What cam with GT40 intake?

[sgwinn]

I'm going to get the GT40 intake and decided it would be good to slap a new cam in while everything is apart. Engine is completely stock now. Anyone recommend a FRPP cam that would be good; say a step or two above stock? I don't want too radical. Also do lifters while i'm at it? Anything else, maybe a new timing chain since I've got 112k miles on motor? Thanks.

[Unit 5302]

Originally Posted by sgwinn

I'm going to get the GT40 intake and decided it would be good to slap a new cam in while everything is apart. Engine is completely stock now. Anyone recommend a FRPP cam that would be good; say a step or two above stock? I don't want too radical. Also do lifters while i'm at it? Anything else, maybe a new timing chain since I've got 112k miles on motor? Thanks.

FRPP cams are nearly 10 years old in technology and design. The F303 is the best of the offerings. The E303, although generally considered to be "better" than the B303 with fuel injected cars is widely known to cause idle issues.

IMHO, if you're intent on camming the engine, choose a different cam line altogether. People seem to love the XE series from comp cams because they offer greater performance with better low end and idle quality. That's because the camshafts take advantage of the roller setup on the HO motor and have very aggressive ramp rates with little overlap. They will require you to replace just about the entire valvetrain because of high lift. Even other, more modern cams that still favor a little duration for better top end performance like the TFS #1 will exceed the stock springs specifications. The stock springs are insufficient for use with any cam having more than .500 lift on intake or exhaust, and really are probably overdue for replacement on your engine without a cam.

The bottom line is, the camshaft really isn't going to do anything for you anyway, unless you have serious work done to the stock E7TE heads or purchase aftermarket high performance heads anyway.

If you replace the heads, cam and intake, you'll definitely want an AFPR, and you'll probably want to upgrade the fuel injectors to 24lb/hr, which will necessitate a new MAF sensor.

Don't you just hate this waterfall effect?

[NO SLO PK]

The problem with selecting a cam with stock heads is that the cam will no longer be ideal when you change the heads and exhaust. Another problem is the stock valve springs are not compatible with the fast ramps of the newer cams. An E cam will *work okay*, but why bother on a stock engine. I bet you get 7 hp. For the same kinda money I'd buy an electric fan or a set of pullies and have some money left over.

[sgwinn]

Ouch. don't have that much money now. so, looking towards the future, i'll just get the intake now and then do the cam and heads at the same time. think i'd notice any improvement with just the intake? maybe a new throttle body, say 65 mm too? no more money.

[NO SLO PK]

The GT40 intake costs about $600? It's a fine intake, but there are other intakes that may better match your future combination. If it were my car, I would first determine which intake, heads, and cam would work best together.

Given a $600 budget, I would suggest something different.

You can buy underdrive pullies for about $100 and do a gear swap for about $500. Gears should give you about 0.2 to 0.3 reduction and the pullies about 0.1. The difference will be noticeable.