future plans for the '91 GM

[Mercmarquis]

I thought about advancing the cam a lil bit when I swapped mine out, I think I shoulda. The car is a bit slow off the line, but I suppose thats due to the stock 2.73 gears and stock converter.

Well yeah, I know what the effects of way outta whack cam are, I was just came up with the tooth-off idea based on what those 3-keyway sets do, IIRC 8* is exactly how much they advance the cam.

About the timing cover, well that's what I meant by oil pan removal, you have to get it loose in the front, and since I hate bending metal that ain't supposed to be bent I'd just loosen its mid-sections bolts too. And the SBC also requires that procedure, the bottom of the chain cover still goes between the block and the oil pan, and if you have the thick DANA seals there ain't no chance of it coming out without a serious fight.

[gadget73]

One tooth is probably way too much, enough to make the motor run bad. 4 degrees is plenty enough to make a difference without a major negative impact. If you over-advance the camshaft, the valve timing gets all out of whack, and it will open the valves too soon, so the exhaust valve may shut before the exhaust stroke is done, and the intake valve might open before its an ideal time. Advancing a stock lopo cam is also a bad idea, the torque peak is at some fairly low rpm anyway, advancing that would just make less power, and destroy the already feeble top end.

Who said pulling the timing cover needs an oil pan removal? Only the front few bolts have to come out, the pan doesn't need to drop. Chevy motors are even easier, just yank the 4 water pump bolts, and pull the buttload of little screws on the dinky chain cover.

Cam advance via the timing set. It moves the power band downward a bit, sacrificing some top end. The loss of the top end is pretty insignificant on an auto trans car that wont wind it up high enough for you to ever notice it. Need that low end torque a lot more than the couple ponies up top that you lose.

Mkay, if I ever end up doing a timing chain replacement on my engine I'll be sure to slip the cam gear a tooth ahead, that's about 8* advance assuming 45-tooth gear (less teeth = more advance, more teeth = less advance), how may teeth do our cam gears have? As a matter of fact I was thinking of that with the truck too, should have just went ahead and done it when I had it all apart - just taking the timing cover off on these requires oil pan removal, so it ain't happening anytime soon. Damnit!

[monterey1962]

glass packs are crapola.....get some bullets

I happen to like glasspacks. The '91 and the '89 both run a glass pack on the single exhaust and sound quite nice. S.U. runs glasspacks on the open duals and sounds damn good.

[interceptor1985]

"but I think she'll like cat-back duals w/glasspacks just fine"

glass packs are crapola.....get some bullets

[monterey1962]

On the HO conversion, $1000 is awfully a lot of money, for that much you can rebuild the whole engine! Also what are those 4* advance, cam advance through the chain or ignition advance through the disty?

I like to put my initial estimates high so I have a little back-up money on hand should I find something bad along the way.

Side pipes will not happen on the '91. I am one of those who likes the exhaust out of sight. She also doesn't want the car too loud, but I think she'll like cat-back duals w/glasspacks just fine.

[88Vic]

Look at this page: http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...115+4294887637 These are all the camshafts that work with the 302 Windsor. You can choose the usage or duration or whatever you're lookin for.

[interceptor1985]

isnt there a towing cam for trucks with a 302?

[88Vic]

Cam advance via the timing set. It moves the power band downward a bit, sacrificing some top end. The loss of the top end is pretty insignificant on an auto trans car that wont wind it up high enough for you to ever notice it. Need that low end torque a lot more than the couple ponies up top that you lose.

+1. I don't get why some people put in big cams into their auto trans cars that they won't be racing so they'll have a little more power in the high RPM range, it's pointless. I'll take my torque and horses in the low end.

[gadget73]

Cam advance via the timing set. It moves the power band downward a bit, sacrificing some top end. The loss of the top end is pretty insignificant on an auto trans car that wont wind it up high enough for you to ever notice it. Need that low end torque a lot more than the couple ponies up top that you lose.

Side pipes or side exits? There is a difference, the problem with true side pipes is that they'll hang way too low, with stock springs in the front really forget about going over tall speedbumps. Side exits on the other hand look great on 2-doors, you can make them look alright on a 4-door too but then you have to give it more appearance changes - lower the front an inch or so, jack the rear up the same amount, wider tires... IMHO not worthy unless you are replacing the old parts anyways.

On the HO conversion, $1000 is awfully a lot of money, for that much you can rebuild the whole engine! Also what are those 4* advance, cam advance through the chain or ignition advance through the disty?

[gadget73]

Have to get out of the car eventually and look at it. I'm not a fan of big visible exhaust. Mine is pretty much hidden, which is just fine for my likes.

[interceptor1985]

but the sound........your not looking at the side of the car as your driving........er...i hope not

[grandpaslincoln]

eh, side pipes look like ass on a 4 door, I had them and they looked like shit lol