Looking for intake and cam advice

[BulldogSS]

Long story short I’m looking to help a friend find a reliable intake and cam combo.
He is looking to build a strong efficient daily driver. He recently retired and wanting to get his old truck driving again. He is starting with basically a stock tbi long block swirlports and all. Block is not roller ready so looking to go flat tapper. He doesn’t have a intake at the moment so is open to buying one. He will be retaining egr because he doesn’t want to get into tuning at all. I’ve told him that will greatly limit his choices especially with the cam. He is really leaning toward the smallest lunati voodoo cam (207/213 .437/.454 112) but is open to suggestions. Also will be needing valve spring suggestions. As far as the intake he is fine using a carbed intake with adapter as long as he can make the egr function, doesn’t want check engine light. From looking at pics on intakes like the holly street dominator with egr it looks like the egr valve and tbi would have interference issues. I’ve printed him how-tos on the ultimate tbi mods and diy fpr so he will work on those. Any suggestions would be helpful.

 

[Supercharged111]

Put a gun to his head and convince him to get a tune.

 

[BulldogSS]

I hear ya but it’s my neighbor and one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect for him so he asked if I could help him find a good combo and I’m more than happy to give it a try. He’s got a 74 nova that he hot rods around in but I think he’s just looking to have something else to tinker with. He just recently retired from being head of maintenance at the local sawmill. He’s been working his whole life and sitting around on the porch drinking coffee is not going to cut it.

 

[Supercharged111]

I hear ya but it’s my neighbor and one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect for him so he asked if I could help him find a good combo and I’m more than happy to give it a try. He’s got a 74 nova that he hot rods around in but I think he’s just looking to have something else to tinker with. He just recently retired from being head of maintenance at the local sawmill. He’s been working his whole life and sitting around on the porch drinking coffee is not going to cut it.

Ask him if he'd do all that work to a carb'd motor without rejetting. It's assinine and has nothing to do with how hard he's worked or how nice he is.

 

[BulldogSS]

I understand what your saying. He’s looking for suggestions on a cam maybe slightly larger than a “rv cam” and an intake that is better than a stocker while retaining stock programming. If you have any suggestions Id like to hear them. On the intake side I haven’t been able to find any detailed posts about the carbed with adapter swap. Only people recommending performer rpm and few others. On the cam he spoke to a few companies and the voodoo was recommend by lunati and I think crane specd him one as well.

 

[Supercharged111]

Stock programming SUCKS. Why he'd spend money on a cam and intake and not a tune is just IGNORANT. For his intended use, I'd lean toward a cam of this range.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-12-234-2/make/chevrolet

Ignore the fact it claims to not be computer compatible. It's horseshit. Just like putting a cam in and not tuning for it. He has no idea what he's leaving on the table. I'd sooner do a tune and no cam than a cam and no tune. Oh wait, I did do that. Guess which one made the bigger difference? I'll give you a hint, it wasn't the cam and rockers.

 

[BulldogSS]

First thanks for the cam suggestion. He has to buy a cam and intake anyway so was hoping to simply do better than stock. Do you know where I can find info on intakes? I’ve searched and haven’t found much. I know about the performer tbi and holly tbi but can’t really find anything on carbed with adapters working with egr.

 

[Frank Enstein]

Stock programming SUCKS. Why he'd spend money on a cam and intake and not a tune is just IGNORANT. For his intended use, I'd lean toward a cam of this range.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-12-234-2/make/chevrolet

Ignore the fact it claims to not be computer compatible. It's horseshit. Just like putting a cam in and not tuning for it. He has no idea what he's leaving on the table. I'd sooner do a tune and no cam than a cam and no tune. Oh wait, I did do that. Guess which one made the bigger difference? I'll give you a hint, it wasn't the cam and rockers.

A tune is a $400 custom chip. That cam will fall on it's face as soon as the O2 sensor comes online. The computer sees less that 17 in. Hg at idle and it thinks you are accelerating and pours in extra fuel at idle and kills it.

The CCA-12-249-4 will work is you want Comp.

I recommend the EDL- 3702 cam/lifter kit with the EDL-3704 intake.

Any 87+ block is roller compatible in a Small Block Chevy 87+ blocks have the .300"taller lifter bores to accomodate this. A stock Vortec cam will work fine with the stock chip as will the Edelbrock or the Comp cam I mentioned.

To convert you need CCA-08-1000 or CCA-08-1001 depending on the bolt spacing at the front of the block for the cam retainer plate. You will also need shorter pushrods. 7.195" is factory length for a factory hydraulic roller SBC.

Regardless I recommend the JET-61500 fuel pressure regulator (unless local emission laws exclude it) and an air raid throttle body spacer and fuel line extensions. I do this as a first step even before opening up the engine.

 

[Hipster]

Any 87+ block is roller compatible in a Small Block Chevy 87+ blocks have the .300"taller lifter bores to accomodate this. A stock Vortec cam will work fine with the stock chip as will the Edelbrock or the Comp cam I mentioned.

.

This is just not true. Not all TBI blocks have the bosses in the lifter valley to tap into. I've been into several TBI blocks. None had them. Some say the tbi blocks with roller provisions exist but it's a unicorn for me. . Car blocks are a different story.

 

[BulldogSS]

Thanks for the advise. Roller is not going to happen the short block he has doesn’t have the provisions for it. For the intake I’ve looked for a used eddy 3704 and can’t find him one locally and they are pricey new. I’m trying to read up on other options he may be just getting a stocker from one of the local yards as I don’t think it would hurt this mild of a build but he has to buy one and if we can get something that is a improvement over stock that would be great.