Chevy 350 cam

[Stuart]

Well just like most everyone on this site probably knows as well as I do, these cars will never be finished. So this leads into my questions about putting a cam into my engine. I have a chevy 350 tbi from a 93 caprice. It's all stock but I wanted to make a small upgrade and put a mild cam into it this spring. I would like to know how to make this easy and most cost effective without breaking my bank. I would like to get a cam without replacing valves and valve springs. I will be okay with replacing push rods and rockers and lifters but I'm just not too inclined with setting valve lash and all that but I would like a cam. Any help would be great before I go out and order a cam

 

[lilbowtie]

I assume you are staying with the TBI set-up and I would like to know the reason for changing the cam (sound?) I see your concerned about $$ so I would like to bring up that the TBI setups use a speed density injection type which wouldn't be very tolerant to a lopey cam and would require some tuning.

 

[Opie Knievel]

I haven't tried it myself yet but from all of the reading I've done, putting a cam in a TBI engine will require some tuning. How much tuning depends on how big of a cam you put in. Although I'm guessing that factory valve springs won't allow for a big increase in lift. Duration and Lobe Separation Angle will be big factors to consider for tuning. Do a Google search on putting a cam in a TBI engine. They've been around for a while and somebody out there has already figured out what works best. You should be able to find lots of info.

 

[Michaelweez]

Replacing valve springs and setting lash on a roller cam is not that difficult, I personally would not bother tearing into a motor to put a way mild cam in just to avoid having to swap valve springs, etc. A common cam swap for a fairly basic 350 is a Comp Cam 268H, being a 93 motor you are working with a roller cam so you'd want a 268HR. Better yet, give Comp Cam a call or try out their "Cam tool" they have on their website, it will show you what you can pick up for power with all of their various cam grinds for the motor you have.

 

[Stuart]

So basically what I'm understanding is that just putting a cam in won't change much? And also the tbi will need some tuning?

 

[Michaelweez]

Depends on what you are wanting and what you decide to swap to, I don't know anything about TBI tuning or it's restrictions so I can't really comment on that. I just put a XE262H in my 84 305 and the difference between it and stock is very noticeable.

 

[Stuart]

Okay well thanks for the help anyways. I want to try to make it as simple as possible without changing a whole lot and that's why I use this site so much. Lots of information

 

[Bar50]

I have a buddy that did an hydraulic roller LT1 cam from an Impala SS in a TBI motor and had a custom chip burnt for it. It was like $165 for the chip. Has a slight lope.

 

[Stuart]

I have a buddy that did an hydraulic roller LT1 cam from an Impala SS in a TBI motor and had a custom chip burnt for it. It was like $165 for the chip. Has a slight lope.

I'd prefer to not tune it but that's not a bad price

 

[Opie Knievel]

I'd prefer to not tune it but that's not a bad price

From what I've read, if you change very much on these engines and don't get the right tune, it'll run worse than before.