97 Olds 88 engine mid performance rebuild

[blazerk5drew]

Over a year ago i bought this car for 400$. zero rust and only 60,XXX miles. Towed it out of an old ladies yard and revived it after not running for a few years.

Unfortunately after 30,000 miles more, the engine lost a bearing and now im looking to do a rebuild and enhance the motor a little. This car is my workhorse and it gets used for everything. im looking to increase power in the motor without throwing reliability out the window. Im looking at a complete rebuile with higher compression pistons, .030 bore increase, an intense sx1 cam + pcm along with LIM porting and possibly porting the exhaust manifolds. The car already has a rebuilt trans with a shift kit and a high stall converter exhaust and an intake. Also i will be replacing the catalytic converter with a more high flow model.

Does anyone out there have any similar expierence with camming an NA 3.8????

[Jrs3800]

I put a cam in my L26( Series III NA 3800 )... See Sig Pic...

It has a ported lower intake, I also kissed and cleaned up the intake ports on the heads...

The Cam is .517 intake and .498 exhaust... The around town driveability is pretty decent, as is the top end... I have it spinning to 6100 Rpms...

Its a little heavy as its a van, but still gets around quite good...

3.33 gears

Comp NA performance cam
LS6 Valve springs
Ported Lower Intake
Intake ports port matched
Magnaflow High Flow Cat and Muffler
1997 Bonneville PCM running a Grand Prix Binfile with +4 Degrees of timing on 89 Octane

Its not the fastest thing on the block but has left people surprised...lol

[LeSabre in Buffalo]

That van gets around very well for a big heavy van. 6 of us riding in it, and all of us getting tossed back into the seats pretty well.

Why not the ER rockers instead of a cam? I'm just wondering.

[willwren]

Because if it's a rebuild, a cam is cheaper and accessible already, and can provide duration, not just lift.

ER rockers can only provide added lift.

[blazerk5drew]

Here are the cam specs

CAM-361 - INTENSE™ Stage 1X Normally Aspirated Cam, duration @ .050": 212º/216º, lobe lifts: .327"/.321", valve lifts with 1.60:1 rocker arms: .523"/.514", lobe separation angle: 113º, intake centerline: 109º

Im not sure how the driveability will change. I want the thing to start when its -10 F outside.

So Jrs3800: your saying that puttin the cam in this motor will be worth my time? Also im doing 180 degree thermostat and pcm will kick on fans at 180 as well. I need a good street machine.

[Jrs3800]

If you already have a stall converter then that cam should work for you....

I had intended to take the cam out of the van, and go with a Torquer cam for it.... But I have had a couple of people that have driven it tell me to leave it the H*** alone... I have been told it has the power to get out of its own way, why change it... So I am leaving it...

My cam is more along the lines of being able to keep the stock stall, but its on the borderline.... My cam is good from 1000rpms to 5500... And it shows... Makes good torque all around and still provides a good top end.. And I have not even done a good VE tune on it to get the fueling closer...

Here in the near future I'll see how the cam reacts to having 3300 Lbs tugging behind the van... That was another reason I didn't want to go too far with the cam, wanted to keep the ability for the van to tow if needed...

When you hot start it you know you have a bumpy cam.... And I have been told by other that they have heard me cold start it and they know its not stock... I had to laugh when they told me " Yeah I heard you hit the key, That ain't Stock "... Funny how an old gearhead will know a sound right away...LMAO...

The cam was more or less worth it in my opinion... Only thing I can say is it sure knows how to use fuel...lol

[blazerk5drew]

Sounds good to me. Any suggestions for pistons and rods without blowing big money....again not looking for a track star, just looking to kick her in the butt a little.

Thanks

[willwren]

Pistons and rods? Nothing special.