redass02gt

how much do the parts cost, what's a typical labor cost, and how would the cams affect my power curve (lose low end, gain high end, etc)?

Slick97gt

stage 1 cams seem to make decent power up top with no loss(actually gains) of lower torque.

The cams will run you inbetween $500-600 and the installation would probably be in the $200's.

2000GT4.6

I paid 700 for the cams and springs, and 1000 for install and tune (with chip) A tune is gonna be nessiscary when you do the cams for sure.

I would not do cams again if I had it to do over. Way to much money spent for gains retunred. I do have the stage 2s (unfortunatly) but I still wouldn't do it over for that price with even stage 1s and no springs.

blueangelfightr

I think cams are the most worth-while mod out there next to exhaust. I love the sound of a cammed car ideling.

2000GT4.6

I guess if you think spending 1700 bucks to get a set bought, installed, and tuned, and only improving your powerband from about 5200 RPM up is worthwhile, then your right.

Most of the cams out there that I have seen only improve the powerband at best between 4500 and redline, and it is not a huge gain. Bare minumum you are gonna spend close to a grand by the time you get them bought, and get the car dyno tuned (unless you already have a chip)

You are right though, they do sound wicked. However, I still would not do it again. With the cash I spent I could have simply saved for a while longer and bought a blower, or a few more hundred bucks could have gotten me a forged bottom end (and later spray the crap outta it). I would rather have either one of these things far more than the cams I have now.

I'm gonna search around for my dyno sheets and see if I can post up the before/after one.

romancer

When you say stage one...etc.

Are you talking about VT cams?

2000GT4.6

I think all of us are yes, but you can pretty much count on stage 1s from VT to come pretty close to stage 1s from everyone else.

As long as you stay with the entry level PI cams, you should be fine.

2000GT4.6

Here are my before and after dynos. The non in color dyno is my car with full boltons, 3.73s, and no custom tune. These are 2 back to back runs, one with my diablo mail order tune chip on, and one off. The one that made more power was with the chip off (proving that mail order chips are useless if you have any mods).

The second (in color) is both w/ the cams, before and after tuning. As you can see, I did not pick up that much horsepower, and I acutally lost some peak TQ. I am sure that some of this is with the tune (mine is not perfect) but it still shows that the gains are not huge.

I have been told that around 280 RWHP is all you can expect outta a full boltons/cams 99+ GT. I know alot of people have seen this with no cams, but after talking to several premier shops, I think they need their dynos retuned.

[IMG]local://upfiles/4605/AB1CBA2652094F878662688D5D826820.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/4605/409BBA3E45674CAC931818BF5E524C91.jpg[/IMG]

DILO2001GT

if you get stage 1's will getting springs as well help any or just get the cams and thats all? are the springs only for the stage II's? would i lose/gain any power from stage 1 cams versus stage 1 cams plus springs?

2000GT4.6

You will make less power (slightly) with springs and stage 1s. The springs are required on stage 2s because they are more agressive.

I dunno for sure if there is any advantage to getting the springs with stage 1s, but I think the loss in power would be pretty minimal. If I was gonna do cams again I would go with stage 1s, and proabably do springs as well. They close the valves faster, and the older springs get, the weaker they are. (so its a must for high milage engines).

BTW, the springs are a pain in the *** to install, and they are kinda expensive (200 bucks). They also require a specialty tool to get out.