Can you Un-Cam a Cammed car?

[Zed]

I have a really evil emissions test here every two years... between tests you can spew what ever foulness into the atmosphere you like as long as you have cats (the fines around $500 for having no cats, or punched cats).

If one buys a fancy head/cam package, can they have the original cam reinstalled and have the car re-LS1 edited before emissions testing, then have it re-cammed after the test. I realize this is sickly expensive to do, but it would be every two years and I love the way a heads/cam car sound, and the power they are putting down is serious (without having to touch the bottom end).

Thanks in Advance (and Merry Christmas).
Zed

[kumar75150]

Sure you can. Just expect to pay $500 or so each time to do the swap.

[Zed]

Originally posted by kumar75150
Sure you can. Just expect to pay $500 or so each time to do the swap.

That would be reasonable... about a grand every two years to pass the test and get a good sticker!

Zed

[niphilli]

It can be done, but my reccomendation would be to go with a smaller cam like the MTI T1 (221/221 .559/.559) on 112 or the TR 220. You should be close there and you can "cheat" the test a little to pass. A good tuner can change your tune just before the test and make it pass if you are close. Always make sure that your car is catted and HOT when you go in for the test.

[Zed]

Originally posted by niphilli
It can be done, but my reccomendation would be to go with a smaller cam like the MTI T1 (221/221 .559/.559) on 112 or the TR 220. You should be close there and you can "cheat" the test a little to pass. A good tuner can change your tune just before the test and make it pass if you are close. Always make sure that your car is catted and HOT when you go in for the test.

Wow... do you actually think you can pass on a 112LSA?

That would have a nasty good idle... I know that the car must idle at a maximum of 1000RPM to pass, anything over is an autofail, but getting close to that value would take some of the lump out of a cam wouldn't it?

Zed

[kumar75150]

I dont know what the laws in Canada are but here you can get a medium sized cam to pass as long as you have cats and are not throwing any codes.

[WA 2 FST]

Originally posted by Zed
Wow... do you actually think you can pass on a 112LSA?

That would have a nasty good idle... I know that the car must idle at a maximum of 1000RPM to pass, anything over is an autofail, but getting close to that value would take some of the lump out of a cam wouldn't it?

Zed

I agree with niphilli on this one. Go with a bit smaller cam...one that will pass with cats. You may not make the top-end power above 6400rpm or spin the motor to 7000, but who cares? You might sacrifice 20rwhp above 6400rpm. Unless you are drag racing the car at the track very often, the top-end gain will not net you much anywhere else in the powerband.

It will be easier on valvesprings (which with the big cams often times have to be replaced every 10-12k miles), and you'll pass emissions and still make 440-450rwhp and tons of bottom-end and mid-range TQ which in turn yields great _average_ HP under the curve of your efficient rev-range. You'll still be shifting at 6600 or so, and it will have a lopey enough idle to make you smile at a stoplight.

[Zed]

Originally posted by WA 2 FST
I agree with niphilli on this one. Go with a bit smaller cam...one that will pass with cats. You may not make the top-end power above 6400rpm or spin the motor to 7000, but who cares? You might sacrifice 20rwhp above 6400rpm. Unless you are drag racing the car at the track very often, the top-end gain will not net you much anywhere else in the powerband.

It will be easier on valvesprings (which with the big cams often times have to be replaced every 10-12k miles), and you'll pass emissions and still make 440-450rwhp and tons of bottom-end and mid-range TQ which in turn yields great _average_ HP under the curve of your efficient rev-range. You'll still be shifting at 6600 or so, and it will have a lopey enough idle to make you smile at a stoplight.

Hehehe... I like the way you describe it. I will cam the car and run a more moderate came like you guys suggest. If the car fails smog testing I will have it switched then.

The smog testing here is a load test on a dyno tested from idle to 40mph.... with little things plugged into your gas tank and everything. Its pretty sick, and its a vulgar cash grab.

Zed

[WA 2 FST]

They do the same type of testing here in the large metro areas of TX...but only for OBD-1 (pre-96) cars going back 25 years. So it isn't an issue for the newer cars which just have to have a diagnostic scan of the PCM.

However, roadside sniffers abound these days. They are mobile units and I see them in different spots all the time now. If you get nabbed by one of these, you have to submit to the testing procedure you describe no matter what year your car is (unless its really old, like my '69).

Good luck.