What cam do you recommend?

[6chevy9]

i have yet to look into the other cam companys which i why i suggested you look at those specific comp cams, i wouldnt point you toward somthing i dont know about. i just have experience with comp is all and i have nothing against the other cam companys at all. 90rado seems to know alot more about the pre vortec than i do, but from what i know i would keep the vortec heads. now i could be wrong about this but like i said im giving you the info that i know and have learned so far. im working on a motor build as well and probly digging through the same things as you to an extent. im planning to use a tbi bottom end and prob the vortec heads also.

 

[90'rado]

Well, I am not looking to make tons of power. I am keeping the stock exhaust manifolds b/c I just don't have the money to replace those right now. Money being the restrictive factor in all of this. I would be happy with a completely stock rebuild. I don't drive my truck to go fast. But since I got most of the parts to do a vortec swap pretty cheap I might as well change the cam while I am getting it rebuilt. The motor itself had 230K miles on it. As far as the exhaust goes, I already have a custom 2.5 y-pipe that goes into 3" with no cat.

I will look into crane and elgin cams as well. Thanks for the info

I understand that money is always the number one consideration for this stuff, I just want to tell it how it is, if you do run the manifolds it WILL hurt your power and fuel efficiency. Plus when you start doing things like cam and head swaps the engine will be flowing an increased volume of air through the factory exhaust which is already too restrictive for even a bone stock engine. The parts I suggested COULD be used to go fast, but it is NOT really a high revving, high HP engine. It is a torquey, fuel efficient engine which is well suited to a truck. If you have the Vortec heads then by all means, but you've got to come up with a vortec specific intake, could use a carbed version and get an adapter to bolt TBI onto it.
TBI heads outflow vortecs in the majority of the low to mid upper RPM, that being said the vortecs have an advantage at higher RPM (this is going in a truck tho right?) Also, TBI heads get slightly better fuel mileage when compared to vortecs bolted down to the exact same engine in the same vehicle.

i have yet to look into the other cam companys which i why i suggested you look at those specific comp cams, i wouldnt point you toward somthing i dont know about. i just have experience with comp is all and i have nothing against the other cam companys at all. 90rado seems to know alot more about the pre vortec than i do, but from what i know i would keep the vortec heads. now i could be wrong about this but like i said im giving you the info that i know and have learned so far. im working on a motor build as well and probly digging through the same things as you to an extent. im planning to use a tbi bottom end and prob the vortec heads also.

I have nothing against any cam company either, I was just trying to point out that they can and do make mistakes also and/or just get lazy, after all they just want to sell you a cam and get your money. The vortec heads are great don't get me wrong, but the TBI heads are also great. I would tend to use vortec heads in something like my 62 Nova-project for the extra top end, but I would use TBI heads in a truck b/c they're heavy and TQ is what gets a load movin.

 

[6chevy9]

i completly agree with you. which is why i think that he should learn as much as he can about cams and his set up so that he can pick out the cam and know that its what he wants instead of putting it in the hands of the company that could carlessly choose a cam just to get his money, i would call and take advice from several companys in this position and for giggles and grins test their skills and see how close they get and the numbers they come up with. i do know for some of the specs on those heads as far as how big you can go with them and what the NSA should be. at that point its all going to be about duration and what cam the block will accept. is it a one or 2 piece rear?

 

[Sierra]

I already have a set of vortec heads. I also have the GM performance vortec/tbi intake to bolt the Holley 670 tbi to (of which I already have as well) I have the complete stock tbi 350. I just need to get the bottom end rebuilt. There is a lot of good info here. I just have some more homework on all of this to do. The motor I am using came out of my 95 so it is a one piece rear main. This is all going back into the 95 it came out of.

 

[DRAGGIN95]

I would suggest calling a cam company, like already mentioned above, and telling them what you have and looking for a mild midrange cam, I think you be pleased when it all comes together.

 

[Sierra]

I would suggest calling a cam company, like already mentioned above, and telling them what you have and looking for a mild midrange cam, I think you be pleased when it all comes together.

Oh, I'm sure I will be happy when its all back together. You get to help put it back together too.(hint hint) I will need to use your lift to put it back in anyway.

 

[DRAGGIN95]

Yep I'll be more than happy to help put it together!

 

[The Daver]

So I dot understand I have had guys tell me to throw my swirl ports in the garbage and go get vortecs but your saying the swirl port is a good head??

 

[6chevy9]

it all depends on what your looking for in a head, more TQ at low end or more high rpm power.

 

[90'rado]

So I dot understand I have had guys tell me to throw my swirl ports in the garbage and go get vortecs but your saying the swirl port is a good head??

YES, that is exactly what I'm saying. Swirl ports are GREAT heads. Stock castings are stock castings, and they're not AFR's. But for a stock casting swirlports are great. Everyone who says that swirlports are junk and tbi is junk and all this other stuff only say that b/c they're too lazy to get off their ass and look for the truth. Don't let anyone's ignorance fool you, swirlports and vortecs are both great stock castings.