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ECOTEC' CAM? Standard Engine. INDIVIDUAL

vx_commodore

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VX Commodore V6 L36 Standard, 2 1/2' exhaust.​

Hey
I dident want to start a new thread, But i couldent find the answer's any other way

The reason for the below is comming from a VP, Great reasonable power..The Ecotec is sad, It's almost dangerous.

I have been contemplating getting high ratio rockers for a wile...
Then i thought, Why cheap out on work?, I may as well go all out and get a cam...Fit it myself,I know how to fit them but thats all.
I dont know much about preformace cam's, Only how to fit them.

So for the past week i'v been reading up on cam's, Some say it's worth it some say there a waste of money.

Im not up for all out power, I just need more torque, You know, Pulling out of roundabout's, Getting up to speed, Overtaking, Get that nice power feel.
But as far as i see it, It's far better going with a cam over rocker's if you dont mind the extra work fitting it.

I need down low - Mid range torque, Any extra is a bonus.

I'v been looking on the MACE site at the stage 2 cam (216°/216° at .050"), It sais it's good for street, And you dont really need a hopped up engine to start with.
So what should i look for? It's a completly stock VY engine, Will a cam give me the extra down low - Mid torque that im after? Or should i just go back to high ratio rockers?
Will a cam work with a standard engine? I don't feel the need to spend heap's. If i dont have too!!

I just want to spend a one off payment on a decent power increase, I dont want to have to keep spening money. Thats why i thought cam
I am saving for a house deposit, So i thought, Get a cam, Better than HRR and still require more power.
Will the cam work ok with standard trans?
Get the cam, Install it, Get a mail order tune?? Or can the tune wait? Or is it 100% required right away?
Can the VX ECU be tuned for the new cam thrugh mail order? What's the approx cost of the tune??

Sorry, I have searched and serched but noting relating to a standard engine VX ECU
Just want to make sure of a few thing's before purchace.
Oh, The stage 2 (on mace site) be the best bet? Without having to go overboard in preformace part's?

Thanx....
 

acarmody

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I have the MACE stage 1 cam and I rarely ever have to go above 2500rpm, unless I'm overtaking or something. I think it give me some nice low down torque.

The stock VY Ecotec has 305Nm @ 3600rpm, I have 350NM @ 3100rpm. But keep in mind I also have a bit of raised compression.

Tune is required at the same time.
 

MACE

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Hi vx_commodore,

" The reason for the below is comming from a VP, Great reasonable power..The Ecotec is sad, It's almost dangerous. "
We concur, the ecotec (in standard form) does lack that low rpm punch that the earlier 3800 V6 engines had. Holden designed the engine characteristics like that unfortunately, we however have ways to overcome these short comings.

"I have been contemplating getting high ratio rockers for a wile...
Then i thought, Why cheap out on work?, I may as well go all out and get a cam...Fit it myself,I know how to fit them but thats all.
I dont know much about preformace cam's/work

So for the past week i'v been reading up on cam's, Some say it's worth it some say there a waste of money.

Im not up for all out power, I just need more torque, You know, Pulling out of roundabout's, Getting up to speed, Overtaking, Get that nice power feel.
But as far as i see it, It's far better going with a cam over rocker's if you dont mind the extra work fitting it.

I need down low - Mid range torque, Any extra is a bonus.

I'v been looking on the MACE site at the stage 2 cam (216°/216° at .050"), It sais it's good for street, And you dont really need a hopped up engine to start with.
So what should i look for? It's a completly stock VY engine, Will a cam give me the extra down low - Mid torque that im after? Or should i just go back to high ratio rockers?
Will a cam work with a standard engine? I don't feel the need to spend heap's. If i dont have too!!"

I wish it was that simple, cams are a great way to get extra power, unfortunately they generally move the power band up the rpm range. Certainly if you are happy to fit a cam then we would recommend it over the high ratio rockers. The stage 2 Comp Cams cam is decent grind and it does produce good results however it does move the power band up the rpm range a little.
What we would recommend to start off with would be to fit our cold air intake and 25mm manifold spacer and 12mm plenum spacer, these items combined will improve low rpm throttle response and torque with approx a 12% increase in torque right from idle. These mods will also complement a cam install so there is no down side to these upgrades.

If you are really set on low rpm gains then I would probably suggest the stage 1 camshaft as it's more suited.

"I just want to spend a one off payment on a decent power increase, I dont want to have to keep spening money. Thats why i thought cam
Will the cam work ok with standard trans?
Get the cam, Install it, Get a mail order tune?? Or can the tune wait? Or is it 100% required right away?
Can the VX ECU be tuned for the new cam thrugh mail order? What's the approx cost of the tune??
Sorry, I have searched and serched but noting relating to a standard engine VX ECU
Just want to make sure of a few thing's before purchace.
Oh, The stage 2 (on mace site) be the best bet? Without having to go overboard in preformace part's? "

The standard transmission will cope with a cam upgrade depending on its current condition. We would recommend fitting a large decent quality external transmission cooler if it doesn't already have one. We can alter the tune to increase line pressures and shift points to improve the way the transmission performs. Fitting a decent quality stage 2 shift kit and 2nd gear billet servo won't hurt either.

