I gained 33whp on a mustang dyno and tons of area under the curve as shown by this chart:

 

I guess you really just have to decide for yourself if 30 hp is worth $600. An exhaust system costs about the same but you can definitely get away with not upgrading your cams. I like the smooth idle the stock cams provide, and for this reason I'll not be upgrading them. You can still make ridiculous amounts of power on the stock cams (with a larger turbo). It really just comes down to preference. To me, $600 is alot of money to spend to get 30 hp and have your car sound and idle like complete ***. To some maybe the sound is more to their liking, but I have never been a fan of aggressive cams despite the small increase in power.

 

That's well within everyone's rights and opinions.

There are a few misnomers in this thread:

1) Anyone who picks cam replacements based on sound is an idiot.

2) Cam swaps don't just net you a few hp. It's all relative to your other modifications. With other changes like heads with larger intake runners and flow rates into high lifts without going turbulent and turbo, you could easily go well over a few ponies. Since HP is a function of RPM and torque, moving the torque band higher into the rpm where a larger turbo will fully spool will easily multiply the 20 or so hp you get on a stock turbo. That's why one should change cams with a turbo swap or a head swap. With supporting mods, a cam swap can easily net 40, 50, 60, 70hp at the wheels or more, it really depends on the setup.

If you swap turbos to one that spools at 6K rpm, the car will run poorly with stock cams on that setup. There wouldn't be much left in the power band to support it. It would, in short, be a severely mismatched system.

With a large turbo and stock cams you'll increase your peak numbers, but you'd decrease the area under the curve. If you go too large, you'll end up running slower.

HP costs money. You pay to play.

I think everyone should read up on valve timing, and it's effects on the power band.

 

DSMs with 600-700hp on stock cams? Youve gotta be kidding me man, thats compltely false.

Also, you dont wanna spend 600 on cams but you wanna get a 3000 turbo upgrade to add 60-70? Thats completely illogical. Cams are a great bang for the buck period. You dont like the idle? Ok thats fine.

 

Watch this Video, it explanes EVERYTHING on 272 cams.


http://videos.streetfire.net/search/...211E42EB30.htm

 

since you're not racing i would say go with the new Monster Sport 265 cams. not to aggressive for a semi-stock idle. they have 12.0mm of lift. Lift is what gives you torque. Torque gets you down the road faster. the HKS are 10.2 or 10.8 & the stock cams are 9.8. since the max revs on the MS cams are 7500RPM, you won't need head studs but you WILL need cam gears to fine tune them along with lifters & retainers to keep from getting lifter tick. Tomei is also coming out with 270's & 280's with 12.2mm lift soon...

 

+10...

 

so are lifters and retainers ,srpings and what not needed to run the HKS cams safely?

 

Don't need lifters or valve springs and retainers for HKS cams.

 

I looked at your setup and here's my 2 cents.

replace the UICP

get a MBC perferrably a dual stage from turboXS. you can have two settings for differenct oct.

next walbro. you will need it and it's cheap.
bigger injectors 680-720 ( I have ran into fuel cut with a stock 03 turb. w/stock hot side)

if you get an SAFC2 you can run 2 maps (reg. gas and race gas) AMS can tune it for you and you can learn to tune it yourself.

then you can get CAMS. I went with HKS simply because they are the best period. I bought mine used for $400 and never had a problem.

springs and retainers are good to have but, not absolute necessary unless you go 280 or high lift. or you want to rev to 8K.

i do recommend head studs for safety.
cam gears are good to but not absolute necessary i run without them and car runs fine. the gears are for adjusting the power band. you may get 3-5 hp out of them.

IC is also optional but, it does make a difference.

 

Bump

 

Cams are HUGE especially 272. I mean night and day, not only that they aid in hindering detonation up top as you are getting WAY more exhaust gas out and cool air in per duration. It is just huge and is an ESSENTIAL mod. I have them, they kick ***, I can't picture life worth living without them.

 

WOW, SOUNDS LIKE YOUR A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE CAMS.
THANKS...

 

WOW MAN REAL BIG!!! WHO-HOO ALRIGHT GOTTA GIVE IT THAT 110% REAL BIG ALRIGHT SLAP ME FIVE ON THE FLIP SIDE ALRIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I think what's been lost in this discussion is what should be done to the car BEFORE adding aftermarket cams, and what can be done to the car AFTER adding aftermarket cams. If you follow a sensible mod path then the 272/272 cams should be one of the final steps on the stock snail. After you upgrade the cams the aftermarket turbo market becomes a beautifull place, assuming you're rolling around with a stronger fuel pump and beefier injectors too.