DOD and Cam

[Chooch]

I am getting ready to start the process of a cam upgrade and offically replace the DOD system. Currently the Car has 148k on and starting to get a tick when cold. Rather then it fail then fix, want to be proactive. Here is what is in the car as of today. RotoFab CAI, Kooks 1 7/8 Mids Ceramic coated with Kooks Green High flow cats to a Solo Mach Unbalanced cat back system. It currently has a trans tune and a ECM tune done by ECS in NJ, which I am extremely happy with. I want to keep the stock convertor right now and frankly I do not want a high lope cam as I daily this car and it is used for road trips.

Questions are
1) Good cam to get for this type of driving and application
2) I know Pace has the DOD delete kit, I am planing on revised timing chain and updated tensioner
3) If anyone had it done, what was the labor cost, and as well I will factor in a tune to update the cam

Need a ball park on the labor to use for estimating costs, and a good street cam that would work well with my existing mods.

Thanks for the help

OG here

[Chewy]

Ball park all in...4000-4500 probably less though. The way I do things is once and right so I will spend the extra money to go all ARP bolts and such and with those miles, I'd replace the oil pump and water pump while I was there. Using a good timing kit like a "Cloyes" with the LS2 slack snubbers doesn't hurt either. They're a lot tighter from the factory than others out there. Also, the factory trunnions are SHIT. They need to be upgraded to something that won't spew needle bearings all over the engine. I suggest Manton's kit, but there are others which use bushings. Manton uses tool steel and is designed for longevity.

Best bet for you is to get with someone you trust like Brian Tooley Racing, Texas Speed, and Performance and tell them what you want and are using the car for and they can spec out the correct cam. You don't want a lot of overlap from the sounds of it. I assume you also want a stock converter friendly cam which means it'll have to be fairly tame.

All the above is my opinion and what I've learned.

[Chooch]

Chewy,

About what I figured but wanted to be sure so I know ball park amount going in, and doing it right, 100% agree. I have not been cheap on what I have done yet, no reason to start now. As well thanks on the trunnion info. Never would have thought of that, but it makes sense. Rest of the stuff, Oil pump, water pump, timing chain and LS2 tensioner I figured on would be needed along with a dod delete Kit.

I have heard BTR is very good on specs so once I get a parts list, give them a call on what I have, expectations. and best fitment

Now the hard part is getting this by the Treasury Secretary (AKA Wife)

[matts88yj]

I'd consult Adam Cooper at Ace Performance, fill out his cam request sheet and he can get back to you with his recommendations. Very friendly guy and helping in explaining things in detail. You can also reach out to William Corey at Blue Line Performance. I've spoken to both and they are the real deal and will get you taken care of.

[Napalm]

plan it out in detail first - to prevent some regret later on tuning.

I did mine in a bit of a hurry because I had a lifter failure and the car is my daily driver. I wish I had taken say another week to straighten out what cam. I used an GM performance LS3 hot cam which I do regret just slightly.

Cost like said above 4K is about right or less. I paid a guy to help me with my rebuild because he's built a few LS engines and has the tools. I hadn't. So I paid him 500 - but time all in would have been closer to 14 working hours. SO if the shop charges say 80 per hour - figure at least 900+ dollars in labor there.

Parts I think I had less than 3K in parts. And I replaced the oil pump, water pump, timing set, all new lifters with the DOD delete kit. And then Tuning License for HP Tuners, I already have HP tuners so I didn't have to bother. but you will need to retune the car - and there's a cost there too.

[Chooch]

Napalm,

That is what I figured, between 4-5k. The same place that did my original street ECM tune and Trans tune, I would try them first as they specialize in LS performance and are well known. I do not mind paying a few extra coin to get it done right. The Oil pump, new water pump, timing set would be a defacto given, trunion upgrade as well, just debating on a good cam without swapping out a T/C. And I will be the first to admit, when it comes to cam specs, I am certified noob.

I daily drive it so a small lope would be ok. I mean I put on headers and a Solo system for some sound so need to let people hear it

[jstclair]

You could use a ZL1 convertor and run a little more cam, and still have daily driver manners.

[Napalm]

A ZL1 converter runs around what RPM? I think I need to eventually trade - if I have to drop the trans on a rebuild (and I know I will some day) then I might just do this.

biggest driveability issue I have.

I wish I had gone the TX speed cam - I forget which one but I almost did. I don't know if you need the trunion upgrade if you don't race. I didn't do it - and I'm not running crazy springs either - so unless you are upping the pressure or the lift significantly - I wouldn't do it. And didn't.

I did get new rockers though just because.

[Chewy]

I'd do the trunnions no matter what, having taken them apart. They're held in by friction. OUCH! It's not worth the headache if something were to go wrong especially as easy as they are to swap out. The ZL1 stalls at 1800 I believe.

[tnsilverg8]

I have been by two different shops for a tune cam and dod delete with timing chain and all arp hardware both quotes are 38-4300 with tune both said the stall would not cost any additional labor since they are pulling the motor anyways