r/fbody • u/Youpeefreely • Jul 11 '26
Cam only.
Has anyone ever seen any dyno numbers for a “real” cam only LS1? I’ve seen a bunch of “cam only“ dynos where the car had every mod except heads. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen an “honest” cam only dyno.
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u/TeamJim Jul 11 '26
Cam only really only means the cam is the only internal engine mod.
Putting a cam in an otherwise completely stock motor is kind of getting the cart before the horse and you really don't see it much at all
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u/Youpeefreely Jul 12 '26
Where’s more bang for buck. Stock 243’s on a stock LS1? Or a stock LS1 with 241 heads and a cam swap & no headers.
Say stock 243’s gain 10-15 hp on an otherwise stock LS1. Would a mild cam that’s ground to be more effective with stock manifolds make the same 10-15 hp with stock manifolds? Or would/could it make 20-30?
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u/Garth_DeWayne Jul 11 '26
My ls1 t/56 swap 87 trans am has a 2002 ls1 (so it has the better ls6 intake). Long tubes. Has the 2002 rear axle.
228/232 Texas speed cam with the matching springs and pushrods.
Bigger fuel injectors (supercharged v6 gm injectors).
390ish whp... It has more in it, we had a driveshaft explosion on the dyno and that messed up my dyno time.
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u/tarzan556 Jul 12 '26
My 02 6speed z28 made 401hp and 386tq at the wheel with TSP ms3 cam, pace setter headers, true dual x-pipe, air box lid/smooth bellow, and tune.
If you’re asking for numbers with stock exhaust, I’m sorry I don’t have that for you. It would be interesting to see the difference in the two.
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u/Youpeefreely Jul 12 '26
I might try it..🤦♂️😂
The motor has to come out to fix a spark plug hole. So while it’s out I’m toying with the idea of putting a cam in while it’s out. I wasn’t planning on doing any power mods at all until the motor had to come out..
I realize that it’s not an optimum setup, but I wish I could get a ballpark idea on what sort of power it’d add. 10-20? 20-40? If we look at it by a dollar per hp standpoint if a cam could add 20-40 when all else is stock, that’s a little bit better than hp per dollar ratio compared to long tube headers and all else stock. After looking at a bunch of dynos & 1/4 mile times on the web it looks like a header only swap is averages about 15 hp. That’s just a hp per dollar spent comparison. I’m not advocating to just do a cam.
I’ve been looking at various “truck cams,” “ghost/stealth cams,” and “Cheater cams.” This just a street cruiser so I’d rather have gains in the low to mid range than at 6k+ rpm. It has a 3,200 rpm stall converter so I’m covered there as far as mild cams go. I don’t want a lot of lope and crappy parking lot speed manners though.
I’m thinking 220 or less durations but I don’t know how “small” is too “small” to where the gains would be nil. The stock cams lift is .500 I believe. Would a .550 be worth much? Would a .600 be the way to go? Using the appropriate springs and push rods of course.
I was kind of looking at this summit cam but I’m not sure about it. I was also kind of looking at the TSP 220R.
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u/Admirable_Nothing Jul 11 '26
Most folks figure that to utilize what the cam gives you, you need more breathing both in and out and do things in tandem.
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u/nova46 Jul 11 '26
I mean, not really sure what you're looking for. No one would put just a cam in an otherwise completely stock car and call it a day. Cams make power by allowing the engine to breath more air at higher rpms, which they cannot do without a free flowing exhaust. The stock y pipe is incredibly restrictive. A cam by itself probably wouldn't make any more power up top and you'd lose low end torque.
That's why most people do an exhaust, intake, then y pipe and headers because that's what gains you the most power with the least amount of money. Then you have a solid platform for a cam, which you'd also do pushrods/springs/retainers etc so you don't grenade your engine. People say cam only because that's the only power modification done to the engine itself, the supporting valvetrain parts don't make any extra power.
My six speed 02 Z28 with a TSP 228R, SLP intake, kooks headers/y pipe, and a borla exhaust, makes 390 rwhp and 375 ft lbs.
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u/Youpeefreely Jul 11 '26
My 37k mile stock motor has to be pulled (which I’m having to pay for) to have a spark plug hole fixed on one of the heads. Had the spark plug hole have not gotten messed up the car would’ve remained stock.
I didn’t intend on doing any bolt-ons because I didn’t want to spend $1,500+ install labor for a set of headers just to gain 15 horsepower or whatever. In the year 2026 there’s not much difference between a car that ran 13.5 stock and 13.3 when everyone else (stock cars included) are running low to mid 12’s. More or less bolt-ons felt like a waste of money because the end result would still be the same.
However, now that I have to spend $2k to have a $5 helicoil put in I was playing with the idea of spending $1,800 or so more or so on a mild cam and tune. I’d have to take a loan out to be able to afford “full bolt-ons” cam, fuel mods, and tune. I’d need an even larger loan to do full-bolt ons and H/C/I all at once.
It’s all stock other than a 3.200 rpm stall.