We recommend tuning to suit when fitting a cam, running a performance cam on the standard tune isn't really recommended.

We can supply cam and tune packages to suit, for the VX models the Comp Cams cam and tune packages are $810

Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any more questions.
Bart
 

vx_commodore

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Excelent responce, Thanx for taking the time to read my long thread.

I do have a stage 2 shift kit fitted, I felt the box was too sloppy before hand, It's great now.

So you would reccomend the stage 1 opposed to the stage 2 for low - mid power?

Yeh, I forgot to add, I never go above 4k RPM, Even 3k is rare around town., I just grampa my car all the time, Thats why i was looking more for torque and whenever i 'Google' I need more torque, Cam Cam Cam seem's to appear everywhere, People saying thats the only real decent option.
But it would be nice to have a bit extra power if i ever did need it.

So a stage 1 cam will be a lower RPM 'power range' than the stage 2?

What sort of RPM would i have to reach to see the power range of the stage 1 cam?

What sort of RPM would i have to reach to see the power range of the stage 2 cam?
 

MACE

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Hi vx_commodore,

" Excelent responce, Thanx for taking the time to read my long thread. "
No problem :)

" I do have a stage 2 shift kit fitted, I felt the box was too sloppy before hand, It's great now. "
Excellent, a very worthy investment in my opinion.

"So you would reccomend the stage 1 opposed to the stage 2 for low - mid power?

Yeh, I forgot to add, I never go above 4k RPM, Even 3k is rare around town., I just grampa my car all the time, Thats why i was looking more for torque and whenever i 'Google' I need more torque, Cam Cam Cam seem's to appear everywhere, People saying thats the only real decent option.
But it would be nice to have a bit extra power if i ever did need it."

I would, especially given your driving style.

" So a stage 1 cam will be a lower RPM 'power range' than the stage 2?"
Correct

"What sort of RPM would i have to reach to see the power range of the stage 1 cam?"
Very similar to the standard cam but with a few more rpm, approx 1800-5500rpm

" What sort of RPM would i have to reach to see the power range of the stage 2 cam? "
The stage 2 cam's power band is from about 2500-6500rpm

Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any more questions.
Bart
 

micky vn man

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i personally would give diff gears ago first cheaper than a cam and from your driving style 3:45 or 3:7 diff gears would be the go ..or could go plenum spacers and bored out throttle body etc and get tune to suit.
 

vx_commodore

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I thought about diff gear's but given there cost and i do quiet a bit of highway driving i thought i'd put the money into something else, Ie cam.

I have also thought about the spacer's but i just dont know, Im only budgeting around $700-800 for some power upgrade, And thats it.

Thats why i thought cam, That's probably the best power im going to get out of my $800'ish, Seem's i can fit it myself.

I think im almost settled on a MACE cam.

Sorry bart, I have one more question relating to a tune.
My girlfriend has a completley stock as a rock VX, Is there anything you can do to the ECU in the way of a mail order tune that will liven it up a bit?

Was thinking i could send you the ECU in the mail and you could work some magic on it to get the most out of the stock VX.
Also, Whats the cost of a tune like as above?
I have no preformance shop's around my area, Nor anyone who can help me, Im not even sure they know what a car is sometime's, So i have to rely on smart preformance internet people's advise :)
Thanx again!
 

Dont Punch Rocks

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Would any of the above mentioned cams be suited to a turbo if one was to fit one down the track? Or is better to get a turbo grind after the turbo install
 

acarmody

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Would any of the above mentioned cams be suited to a turbo if one was to fit one down the track? Or is better to get a turbo grind after the turbo install

I personally would get a turbo cam and turbo together. That way you have a better 'combo' that compliments each other and you save a few hundred dollars on tuning costs.
 

MACE

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vx_commodore,

"Sorry bart, I have one more question relating to a tune.
My girlfriend has a completley stock as a rock VX, Is there anything you can do to the ECU in the way of a mail order tune that will liven it up a bit?

Was thinking i could send you the ECU in the mail and you could work some magic on it to get the most out of the stock VX.
Also, Whats the cost of a tune like as above?
I have no preformance shop's around my area, Nor anyone who can help me, Im not even sure they know what a car is sometime's, So i have to rely on smart preformance internet people's advise "

No problem at all. We can supply a tune to suit for $280 however I would recommend our bolt on upgrades first as the gains would be greater.

For a stock standard car where economy is the primary focus we generally recommend our cold air intake and 25mm manifold spacer and 12mm plenum spacer. These items combined will improve fuel economy and make the car more responsive to drive.

Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any more questions.
Bart
 
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