Hi everyone,

I recently bought myself an AU XR8 manual S2 with a 220kw motor. It has 200k on it but has has a huge amount of work done. New cooling system, all new sensors, new clutch etc etc etc. Overall in excellent condition. It also has a full exhaust. Hurricane headers, high flow cats, 3inch exhaust and tuned to 200rwkw wish with a SCT XCAL at bluepower.

The car is a second car and a bit of a weekend toy.

The engine goes great but like always I want a bit more. I was hoping someone could give me an idea of costs so I know roughly what sought of money to save before I start hassling workshops for prices.

I would like to consider just a cam swap with all the factory running gear. Idea of price? Ignore tune in the price.

Rough idea of a cam swap, new springs in the heads to suit if I take the engine out and drop it off? Ignore tune.

Rough idea of a cam swap, basic head recondition with new springs to suit and a basic rebuilt ring and bearing job if I take the engine out and drop it off. Ignore tune.

Thanks guys

I've just put my 5.0L back in after a top end & cam upgrade.

The Comp Cam was about $350, Crane (single) beehive springs are $275, Rollmaster double row timing chain kit is $165, plus gaskets. The GT40P heads have to be machined to fit the Crane springs (about $100). If you use the stock valves, you don't need to buy additional spring retainers. I think Trick Flow make double valve springs that fit without machining the seats.

I can't advise on the cost of rings and bearings. Don't forget to get the lower manifold port matched to the heads. That cost me about $230.

Thanks for the reply.

Did you do all the labour yourself? I am lucky to have the 220 engine so I believe the intake manifold is already port matched and the heads have been flowed a little by tick ford with bigger valves.

I am considering leaving then stock with just heavier vavle springs and maybe a cam and a basic ring and bearing rebuild.

Yes, I did the all the work myself. If you have time, skill and space to do it, it's worthwhile.

This was the first time I've pulled down a V8 so I had a lot of research on how to put it all back together properly. I had new Yella Terra GT40P heads fitted with bigger stainless valves, pocket ported and flow tested along with new RRs, lifters and hardened pushrods. After 2 months, it's all back together and looks like a new engine. I've spent about $4k on the partial rebuild.

Double check the intake manifold. I heard it only had minor port work and there's room for improvement.

OK. Maybe I could look at getting them opened up a bit. Did you do rings and bearings etc? What were the improvements like when you got it back together?

Sorry, I didn't do the rings and bearings. I was considering it but the compression is OK and the 208k engine doesn't use oil. The cam has only 0.512 lift and, with all the mods, it accelerates much harder now. A tune is needed soon as it won't idle properly and the wideband O2 sensor is flashing LEAN when I floor it.

Last edited by Shortshift on Mon Mar 30, 2015 8:30 am, edited 1 time in total.

That's interesting. My car has about the same miles on it. Uses no oil and pulls really well. Maybe I should compression check it and leave the bottom end along
Will look into that. Thanks