuff back together that u just took off after that, set your rockers properly, your valve springs, your timing, fill the fluids back up and pray u don't hear any ticking from the rockers cause then u gotta take the valve covers off again but luckily i did it right the first time.

89fastlookinRS

I'm running about 8-10 degrees of timing, about 13 psi on fuel, 350 injectors, and chip tuning by www.tbichips.com. My tune isnt perfect yet but its getting better. Brian who runs tbichips is a great guy to work with.

91Bird305

I have one of Brian's regular modified chips in my car right now. It works good for the time being. I would really like him to burn me a custom prom though.

Pablo

iTrader: (1)

about time hahah

and uh, i think youll be allright with the stock valvesprings. Changing them is more of a "recommended" rather than necessary. Hell I was running a half inch lift with stock type springs for atleast 5000 miles before I broke one.

As for you taking them to a shop, dont be a *****. You can change them yourself without air (Like I have done numerous times)

Heres how:
Remove spark plugs
Bring the cylinder you want to remove springs on to TDC.
Get rope that is just wide enough to pass through the spark plug hole.
Feed said rope into spark plug hole.
Just keep feeding till the cyl is full, this might take a couple of attempts since the rope might get hung up.
once the cyl is full use your valvespring compressor and remove the spring. The valve has nowhere to go since the cyl is full of rope..

I used this method to change springs individually as they broke and I was too broke to change them all at once, and finally when i just replaced all of them with a set of good springs. It took me less than two hours to change them all like this.

If you take it to a shop Ill call your Dreamweaver *** a b i t c h.

Pablo

iTrader: (1)

forgot to mention when you have changed the spring you just pull out the rope and move to the next cyl.

91Bird305

You son of a bitch! I am no dreamweaver.....oh great. now the song is stuck in my head.

Oh so the stock valve springs are good but u break them huh?

The rope trick, I remember hearing about that a long time ago and I totally forgot. Maybe it was from one of my dreams that I don't remember (ZZ4 to come) Hahahaha. The good ole days. Anyways, I will try that. Thanks.

91Bird305

Valve Springs Installtion for Dummies huh? Smart ***.

TransAmTBI

sweet! hopefully i'll have no probs either

91Bird305

Good luck. It was so tough to get those Edelbrock Valve covers on there right and coming close to a complete 24 hour day of work I was praying when I turned my car over to set the timing that I would hear any ticking cause I did not want to take those motherf-ckers back off.

Akshay

Cool! Sounds like your car can keep up with the 4th gens.

Akshay
89 RS stock

91Bird305

Yeah, well it needs a custom prom before it can do that. LT1's maybe. LS1's? I'm gonna need a little pssssssst.

Axoid

Mine car is similar but I'm running Torquer heads and my Performer intake is carb version with a Holley TBI adapter.

The LT1 cam likes more timing, 8 degrees is a good starting point with premium fuel. In my setup the engine was running rich and I had to take fuel out compared to the stock fuel map. It got real bad around 4300 rpms with a 9:1 fuel ratio. This may not be as big of a deal if your running the stock heads.

My engine is making 213 rwhp at around 5500 rpms and the injectors are max'ing out. This past weekend I installed a Holley 350 TBI unit to get more flow and bigger injectors, so I back to doing serious tuning again.

TransAmTBI

i cant wait to get started!! unfortunately I'm gunna wait to put my hedders and y pipe so i can get all the air crap out of the way! after their in! onto the intake and cam!! I cant freakin wait!

Gunny Highway

iTrader: (1)

AXOID - you're only getting 213 RWHP with Torquer 305 heads, LT1 cam and a Performer intake???? DAMN! I'm about to run the same setup, but I was hoping for more power. I was hoping for mid 13 ET's.

tanager11

Nice post boys....I just got in tonight from doing my springs/seals during my L98 Cam and intake swap.....I think my back is going to hurt tomorrow! Regardless I hope it is worth it for me in the long run...because this is a good bit of work!

Axoid

That is up 32 rwhp from last year. But I lost 19 rwtq.

rsscoty

already have my LT1 cam and just picked up a set of 416 heads. gonna do a 3 angle job on and pocket port. I am definitly gonna change by springs... gonna step up to 1.6 RR.
Ordering my exhaust next month ( my girls are coming to spend a month with me so mods are on hold).

Scoty

Gunny Highway

iTrader: (1)

Well when you say Torquer heads, are just talking about the standard Torquers or the S/R Torquers for the 305?

Frik92RS

I can't wait to do that kinda work on my motor probably in like the fall/winter timeframe. What did the cam change do to your exhaust note?

Axoid

The S/R Torquers.

bbtaz97

iTrader: (3)

hey do you have atleast 1 5/8 headers and 3inch exhaust?? Man i was thinkin about doing the s/r torqer head swap but not if im getting those kind of results..

if you dont have headers yet thats why you only at 213. with a good set up headers you would be prob close to 230..

bbtaz97

iTrader: (3)

ok upon review i answered my own question... well i guess i just do suspenson work until i get the 350 then..

Gunny Highway

iTrader: (1)

I was wondering the same thing. Well how the hell do I get to the magic 1:1 mark without NO2 then? You would think that those heads with a LT1 cam and Edelbrock intake and full exhaust that 300 HP should be about right. Atleast that's the impression I've been given by people on this board over the last year.

