I did a quick search (and I mean quick) but didn't find anything from anyone who has actually swapped out their stock cams for aftermarket ones.

Anyone have any experience with doing it? I read that there may be some loss of low end torque...

Also, can anyone who's actually done it, describe how hard it was to do? Specifically, does the timing chain have to be completely removed?

 

pm 96sleeper, you can also find him in the all motor forum. he's done a 3.5 swap in his 4th gen and has cams. i know it comes out the side and not the top so the timing cover has to be removed, and as would the timing chain.

 

that's what I was afraid of...

anyone else with more information?

 

It could be worse

I do believe you have to remove your heads

 

I have never done it, but you will have to tilt the motor forward to take off the timing cover and chain. It will take some pacience since there isn't much room there to work.

If you are going for cams, I would suggest you look into the SSIM and raise the rev limiter to ~7200. If you end up raising the limiter, you will want to change the rod bolts as a saftey precaution.

Don't forget supporting mods.

The All Motor section would be a good place to start.

 

so what your saying is that there is more involved then just changing out the cams, you should upgrade other parts as well. hmmmmmmm

 

yep, valve springs and retainers are a biggy also

hnda etr: how much hp would adding cams supposedly give you to your setup? your car is s/c correct?

 

Yea, there a couple of guys here in nyc who have done it, its a 12 hr job no less, the head DOES NOT have to be removed but the complete timing has to be taken off, they say its MUCH MUCH easier to do with the motor out, 1 guy even told me he wouldnt do ... the average cost down here to do a job like that is running like $800 !... its a headache.

BTW PM sent.

 

All on a 4th gen, but I've pulled tc's off in the car 3 times. With a set of gear wrenches it's not 'that' bad.

Hardest parts would be: removing the ps pump, crank pulley if you don't know the 'belt trick',and the one large horizontal bolt/nut/stud on the tc engine mount- this one requires you to pull the bolts from the 2 x-member mounts and jack your engine up quite a bit.

Cams are definitly a 2-day job (at least) your first time, and to be completely honest if I had to do another one I would just drop the entire drivetrain, do it all out of the car, and lift it back in, for me it would be faster & easier on my back.

Dealer parts that would be required off the top of my head-

Upper & lower IM gaskets
6th gen valve covers + gaskets
O-rings for the vct selenoids
O-rings for the rear timing cover (If you don't want to feed cams through the passanger side)


Regarding idle, cams, and low rpms:

If money isn't an issue I'd go super aggressive & get some nismo (or other) vct sprockets & a V-manage. But regardless of whether you go this route you won't miss the power loss @ low rpm

 

wouldn't do it without dropping the engine? I think that was me

 

crap, well I guess I will skip th cams for now and just go to supercharged. When I finally decide to do a rebuild on the motor (when I finally get my garage up and running) I'll do it then, 2 years from now probably. Pistons, rings, all that good stuff.

 

If you go FI I think that the Pathfinder cams are a good addition since they have verry little overlap, and allow more use of the SC or turbo.

 

I hear they're supposed to add around 15hp. My car is TC'd, soon to be back to NA.

I have a set of heads already, but I was hoping not to have to spend another $1500 in valvetrain parts...

 

I don't think you will need to spend $1500. The use of HR springs and other OEM parts would keep your cost a little lower than aftermarket parts.

You may want to have this thread moved to the All motor section.

 

Make sure you check out the FS forum in my350Z.com. You can find good prices there at times.