SubZero350
To boost or not to boost
- Joined
- May 26, 2001
Ok, first I need to know if any of you who are running the comp grinds for the 3800 series II engines have experienced any mechanical failures that were cam related. There was some talk about this back when these cams were first tested that they were failing causing catastrophic damage to the engine. Have these problems been resolved?
Second, GP Store now has valve springs available for use with these aftermarket cams. Has anyone installed these and was any machining neccessary? Any durability issues come up when running these springs?
Now, assuming that I will like what I will hear from the responses of the first two questions, I need to know what cam will best fit my particular application.
I am building up a '97 3800 series II supercharged short block for installation into my '87 Fiero which has a 4T60-E, 3.33 final drive ratio, and a 2000 rpm stall converter. This will be a stock block, crank, rods, pistions engine with the exception of new rings, bearings, etc. I will be running series II N/A heads which I have been moderately ported and I plan on running upgraded springs. This engine will be using the F-Body aluminum intake and fed by a stock GN turbocharger with a ported exhaust housing. This car will either make use of a Sy/Ty liquid-to-air intercooler setup or a stock GN air-to-air intercooler; whichever fits the best. I plan to run 10-15 lbs of boost on 93 octane fuel and use a 95 3800 Series 1 supercharged OBD I PCM with custom calibration utilizing an LT1 MAF sensor.
Which cam will work the best? GP Store / Comp Cams has three available for use with this engine:
L36 -- 206/212 degrees @ .050; .512"/.520" lift, 113 lobe sep
L67 1 -- 200/212 degrees @ .050; .504"/.520" lift, 115 lobe sep
L67 2 -- 206/218 degrees @ .050; .512"/.528" lift, 115 lobe sep
It has been my experience that cams with a tighter lobe seperation angle such as the L36's 113* will sport slightly more mid-range and top end power than a comparible cam utilizing a 115 sep. The problem herein lies that I am using a turbo which has vastly different flow characteristics than a supercharger and would really like to go with what will perform the best in a street driven car. I am not looking for all-out power, just something better than stock, not too radical but not "just a little more than stock". Which selection would be alll-around better for my application which will see mostly street and some strip use?
Second, GP Store now has valve springs available for use with these aftermarket cams. Has anyone installed these and was any machining neccessary? Any durability issues come up when running these springs?
Now, assuming that I will like what I will hear from the responses of the first two questions, I need to know what cam will best fit my particular application.
I am building up a '97 3800 series II supercharged short block for installation into my '87 Fiero which has a 4T60-E, 3.33 final drive ratio, and a 2000 rpm stall converter. This will be a stock block, crank, rods, pistions engine with the exception of new rings, bearings, etc. I will be running series II N/A heads which I have been moderately ported and I plan on running upgraded springs. This engine will be using the F-Body aluminum intake and fed by a stock GN turbocharger with a ported exhaust housing. This car will either make use of a Sy/Ty liquid-to-air intercooler setup or a stock GN air-to-air intercooler; whichever fits the best. I plan to run 10-15 lbs of boost on 93 octane fuel and use a 95 3800 Series 1 supercharged OBD I PCM with custom calibration utilizing an LT1 MAF sensor.
Which cam will work the best? GP Store / Comp Cams has three available for use with this engine:
L36 -- 206/212 degrees @ .050; .512"/.520" lift, 113 lobe sep
L67 1 -- 200/212 degrees @ .050; .504"/.520" lift, 115 lobe sep
L67 2 -- 206/218 degrees @ .050; .512"/.528" lift, 115 lobe sep
It has been my experience that cams with a tighter lobe seperation angle such as the L36's 113* will sport slightly more mid-range and top end power than a comparible cam utilizing a 115 sep. The problem herein lies that I am using a turbo which has vastly different flow characteristics than a supercharger and would really like to go with what will perform the best in a street driven car. I am not looking for all-out power, just something better than stock, not too radical but not "just a little more than stock". Which selection would be alll-around better for my application which will see mostly street and some strip use?
