[Justin!]

I've been looking for what mods to do next. I was looking at cams and think I found the ones I want. I want Crane Stage 2's. I have a few questions.

-Do I need to buy intake and exhaust cams at the same time, or can I get them and install them at seperate times?
-About how much would a shop charge to install them?
-Should I just buy a tuner from SCT and get a custom tune or get the tuner from FocusSport?

 

[NAD23ZX3]

Yeah, you need both installed at the same time, shops vary, and it'd be alot easier to get the flasher from the company/person you get the tune from

 

[FOCUSSTDRIVER]

you also need a cold air intake and a header....no point in cams with out those too first

 

[warneej]

you also will need springs and retainers

cams get expensive and it seems like you're looking for a cheap mod, these are not it

honhon has those same cams in his, as does Mr. Johnson

 

[Justin!]

I have an OBX header and an HPS CAI. I'm not looking for the cheap way out. I'm just trying to figure out about how much it will all cost.

 

[jetrinka]

Well you are going to want a full 2.5" preferrably exhaust system as well. You are choking that header with the stocker and if you put some cams in there it will choke it even more.

 

[warneej]

it'll be in the $600 range

 

[honhon]

it took me i would say in the $700 range to do eveything myself, and to do it right and per crane's recommended break in period... the oil was changed in my car about 3 or 4 times within a short period of time... to get all the metal out of the engine from the cams breaking in.

 

[Justin!]

Okay sweet. Not as bad as I thought. I just don't have the knowledge to install these myself. My next question is will the SCT Livewire be compatable with my car? I e-mailed them about it and they never emailed me back.

 

[MisterJohnson]

As long as you have the right tools and some time, you can do the install yourself using the how-to's that have been done. And honhon and I will be happy to answer any Q's you have during the install.
If you have a shop do it you're looking at a lot of shop labor time, and @ $80 to $120 an hour it'll pile up fast.
And like warneej said, you need you do the valve springs at the same time as the cams (there's a how-to for this too)

 

[NAD23ZX3]

watch out if you do it yourself, as this is an interference engine.

 

[MisterJohnson]

watch out if you do it yourself, as this is an interference engine.

Good point, but if you follow the instructions to a T you won't have any problems.
I had never done anything like this before, and I did it in my garage with a cheap air compressor for doing the valve springs and a pretty basic craftsman tool set. (and some pointers from honhon)

Just make sure you have everything you need before you start, follow the instructions/how-to's, and always ask for help if you're confused about something - NEVER GUESS IF YOU DON'T KNOW!!!

 

[honhon]

and remember folks... ill be doin a write up on my 2.3L head swap this winter! lol so ill be covering the springs/retainers and cams all over again, and ill be sure to take mucho pictures lol

 

[warneej]

SCT livewire is the program that is run on your computer to talk to the XCal2 and thus your car, it is not installed on your car.

It will, however, work with the XCal2 so you can monitor your car, works great on XP, needs to be run in compatibility mode on Vista and then runs fine

 

[benc323]

watch out if you do it yourself, as this is an interference engine.

what do you mean by that, exactly?

 

[sleepyboy]

He means if you get the timming wrong or if the chain breaks then the valves will hit the pistions and that would mean no go for launch. The Zetec and I believe SPI are the only ones that are not interference motors meaning if our timming belt breaks (zetecs and spi's have belts duratecs have chains) then the valves and pistions will get close but never touch. I guess in a way you can get to home base with a duratec and with a zetec they only let you get to first base lol. Oh and to clearify the SVT is an interference motor even though its a zetec but its cams are HUGE alot of lift means more interference if things go bad.

 

[benc323]

ah...i had heard that about timing belts, i just thought that's how all cars are. timing belt break while driving = very very bad.

 

[sleepyboy]

^^^not all the time it just depends on what motor is in the car your driving.

 

[warneej]

its bad, just not AS bad hahaha

 

[sleepyboy]

^^^lol