Joe, I started out thinking I'd just do some research and go with the cam that seemed to be popular. The more I read, the more interested I became, and I spent a few months reading up. The ironic part is, the cam I wound up going with is notoriously the "lazy man's cam", meaning it's the one lazy people go with because it's been used successfully by so many. Again, I'm by absolutely NO MEANS a cam guru. The guys over at LS1tech.com are waaaaaay more knowledgeable than I am.

Here's my sound clip at idle. I was amazed that it didn't lope that badly, as all the idle clips I had seen for this cam were on Camaros with no cats, and an obnoxious catback. They sounded like dragsters. I have to say that my car honsestly doesn't even sound as loud/lopey in person as it does in the video. The video seems to be very sound sensitive, and I have the camera down right under the exhaust. If you heard it in person, the loudness is just about the same as it was with exhaust manifolds through my Z06 Titanium catback. You can hear a bird chirping in the background, and it gives you an idea of how sensitive the mic is. You know, the lope out the back end doesn't give away the cam as much as the ticking out the wheel well area. I either have an exhaust leak, or long tubes with big lift lets a lot of ticking through.

P.S. Keep in mind that this is totally 100% untuned, too...

 

Hey, I'm glad i got to hear it. I have A question. Are you running cats? because that sounds loud. As you stated your mic might be sensative. I'm kinda looking for the sleeper look & sound. Also I've read somewhere that the ticking noise is from switching cams. Just an inherit situation on the LS1's. I too may upgrade my heads to ported LS6 spec's so putting in the TR224 w/581 lift may work better in the long run.

 

First off don't do anything until you have throughly educated yourself and listened to a lot of cams. Replacing a cam is a big task and something you only want to do once. Most people would go with a bigger cam. That is a very small cam that you first mentioned(smaller than a stock Z06). Are you looking for drivability or just avoiding a lopey idle? Figure out what you really want. A big cam can be made very streetable with a proper tune. With all the mods you are planning The tune may be the most important part. Most people who add a cam wish that they had gone bigger. Good luck

Jade

 

Yes, I'm running cats; the ones that came with my LG Street Series headers. I know it sounds loud, but I can't stress to you how overblown that video makes it sound. At the beginning of the video, listen to how loud that bird sounds. In reality, it was a quiet chirping in the background.

At idle, the car sounds just a hair (literally just a hair) louder than it did with the stock cam and stock exhaust manifolds. The Z06 Titanium catback is very quiet at idle and at cruise, but it really wakes up under big load at high rpms. I could try shooting you a video with my real video camera that has a better mic to see if it gives a better representation. I would say my car is a 2 out of 10 when it comes to loudness at idle, and almost all of the lope you hear in the video is undetectible unless you are squatting down right next to the exhaust. Also, keep in mind that it's untuned, and idling at 650rpm's (most people set up the idle a bit higher, which reduces the lope).

My real dream in buying a cam was no lope, but I gave up on that due to my performance expectations. Now that I have the 224 in, I realize I could have stood to go even bigger. It's just not as nasty as I had thought it would be.

As far as the ticking, I think it's either an exhaust leak, or it's due to the thinner (than stock manifolds) headers. When you pop the hood, I don't have hardly any more valvetrain noise than I did before. Maybe just a bit, but not nearly as bad as I had thought it would be. With the windows rolled up driving around without the radio off, you can hear the valve train some though...

 

SORRY, didn't mean to Hi-jack this thead! kilrb, I think your on the right track. I want it to sound as close to stock as possible @ idle & cruise then go extreme when your foot is to the floor. To your point you may have gottin the lazy mans cam. And I may look to go a little bigger. But i don't have the bigger is always better sickness, that we all seem to get. I just want what is proven & seems to work. I also have a blown
LT1 car w/580rwhp. Running an off the shelf grind CC#305. Could I run a blower cam? And run into all the expences of switching it out. FOR WHAT! 5-10 rwhp...................Joe

 

thanks kilrb...for the great insight. It appears the more I think I understand, The less I do. I think a lot of people find themselves in the very same position and I'm attempting to get this as right as possible before I pull the trigger. Do it right the 1st time!

