If I got a stage 1 cam would it affect my car's reliability and drivability? Also will it have a rough idle? Last, would the cam be mild enough to keep the stock valve springs or should I get new ones?

 

I had a stage 1 cam in my civic. No, it will not have a rough idle. Yes, you can keep your stock valvetrain. It will not affect your driveablity but it will wear on valvetrain components faster. All in all I wouldn't waste my time with a Stage 1. Upgrade the valvetrain, PNP the head and IM, and go with a crower stage 2 cam. It will be much better than your stage 1. Don't make the same mistake that i did. I had a JDM PNP head with a prelude TB and a PNP IM with a crane stage 1 cam. The stage 1 makes better midrange power than stock but didn't have much more in the high end. A stage 2 would be better in both mid and high ranges.

 

what cam? for the most part a stg 1 is a very mild cam and will not require springs and retainers nor will it idle roughly..........but its idle has to do also with the valve adjustment. my stg 3 crane cam requires no upgrade of the valve train but idles rather lopey and has killed my gas milage.

 

im gunna second the s2 stage2 cam + valvetrain...plus a good PnP

 

How would a stage 2 effect the drivability and gas milage? The reason I'm asking is because I'm going to college soon and am going tohave todrive half way across alabama to get there.

 

its definitly gonna go down slightly but i dont think like 15mpg unless you are flooring it everywere

 

Why does everyone care about a rough idle?

Like everyone else is saying, if you are gonna crack into the valvetrain, go stage 2 minimum, but that also involves new springs and retainers at considerably more cost.

A good PNP is a great idea, but it costs a fortune. If you can afford it, more power to you, but there are more cost effective means.

PS- I have aZex 105300 y8 cam and new Comp Cams valvesprings for sale. Just throwing that out there.