I'm just wondering...if cams can add so much performance, why don't more people consider them?

 

I think its because of the cost, see you could buy a mild tune cam for around $300 with shipping, but the install cost could cost well over $500, I'm gonna call a shop and find out for sure, also a cam only adds so much on a stock engine, a port and polish is really needed to allow the cam to really start to perform. My other theory is that most people don't know about cams, they think cais, ud pulleys, and other basic bolt ons are the key, but that's just a guess.

 

+1 on the install cost factor.......if i had the funds available Id definately do it...mild cam,u/l intake.heads.all motor mods of that nature...

 

on a scale of 1-10 what is the dificulty rating for a DIY? and what else is needed?

 

also what does a port polish run us cost wise?

 

Probably close to a 10, becuase the whole upper intake, lower intake, and all of the other crap in the way has to come out, of be moved to the side, you also have to play around with the timer and the timer chain, there's proabably more, but this is all of the stuff I know about. Like I said you're looking at at least $500 dollars, that's just a restrictive guess, it may be closer to a grand, but I don't know, I'm going to call a shop close to LSU and get a more "in the ball park" type of price.

 

good thing my dads a mechanic and that trusty manual is our best friend LOL

 

TIMER??? WTF?? You need to loosen up all the rocker arms, remove the push rods, remove the lifters(being careful to mark each hole they came out of, cus the the lifters and pushrods have to go back in the same hole they came out of) remove EVERYTHING from the front of the motor, remove the timing cover, timing chain and sprockets, then the cam. Install in reverse. BUT, if you do this, be damn sure to smear the cam bearing followers, lobes, and lifters with assembly lube. There's more, but you get the picture.

EDIT~
It's not necessary, but I HIGHLY recommend replacing the timing chain and sprockets when a cam is done.

 

Yea, there's all of that other crap I was talking about, and what do you mean timer, isn't there a timer wheel that connects to the cam, that has a chain that connects the timer to the crank.

 

You mean cam and crank sensors? Yes. And the cam sensor has to be set up with a SPECIAL tool.
Otherwise, the camshaft has a sprocket, and the crank has a sprocket. they are linked by the timing chain.