Tune after a cam swap

[Ronins2ndCuzzin]

So I just cam swapped my ZO6. I won't be able to get the tune done for a few months, but I need to move the car around. Some key take aways are, the fuel system is the same. Only change is the cam and valve springs. The cam is decent sized (232/246 115 LSA +9 OL). I know it needs tuned...but has anyone ever driven their car a short while without a tune successfully? I'm just looking for a freeway cruise about 25 miles to get the car home. Trailering it is a HUGE PITA. Thoughts?

[MadInNc]

AAA?

[Ronins2ndCuzzin]

LOL...not that old.

[Y2Kvert4me]

You should be fine. That seems a fairly mild cam for a 427, I wouldn't anticipate any issues, probably not even a check engine light. (but don't worry if it happens, pretty typical to toss MAF or MAP sensor codes with big cams).

When I cammed my C5 (LS1 - 346), I put in a 240/244 111 LSA monster, and did it in a friend's garage in south Florida. The day after we got it running, I drove it 1300+ miles home to Wisconsin, w/o any tuning.

In hindsight, that seems kinda crazy...But the trip went just fine, only issues I encountered was the car stalling a couple times when exiting the highway and coming to a stop. I put some nice heads on it a couple months later, and only then did it get tuned.

[Ronins2ndCuzzin]

Thank you for that. I feel that part throttle driving shouldn't change the fueling demands drastically enough to cause driveability issues...but that's also why I'm asking the question.

[Y2Kvert4me]

Originally Posted by Ronins2ndCuzzin

Thank you for that. I feel that part throttle driving shouldn't change the fueling demands drastically enough to cause driveability issues...but that's also why I'm asking the question.

Any drivability issues you MIGHT encounter will be the result of the PCM overcompensating and injecting too much fuel, not too little. That's why mine had a tendency to stall when coming to a stop - too much fuel, too little air.

Other than that annoyance (and it was only occasional, MOST of the time it settled down to idle OK), I remember the car drove and cruised on the highway perfectly fine.

[Ronins2ndCuzzin]

Good deal. I guess I'll find out soon enough.

[Ronins2ndCuzzin]

Update: Ended up pulling the PCM and driving it to the shop for a flash. Didn't have to drive without a tune. Car drove quite nice actually. Unfortunately didn't really whack on it because I'm still breaking in the cam. Nice to just give it about 3-500 miles of cruising (not a flat tappet cam, I know...just call me old-fashioned) before I really get after a motor that just had open heart surgery.