 

Kilrb,

Is there ANY loss of driveability going from the stock cam to the TSP224R - 112 cam? On my BONE stock 2002 Z06, I can let out the clutch and pull along near idle (850rpm) in stop an go traffic, with ZERO bucking/surging. Is this still possible with the TSP224R - 112, or do you have to keep it say above 1500rpm to keep it from bucking/surging? Any other driveability complaints?

Oh, how much louder/noiser did it get inside the car when you added the longtubes? Can you noticeably hear the valvetrain noise?

I'm not sure if my wife (Boss ) will go for the LG Pros/Cats, Stock TIs, TSP 224R - 112 and ....maybe TFS215s - 59cc if it is going to be noticeably louder inside the car at idle and at normal "date" throttle conditions

I would LOVE it if it rip roared at full throttle, when the Mrs was not around, mind you.

I think that your cam sounds darn near stock, and I can't believe your idling at 650rpm. Isn't stock somewhere around 750rpm-850rpm?

THANKS!!!

 

I can honestly say, it drives almost 100% identical to stock, only with more ***** from 2,000 and up. The only thing I have noticed as far as driveability is concerned, is a slight tendency to drop rpm from idle if you don't give it enough gas when trying to start up a hill. If I'm taking off on level ground, I can take off from idle without raising the rpms other than accelerating. If I'm on a hill, however, it can get a little tricky to take off without raising the rpm's to 1,000. It's almost like there is a loss of torque at these extremely low rpm's. It's honestly not a problem at all, but it's something I noticed. Once you are above 900rpm though, there's absolutely nothing different.

When I first put the cam in, it hunted for idle without a tune for the first 30 miles or so, and then it actually started/idled/drove just like stock. I actually couldn't even tell a difference in power at low rpm's with low load (I refused to get on it without a tune). When it came back from the tuner however, you could feel more throttle response. I'm looking at 50ft lbs of torque above stock from 2,500rpm (I imagine it's substantially better all the way down to 1,500, but the dyno didn't start until 2,500 or so).

As far as bucking/surging, I have only noticed a little bit of that once or twice in a parking lot at a very low speed, probably at 1,000 rpms or so. I had just engaged the clutch, which jerked the car, and it was like a chain reaction that kept bucking. I have had this happen in other cars before, though... As a general rule, it doesn't buck at any rpm, with the above exception. If you are concerned about 1,500rpm, you have absolutely NOTHING to worry about. If you want me to shoot a short video even, of my car idling or cruising or whatever, just let me know. I'm always happy to help out someone trying to make a tough decision. You don't happen to be in the Kansas City area, do you?

Finally, sound... I'm assuming you still have your stock Z06 Titanium catback, which is what I'm using. At idle, it's only a tiny bit louder; enough to notice, but not nearly as loud as some catbacks by themselves. There is no drone at cruise, and when you tach it up, it doesn't even sound that mean from inside the car. When you are on it, ***** to the wall though... look out! It sounds AWESOME! It's not obnoxiously loud, but it roars. You know how your stock exhaust gets louder at higher rpm/load? Just imagine that with some more oomph. You still get quiet, mild, drone-less cruising, but a nice, roaring sound at full load above 3,000 or so. As far as lifters, you can hear some ticking with the windows up and no air/radio on, but it's not that loud. From the front end of the car, it isn't even that noticeable. Even with the hood up, it's not that loud standing outside the engine bay.

One thing you didn't ask about is shake. I notice just a little bit of shake at idle. It's enough that you can tell something is different if you are used to the stock idle, but it's not very pronounced. I am the kind of person who views the Vette as a refined sports car, and I don't want it shaking/bucking/screaming exhaust. The little shake at idle doens't wreck this perception at all. It's very mild, but I feel I should disclose it. It's not like it shakes the shifter around or anything...

To sum it all up, I'd say the 224 is a GREAT street cam. I don't think your wife would notice much difference when you are in wife-driving mode (ie. normal driving, no redline runs, etc.). If she drives it now, I don't think she'd have a problem driving it after the install. It's honestly not much of a change until you pour on the throttle. Then you get to feel the skin on your face pull back (at least that's what my buddy told me after I gave him a ride).

Seriously, if you want a video clip of anything, just holler at me.

Edit: I believe I'm idling around 750rpm after the tune. I think there's an idle clip before the tune somewhere on the forum, and it was idling at 650 or so...

 

Oops! Re-post.