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Written by Patrick Rall
Educate yourself and make sure that you are buying the right camshaft upgrade for your Camaro or Firebird.In the modern era of performance cars, there are few terms that are as common as the "cammed LS1". It seems like just about every Camaro and Firebird at the track has an aftermarket camshaft, so for someone just getting into an LS1 car, swapping to a more aggressive cam is an attractive option. However, picking a camshaft for your car isn"t like buying a set of mufflers. The biggest isn"t always the best, and with so many options on the market, it is crucial to do your homework and pick the cam that is best for your car and your plans for the car.The problem is that many people don"t know where to start when it comes to doing their homework on a camshaft swap. Some people will come to a LS1tech and ask for recommendations, which will often lead to positive results, but for the best bang for your buck, you will want to make the final decision yourself. That is where this incredible thread by "jrp" comes into play, as he explains pretty much everything that you could need to know when changing the camshaft in your LS1 Camaro or Firebird.The IntroductionWhen the OP first started this thread, he began with some key pointers to keep in mind when reading through this all-inclusive explanation of how a camshaft works and what you need to do to change to a more aggressive unit. If you are completely new to learning about how the top end of an engine works, you should understand that there is a ton of information to take in and the thread is very long, but the information is excellent and if you plan on modifying your car, it is best to have a working knowledge of what goes on under the hood.The LS1 like any other engine works as a system, treat it as one, you want to get as much air in and out as you can. The plethora of mods out there will allow you to do that. Things to consider before you start on your modding process:1) There is no “best” part when it comes to mods.<br />2) When you want to start modding your car come up with a tangible plan.<br />3) Do not go into modding blindly; you will end up wasting money, time, and effort.<br />4) Do your research before you buy mods.<br />5) Find out your states/counties emissions requirements before choosing mods<br />6) Be realistic on what you"re going to do with your car<br />7) Usable power under the curve is what you want to shoot for, do not just look at peak gains<br />8) Work within your budget<br />9) If you are still under warranty Contact your own dealership and discuss your warranty and modding issues.(Credit given where applicable. Info/pics taken from personal experience, around the Internet, and ls1tech/ls2.com.) Special thanks to the guys on ls1tech (J-Rod, JMX, etc.)Learning about CamshaftsNext, the OP goes through a detailed explanation of what exactly a camshaft does and all of this information applies to all overhead valve engines, not just the LS1 Camaro and Firebird. He explains what the camshaft does and with a simple diagram, he highlights the components of the camshaft. As this first portion goes on, the OP explains lift, duration, lobe separation angle and advance/retard.As you get further into the thread, there is a "cam glossary", as well as cam charts with information on many aftermarket units and two different how-to write-ups on installing a new camshaft in your LS1 car.Other ComponentsWhen changing the camshaft in your LS1 Camaro or Firebird, you don"t just change the actual camshaft and call it a day. You generally have to change things like the valve springs, the pushrods, the rocker arms and the timing chain, and the OP goes into elaborate detail on what each of those things are, how they work and how to pick the right pieces for your setup. #gallery-2 { margin: auto; } #gallery-2 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-2 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-2 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */ <br style="clear: both" />
Date written: September 7, 2018
More of this article on the LS1 Tech website
ID: 13244
Educate yourself and make sure that you are buying the right camshaft upgrade for your Camaro or Firebird.In the modern era of performance cars, there are few terms that are as common as the "cammed LS1". It seems like just about every Camaro and Firebird at the track has an aftermarket camshaft, so for someone just getting into an LS1 car, swapping to a more aggressive cam is an attractive option. However, picking a camshaft for your car isn"t like buying a set of mufflers. The biggest isn"t always the best, and with so many options on the market, it is crucial to do your homework and pick the cam that is best for your car and your plans for the car.The problem is that many people don"t know where to start when it comes to doing their homework on a camshaft swap. Some people will come to a LS1tech and ask for recommendations, which will often lead to positive results, but for the best bang for your buck, you will want to make the final decision yourself. That is where this incredible thread by "jrp" comes into play, as he explains pretty much everything that you could need to know when changing the camshaft in your LS1 Camaro or Firebird.The IntroductionWhen the OP first started this thread, he began with some key pointers to keep in mind when reading through this all-inclusive explanation of how a camshaft works and what you need to do to change to a more aggressive unit. If you are completely new to learning about how the top end of an engine works, you should understand that there is a ton of information to take in and the thread is very long, but the information is excellent and if you plan on modifying your car, it is best to have a working knowledge of what goes on under the hood.The LS1 like any other engine works as a system, treat it as one, you want to get as much air in and out as you can. The plethora of mods out there will allow you to do that. Things to consider before you start on your modding process:1) There is no “best” part when it comes to mods.<br />2) When you want to start modding your car come up with a tangible plan.<br />3) Do not go into modding blindly; you will end up wasting money, time, and effort.<br />4) Do your research before you buy mods.<br />5) Find out your states/counties emissions requirements before choosing mods<br />6) Be realistic on what you"re going to do with your car<br />7) Usable power under the curve is what you want to shoot for, do not just look at peak gains<br />8) Work within your budget<br />9) If you are still under warranty Contact your own dealership and discuss your warranty and modding issues.(Credit given where applicable. Info/pics taken from personal experience, around the Internet, and ls1tech/ls2.com.) Special thanks to the guys on ls1tech (J-Rod, JMX, etc.)Learning about CamshaftsNext, the OP goes through a detailed explanation of what exactly a camshaft does and all of this information applies to all overhead valve engines, not just the LS1 Camaro and Firebird. He explains what the camshaft does and with a simple diagram, he highlights the components of the camshaft. As this first portion goes on, the OP explains lift, duration, lobe separation angle and advance/retard.As you get further into the thread, there is a "cam glossary", as well as cam charts with information on many aftermarket units and two different how-to write-ups on installing a new camshaft in your LS1 car.Other ComponentsWhen changing the camshaft in your LS1 Camaro or Firebird, you don"t just change the actual camshaft and call it a day. You generally have to change things like the valve springs, the pushrods, the rocker arms and the timing chain, and the OP goes into elaborate detail on what each of those things are, how they work and how to pick the right pieces for your setup. #gallery-2 { margin: auto; } #gallery-2 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-2 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-2 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */ <br style="clear: both" />
Date written: September 7, 2018
More of this article on the LS1 Tech website
ID: 13244
