What to do. Cam or Rockers????

[Nanos]

I have a VS V6 automatic wagon.

Just after some advice what to do. I have just gone through the usual upgrades, CAI, extractors and good exaust, K & N filter.

Like most people im still not happy with the performance. And before you all say sell it and buy a V8 i will just say I dont want a V8.

The car is used as everyday driver and does a lot of highway work.

I have been looking around at my options and are confused at what wil give me the best result. I have around $1500 or so to spend and have seen i can either do rockers and chip upgrade package or have seen cam, throttle body and chip packages for aorund the same sort of price.

What is everyone opionion. I have heard that the rockers give a nice upgrade but if the cam will be better power upgrade then i owuld do that.

I am trying to get the most out of it with just bolt on's. Im the usual v6 owner that does not want to go forced induction or V8. My wife drives it the most and if i make it to wild i will never here the end of it.

Any advice would be great.

[johnvtls1]

cam is a very expensive processes mate. depending on wat u want if its cam and chip it will cost round that price but then u have to pay for install and maybe even head work. also the chips they give u with cams are generally not that good so a tune is probably better. ive just put a cam in my vs and having a bit of trouble with and it cost me a hell of a lot more then i though. all up around 3 grand but thats with head work and labour and all the cam stuff. rockers are a cheaper alternative but ur not gonna get the same gains as a cam
hope this helps

[immortality]

ultimatly the rockers with cam is the best option. the complete cam, TB and tune would be better then just rockers with tune but i don't think for those $$$ will cover the cam package unless your going to do a lot of hte work yourself. if you only wanna spend $1500 then i'd go with the rockers and a tune (will get close to the cam if done right). also consider getting a stage 2 shift kit and corvette servo for the trans it will make the power you have more usable and give a better driving experience. also consider some 3.45 diff gears. again, it doesn't increase the power you have but gives a more spirited drive

[johnvtls1]

TB generally dont make much of an increase i had one on mine car felt like it too off a bit quicker but really thats about it but diff gears and shift kit would be good too. a cam headwork and tune combined with them would really liven up ur car but expect to pay more then 1500 bucks

[sganro]

When i put a new cam in mine a mild cam and chip was about $1000-1200. Then you have to pay to get your motor taken out, stipped down, new cam put in, put back together and motor back in the car. Thats where it starts getting pricey. Luckily my labour costs are zero so i didnt have to fork out for it

[Grennan]

Well dont expect big gains from a set of rockers. Your just going to be thinking... **** I SHOULDVE GONE CAM. Cam wont cost you 1.5 grand. Itll cost about half that to buy, but most the costs come with labor so expect it to cost about 2-2.5 grand all up.

[Nanos]

Thanks Guys. I think ill do the rockers and tune. If my budget will allow ill look at changing diff gears just to make it bit better down low( i do tow a fair bit so this will help).

I should have mentioned the auto has had some work done to it when it got rebuilt some time ago. Not sure exactly what but it sifts harder into gears and holds gears out better. Dont think its a corvette servo as i have been in a few commodores with them and my shift is not as harsh as theirs.

has anyone had much to do with Mace enginering here in melbourne as i can get 1.98:1 rockers fitted for about $900. Is this a fair price??? And are they worth it compared to Yella terra???

Thanks for your help

[Cobez]

Sounds like your wagon just has a shift kit without the corvette servo........^^^


I love the way my car shifts hard into second with the corvette servo...........

[Nanos]

I would like the shift abit firmer but the wife drives the car and i think the first time she would drive it in the wet and she would loose control and wipe the car off and if she dosnt then the complaints i would get about how it drives would be too much.

Women just dont understand cars the way we do!!!!!

[Cobez]

I have a corvette servo with my shift kit, i can throw it around a corner in the wet and she won't slide. It you WANT it to go sideways, the corvette servo won't make it do that. A spool / lock diff will, but not a corvette servo.

[sircruisealotVS]

I have a corvette servo with my shift kit, i can throw it around a corner in the wet and she won't slide. It you WANT it to go sideways, the corvette servo won't make it do that. A spool / lock diff will, but not a corvette servo.

i think he was refering to loosing it in the wet when it chirps into gear, which is quite understandable. with enough power (doesnt take that much more than stock) you can find youself sideways in the wet on the 1st-2nd change if your giving it enough throttle.

with those mace rockers, id personally just stick to yella terra...there's something about paying top dollar for a re-used part that bothers me....

[vr_owner]

hey mate trust me go for a cam if you can get it for the right price. ive got a custom grind cam, a small one but its alot more noticeable than some rockers.

[Col74]

I got a progressive stage 2 shift kit. This means with light throtle you don't know it's there (unless your looking for it), medium throtle you know something is there and heavy throtle it launches into 2nd. So it's quite controlable.
Re: Cam vs Rockers. Interesting because i'm thinking of rockers (just because i don't want to pull the motor apart). I know the cam profile is important but with rockers you are just opening the valves further to allow more air/fuel in and exhaust out, right?
I'm on straight gas so will be doing head work and bumping up the comprssion ratio as well, hoping to re tune the memcal to suit gas. Does anyone know of a place that will re tune memcals in Melbourne.

[sik888]

So which is a good cam and rocker set up for a v6 ectoec? (is it wise to get both done)?

Who in Melbourne's Northern suburbs do a good job and what kinda price?