new sub setup or a cam.....
Skilled GTcars Poster
Joined: Oct 2004
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ok ill be different.. because i know you know whatyour doing with a system..
id go with the sub.. mainly because i want to see if it is posisble to do.. my 15" setup is so tight in the t-top well that i cant imagine putting an 18" in it unless you possibly could somehow run it inverted..
that is a great sub though.. and would sound incredible as long as it isnt underpowered.. and of course dynamat lol
id go with the sub.. mainly because i want to see if it is posisble to do.. my 15" setup is so tight in the t-top well that i cant imagine putting an 18" in it unless you possibly could somehow run it inverted..
that is a great sub though.. and would sound incredible as long as it isnt underpowered.. and of course dynamat lol
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underpowered, deffinitely not. and thanks for not bashing the sub idea.
well guys i spoke to the machine shop and they thought the cam i have now to put in is in nice shape and assured me i should be fine as long as i use lots of lube, and be careful installing it with the bearings like stated a few posts back which i was planning on watching out for that anyways.hehe
but ya i also spoke to bret bauer as well as lloyd elliot about spring tensions and all that crap. ill be using stock lifters and pushrods, along with a new timing chain. then using the crane 10308 valve spring kit with comp pro mags and thats all im upgrading. keeping stock 3/8 studs, using SA rockers so no guideplates or chromoly pushrods will be necesary. im doing it the cheap, but i think fairly smart way. and when i rebuild this engine, im goin to go ape **** with it, not just a mild rebuild. hopefully the cam will last through all summer without any problems
well guys i spoke to the machine shop and they thought the cam i have now to put in is in nice shape and assured me i should be fine as long as i use lots of lube, and be careful installing it with the bearings like stated a few posts back which i was planning on watching out for that anyways.hehe
but ya i also spoke to bret bauer as well as lloyd elliot about spring tensions and all that crap. ill be using stock lifters and pushrods, along with a new timing chain. then using the crane 10308 valve spring kit with comp pro mags and thats all im upgrading. keeping stock 3/8 studs, using SA rockers so no guideplates or chromoly pushrods will be necesary. im doing it the cheap, but i think fairly smart way. and when i rebuild this engine, im goin to go ape **** with it, not just a mild rebuild. hopefully the cam will last through all summer without any problems
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yea the shop made my stomach settle about this issue a little bit. however im not sure when ill have the money to get everything else. in a perfect world id be ordering things now and doing the install spring break, but i need to work spring braek to get the money to do it.lol
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sorry matt but i gotta bash you. its okay to go cheap like buying a used intake 
but with a cam, something serious like that...never use the word cheap and dont make shortcuts.
i havent heard any horror stories, but on carmen, i had 125,000 miles when i did the cam, but i was smart, and since i was there changed the whole top end. no i didnt have the ability to do cam bearings, but i did timing set, head gasket, lifters, pushrods, springs, retainers, locks, etc. everything. that way theres no part of the valvetrain to break. and like was stated, and as with all things mechanical, do it right and you'll have no problems.
but with a cam, something serious like that...never use the word cheap and dont make shortcuts.i havent heard any horror stories, but on carmen, i had 125,000 miles when i did the cam, but i was smart, and since i was there changed the whole top end. no i didnt have the ability to do cam bearings, but i did timing set, head gasket, lifters, pushrods, springs, retainers, locks, etc. everything. that way theres no part of the valvetrain to break. and like was stated, and as with all things mechanical, do it right and you'll have no problems.
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lifters can be reused as long as theyre in good condition and pushrods will be fine as long as theyre in decent shape too. and im doing it the most cost effective and smart way. i dont have 1500-2000 grand for a cam swap so im using less expensive parts where i can, shopping around and not getting anything i know i dont need.
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it sounds like uve decided on cam and id agree an 18" sub is so big u wont even get the full effect in something as small as a car, just going off how sound waves work u need more room to get the full effect of bass like that in a car it will be almost wasted, plus i just have my stock crapy stereo and dont have any need to change it personally but thats just me it is the very last thing on my list
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i spun a bearing 500 miles after my cam swap... if i was you id buy another lt1 block and start fixing it up with a cam and stuff since you are worried about messing your car up for the summer that way when you get it together you can just put the new motor in, and if something goes horrificly wrong just put your stock motor back in. used lt1 blocks go cheap and since your doing the work yourself you can save a TON of money.
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i dont have any 100% answer why i spun a bearing but id say it was probably like you said introducing a new part into something that has been working the exact same way for 10+ years...
cam swap is fairly easy but the 2nd time i did it my motor was out so i was able to tip the block up and lower the cam into it instead of trying to slide it in horizontally which made me really confident because it didnt bang against anything going in. and when i was putting my intake manifold on i could make sure and drop it directly on instead of trying to hold it up under the cowl pannel and not being sure if you got a good seal.
either way you do it just take your time and be careful, even though i spun a bearing i ended up learning a lot. as long as everything is lubricated good you should be ok
cam swap is fairly easy but the 2nd time i did it my motor was out so i was able to tip the block up and lower the cam into it instead of trying to slide it in horizontally which made me really confident because it didnt bang against anything going in. and when i was putting my intake manifold on i could make sure and drop it directly on instead of trying to hold it up under the cowl pannel and not being sure if you got a good seal.
either way you do it just take your time and be careful, even though i spun a bearing i ended up learning a lot. as long as everything is lubricated good you should be ok