JokerRS

The LT1 cam is a mild cam. One of the reasons it is popular is because you can get by with a stock chip if you tune with a vacAFPR. The LT1 motor didn't make 1 hp per cube inch and I think it had 10:1 compression. If you want 1 hp per cube you will need a bigger cam and chip tunning.

Axoid

Yes I have headers, see sig.

As JokerRS said, the LT1 is a mild cam. The 116 degrees on the lobe center is what kills it. It would be better if it had only 112 degrees, but you would start to lose vacuum. I believe the engine is making just about what is should be, 213 RWHP or about 250 crank HP. I'm looking at several other cams as possible installs this fall, but I don't want to lose too much vacuum since my primary focus is autocross and the vacuum assisted brakes are very important.

Gunny Highway

iTrader: (1)

Well damn it!! What other kind of cam is out there that could help get to the 1:1 ratio, but is still fine for a daily driver?

Even with custom chip tuning and S/R Torquer heads, I'm still going to be nowhere close to 300 HP??!!?? Ya know, I was planning on throwing in a 350, but I've got this perfectly good 305, but if I can't reach 300 HP without having any adverse effects on daily usage, I'm about to say screw it.

Help me guys, I'm startin' to lose faith here.

Axoid

Call Holley/Lunati, Crane or Comp Cams and ask them for their opinions. That's what their tech lines are for.

Pablo

iTrader: (1)

What makes something a daily driver is relative.

Id daily drive a NMCA hot street drag car.. or atleast attempt to.. you are gonna have to be more specific. We are still talking about very mild cams here. My 305 has a 214/224 flat tappet with .5 lift and its perfectly streetable

TMoNeE

iTrader: (1)

hey pablo, how bout u write a tech article on installing a cam for us noobs that cant do **** without detailed instructions

JokerRS

I'm using a ZZ4 cam in my daily driver and it works fine. It made 355 hp in a 350. A ZZ4 cam needs chip tuning to run right. After tuning my own combo, I wouldn't trust a mail order chip with this cam. It needed alot of timing advance to run hard and thats something you cant guess at. You can data log your VE table and have some one correct it, but tuning your timing is alot more touchy and tedious. It takes several trys to dial it in for power and efficiency. My car is dependable, drivable, and gets close to stock gas milage.

Gunny Highway

iTrader: (1)

ZZ4 cam huh? What kind of car did those come in, or is it simply an aftermarket cam? If so, where and how much?

-The Gunny

Gunny Highway

iTrader: (1)

Nevermind that, I found it at GMpartsdirect for $165

Pablo

iTrader: (1)

have you checked around in the tech section of this website? its amazing what youll find. Jester wrote an article on cam swaps years ago it should still be up.

SilverSub122

91bird - i started looking at this thread...downloaded the vids on your site and completely forgot what the thread is about...kick *** job with the videos...anybody that hasnt seen these yet needs to check them out. they gave me goosebumps i wanna go mash around town now

Nate's 88

when i did my cam i had to remove the front support bar thats at the very front of the car, just 2 bolts i do believe and move it to the side a little will give you clearance to get it out.

91Bird305

Hey guys, finally got my account working. Some sort of weird glitch on the server or something. Anyways, I am glad u liked the videos Silversub. I've got plenty more.

seanof30306

iTrader: (4)

on the 1:1 hp:

those numbers are flywheel hp. with an automatic, he's losing somewhere in the neighborhood of 20% at the rear wheels, isn't he?

if that's tha case, 213 rwhp should work out to be somewhere around 270 at the flywheel. not 1:1, but not as far off as one might think.

snflupigus

good lord, how did i miss this post.

I just did cam swap in the truck a couple weeks ago. powemax h290 cam. new lifters, stock heads - truck will never rev high, though i did play around with a 83 vette the other day, i think i suprised him when i was still there half way through second gear and when my 33x12.5's started roaring (not squeeling) off the line

stock manifolds and intake are killing me with that cam but its nice to have a truck that could probably eat my camaro now

anyway eric, and anybody else who is planning on doing this. you do NOT have to drop the oilpan to get your timing cover back on. you trim the corners, only the corners of the lip on the timing cover back about a quarter of an inch. then you cut out the old part of the front seal. the part you can see. then you load your lip on your timing cover up with rtv, and slap it in there, then smooth it out with your finger on the outside making sure there are NO places where you missed. if you did, take it off, clean it up and repeat. This is how my best tech at the dealership instructed me to do it, says hes done that hundreds of times. my truck has no leaks. and it sure beats dropping the pan. i was nervous about doing it this way, but i trust this guy, hes probably one of the best gm techs in the area from what the other techs in the shop say. so, next time

congrats on the improvements.

Pablo

iTrader: (1)

An 83 vette huh? wow

snflupigus

what are you trying to say?

Pablo

iTrader: (1)

do a search for 83 vette on the internet :lala:

snflupigus

ahhh, ok 83 is the year they didnt make em.. right. well anyway, it was an old c4 and was definately crossfire or something crappy anyway, it was slow and i held up with it. smartace