Added Horses

[2001bird]

I'm thinking of putting a new cam and changing the springs and rocker arms. If anybody out there know which cam spring and rocker arms to put help me out please!!! i just want to get around 40-50 horses more out of my 2001 TA 5.7

[7camaro7]

I don't suggest buying rocker arms and springs form slp because the rocker arms along cost $625 and only add 10 hp... not worth it imo you got headers yet?

[rajiv1998]

wut mods do u havev right now?

[nhraformula]

before camming youre car, you should have headers on the car already.
if youre car is an automatic you should also have a stall converter bolted on.
now if you have above, even a mid range cam like the 224/224 will give you 40 rwhp with a tune.

[rajiv1998]

Yeah youll need full bolt ons before getting a cam, that is if you want the full potential of it.

[2001bird]

right now its pretty much stock. the only thing i got is intake and exhaust pretty much. so i should get headers first??

[mrr23]

up to you. you don't have to get headers to put a cam in. but, to get the most out of the cam you can, it's better to get the bolt ons out of the way first. there are a few cams out there that work well with stock manifolds.

[chevyguy8413]

up to you. you don't have to get headers to put a cam in. but, to get the most out of the cam you can, it's better to get the bolt ons out of the way first. there are a few cams out there that work well with stock manifolds.

the point is, any cam swap will move your torque curve over "rpm" wise, so that its sweet spot in the torque curve is several hundred rpm's higher, if not almost a thousand higher. To use those higher rpm's, headers are very helpful; larger throttle body too...that seems to be the main air restriction....intake side. Main objective is balanced air flow limits in the intake system, heads, and exhaust.

[mrr23]

not every cam swap will move the curve upwards. there are cams that will raise the curve without raising the rpms to achieve it. here's a specific one that patrick g from ls1tech and thunder racing developed for use with stock manifolds and cats:

Thunder Racing Custom "CheaTR" Camshaft - 214/230 .601/.578 117 LSA. Off Idle-6800 RPM Power Band. Broad power range. Works well with stock exhaust manifolds and catalytic converters. Stock like idle. Minor tuning required on automatic transmission cars.

[mrr23]

here's his dyno

I made 411 rwhp with CheaTR cam and stock manifolds, stock cats, and SLP dual dual catback...all on motor. This was even with a #7 cylinder that was about to go south.

[chevyguy8413]

not every cam swap will move the curve upwards. there are cams that will raise the curve without raising the rpms to achieve it. here's a specific one that patrick g from ls1tech and thunder racing developed for use with stock manifolds and cats:

Thunder Racing Custom "CheaTR" Camshaft - 214/230 .601/.578 117 LSA. Off Idle-6800 RPM Power Band. Broad power range. Works well with stock exhaust manifolds and catalytic converters. Stock like idle. Minor tuning required on automatic transmission cars.

I totally agree..the modest duration and LSA make for a most streetable camshaft while the fairly high lift produces the upper rpm torque characteristics. The lobe separation ensures good idle/manifold vacuum properties and driveability. Thanx for pointing out that cam...sounds like a good bet for street machines.
One thiing though...it's relative to state what is good for street use...the dyno chart in this thread , for instance, shows a "sweet spot" in the torque curve from 4500 to 5500, approx...pretty high for the street applications, but still, having nearly 350 lb ft from 3500 up ain't nothin to sneeze at!!! If using an automatic transmission, matching the torque convertor to the engine's torque curve is essential for satisfactory performance.

[chevyguy8413]

here's his dyno

that engine in the dyno chart sure looks like a killer combination...wish i could feel its torque in a car...must be awsome

having already done the fairly high rpm thing with several small blocks (which was typical in the 60-70's buildups, i appreciate what even using factory components can produce. The last engine was a 331 cu in, single 4bbl (used different manifolds) using the ''754" camshaft and springs, 1st design slant plug heads, 12.0 floating pin pistons (trw) and forged crank/polished rods...lotta factory stuff.
At the drag strip: 11.6/117, shift points 7750, no dyno runs tho...it was a 2850 lb vehicle plus driver. 4 speed

all that said, nowdays, broader torque curves are whats happening...that engine was fairly peaky probably with a torque peak at nearly 6000, hp at 7500.

sry for beeing so lenthy..i will try to do better.

[Danger731]

Seems like smoke n mirrors but if it works it works. Opening up stock heads would probably gain you some more as well.