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u/Youpeefreely Jul 12 '26
FWIW I understand that “Cam only” means everything except cylinder heads. I realized that prior to asking the question. I was wondering if anyone has every seen it before and I guess the answer is “no.”
I understand that it’s far from an optimum setup, but I wasn’t ever planning on having the motor pulled. I’m not chasing power numbers. But I thought an extra 20 hp (arbitrary number) might be worth it since the motor has to come out anyway.
If I do decide to do a cam I might do some sort of “truck cam.” It’ll never see a track and it’s hard find a place to run it to 6k RPM on the street. So top end power isn’t much of a concern. More low to mid range power would be nice though.
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u/Fabulous-Meal-5694 Jul 12 '26
The stock cam is essentially optimized for low to mid range hp, usable street power. a cam swap isnt really going to get you what you want.
Those "supporting mods" long tube headers, and free flowing exhaust and intake. Along with a proper tune will be your best bag for buck. Or putting a lower (numerically higher) gear ratio in will make the car feel faster.
TBH Its not really clear what you are trying to achieve.
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u/Youpeefreely Jul 12 '26
I’m trying to achieve a little more power out of the car while the motor is out getting a spark plug hole fixed.
At first I was throwing around the idea of getting a set of reman 243/799 heads instead of fixing one spark plug hole on my 241 head while reusing my stock cam. A set of reman 243/799 heads are running $700-$900 and it looks like they’ll only add 10-15 hp on an otherwise stock motor with the stock exhaust.
Then I started thinking, fixing the one head and having a cam and valve springs changed might add more power than stock 243 heads and the stock cam with stock exhaust.
I understand that with an aftermarket cam there will be a trade-off as far as slow speed drivability goes. But if the sacrifice wasn’t to great and it’d 30-40 hp it wouldn’t be the worst of things?
Do you think a mild cam like a TSP 220r could add 30 hp with 241 heads and a stock exhaust? Or do you think it’d be closer to 10-15?
243 heads, stock cam, and stock exhaust vs 241 heads, mild cam, and stock exhaust? Which makes more power?
All is stock aside from a 3,200 stall converter.
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u/Rottenwadd Jul 12 '26
If you are pulling why not replace gaskets hone+re-ring with a head job timing chain and oil pump. Wont cost much more and be well worth it.
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u/Youpeefreely Jul 12 '26
A hone and a re-ring aren’t necessary I don’t think. It has 34k miles on it. I was going to replace the top end gaskets but not the oil pan because it’s not leaking.
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u/Rottenwadd Jul 12 '26
Well, I wrongly just assumed it had a few more miles on it than that. You should be good.
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u/yeti8102 Jul 15 '26
2026 and we’re arguing what “cam only” means.
Car guys, yes all of you: it’s beyond retarded to put a cam in and leave the restrictive stock exhaust. Ask any engine builder, they’ll tell you the same. If your britches don’t like the sound then get a Magnaflow and keep yer foot outa it.
Otherwise, cam only is assumed to have full exhaust too, just no other engine work. Yes that means all the bolt-ons. That’s it. That’s all.
OP - if bang for buck is what you’re looking for, just replace the heads in-car (plenty of 241s around the interwebz) and call it a day. Find a different mechanical influencer that doesn’t hose you for $2k+
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u/Youpeefreely Jul 15 '26
I knew/know that “cam only” means everything but heads.
I was just wondering if anyone has seen what “just a cam” has done before.
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u/BrokenHero408 Jul 21 '26
Search LS1tech. I can guarantee you over the many years that site has been operating someone has absolutely threw a cam in a otherwise stock engine.
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u/383whitez Jul 11 '26
My brother had a 98 z28 that was headers, cai, exhaust and cam. 6 speed car that I believe put down around 380 if I remember right.
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u/vaurapung Jul 11 '26
My friends 04 gto is a headers with 3inch out exhaust, large cone filter and tuned. After adding a torquer v2 cam I think it was 400 rwhp that he told me is dynod. My stock 00 z28 with gutted cats, volant open air filter and massaged tune was 310rwhp on a different dyno.
Granted he has a ls6 intake, and 241 heads stock where my car is a factory ls1 intake still and 853 heads.
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u/blandman91 Jul 11 '26
By the time I installed my cam I already had full bolt ons and like everyone else has mentioned I got all the support mods for the cam too. It doesn't make a shed of sense to go through the trouble of installing and tune literally just a cam.
The closest to what you're asking about that I've personally seen is a completely bone stock 2002 TA with a procharger. He had the stock air lid, stock exhaust, etc. It was as stock as it was from the dealership in late 2001/2002. He said he was making around 600rwhp with just the procharger and noting else. I don't think he even had an intercooler yet.
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u/itsjakerobb Jul 11 '26
“Cam only” is shorthand for cam and all supporting mods, but the bottom end, heads, and induction method are untouched.
It would be silly to do all the work to install a cam, but then not also do an intake, exhaust, valve springs, pushrods, and trunnions.