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Old 07-28-2008   #1 (permalink)
hazardous2007 is offline Rookie

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Default what to do...

ok i need help. i got the cia, 78mm throttle body and phelum, slp exhaust, and i am getting the slp headers and x pipe. but i dont know what cams to go with or heads. if i change out heads which should i get and what other work will have to be done to make them fit. also what is the difference from stage 1,2,3. and why cant i just go with the stage 3 heads. all the info would be much appreciated.
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Old 07-28-2008   #2 (permalink)
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Default Staged

Quote:
Originally Posted by hazardous2007 View Post
ok i need help. i got the cia, 78mm throttle body and phelum, slp exhaust, and i am getting the slp headers and x pipe. but i dont know what cams to go with or heads. if i change out heads which should i get and what other work will have to be done to make them fit. also what is the difference from stage 1,2,3. and why cant i just go with the stage 3 heads. all the info would be much appreciated.
OK, for answers, I have a few questions...

What is your goal? Without knowing where you are going, its hard to help you get there.

Do you have a rwhp goal (300/400/500/600, etc)?

Are you going to be using the car as a daily driver?

Do you make frequent trips to the drag strip?

Are you more interested in road racing or other driving events?

How many miles are on the car?

What sort of transmission does it have?
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Old 07-28-2008   #3 (permalink)
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well it has 65,000 miles and a stock 5 speed. it is a daily driver and once in awhile go to the strip. i would like to be around 350-400 hp. i want to be able to pull up to a cobra or ss and blow them away. when they think it is a stock gt. i dont do any other kinda of racing just mainly strip but it only happens once a month or longer.
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Old 07-28-2008   #4 (permalink)
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Default 350-400 rwhp

350-400 rwhp is tough to do with a NA 4.6. Assuming you want this much power all the time (and not just when the nitrous bottle is full/on), forced induction would be my suggestion.

A supercharger can get you there for about $4-6000 (depending on your choices and whether or not you can do the labor yourself.

Going the engine internals and heads route (which is where all the stuff about heads and cams comes in) will cost about the same amount to do it right (heads, cams, springs, retainers, intake, TB, forged internals, machine work, gaskets, gears, etc, etc), and will come up short of your power goal.

You didn't indicate how old the engine is.

A high mileage engine is likely to feel the strain from boost or just adding parts on the top end (at some point you reach the weak link, which might well be the rods or nearly worn out bearings/rings, etc.).

If you're engine already needs an overhaul, that would decide me toward a forged internals build plus heads and cams.

In that case, be advised that "stage 1/2/3" cams or heads are simply the 3 off-the-shelf options aftermarket suppliers often sell. What they actually do differs wildly, so you have to do some homework looking at the options.

For example, the larger Comp Cams (sometimes called "Stage 3) require new springs, retainers, and a custom tune, plus properly matched gearing. They would also not be a great choice on top of a weak bottom end, where they will put a lot of stess on the old OE parts. This cam also has a rough idle, and might present driveability issues in a daily driver (and this is a subjective topic as well - some people love the rough idle and don't mind the associated issues).

The 270 cams (stage 2) have a lopey idle, don't require as much extra work, but don't deliver as much maximum power at high rpms. More streetable, though.

Heads from such companies as FoxLake (my personal favorite), Patriot or Livernois are NOT true aftermarket heads such as exist for the 5.0 family, but are re-worked 4.6 OE heads. I'd visit the various sites and do some reading as to their relative merits and demerits.
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Old 07-28-2008   #5 (permalink)
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the engine only has 65,000 miles and is the stock engine. when i got the car it had no upgrades at all. i saw that if i go with stage 3 then i need new pistons. but if i go with stage 2 do i need to also. the engine doesnt need a rebuild it has no leaks and doesnt smoke so i dont need a rebuild.
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