Which heads and cam?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,090
Likes: 8
From: Indianapolis Indiana
Which heads and cam?
I'm looking at doing a heads and cam change on my otherwise stock 2001 LS1. I'm sure many of you have done this and are either happy with what you did or now know what you should have done. Please help me from making the mistake of knowing what I should have done and share what you have and like about it or what you think is best to do. Thanks! I have a BPP Vortex induction and longtube headers with Borla Stingers but the engine is stock.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 18,308
Likes: 21
From: Marlton. Increasing performance one speeding ticket at a time! NJ
Absolutely no one can tell you what you'll be happy with. To many variables and likes and dislikes.
Do you want the most power for track or the strip? Midrange torque? Daily driver refinement, or better said, how much refinement are you willing to give up? Lopey idle or quite? Auto or manual car, that may affect cam choice.
In short, there is no "best" cam selection. As for heads, I think the best out there are TrickFlow, but AFR is also a great head. There are others but you can't go wrong with either of those two.
Talk with tuners and vendors who will narrow down your requirements and give you some suggestions.
Do you want the most power for track or the strip? Midrange torque? Daily driver refinement, or better said, how much refinement are you willing to give up? Lopey idle or quite? Auto or manual car, that may affect cam choice.
In short, there is no "best" cam selection. As for heads, I think the best out there are TrickFlow, but AFR is also a great head. There are others but you can't go wrong with either of those two.
Talk with tuners and vendors who will narrow down your requirements and give you some suggestions.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,090
Likes: 8
From: Indianapolis Indiana
Absolutely no one can tell you what you'll be happy with. To many variables and likes and dislikes.
Do you want the most power for track or the strip? Midrange torque? Daily driver refinement, or better said, how much refinement are you willing to give up? Lopey idle or quite? Auto or manual car, that may affect cam choice.
In short, there is no "best" cam selection. As for heads, I think the best out there are TrickFlow, but AFR is also a great head. There are others but you can't go wrong with either of those two.
Talk with tuners and vendors who will narrow down your requirements and give you some suggestions.
Do you want the most power for track or the strip? Midrange torque? Daily driver refinement, or better said, how much refinement are you willing to give up? Lopey idle or quite? Auto or manual car, that may affect cam choice.
In short, there is no "best" cam selection. As for heads, I think the best out there are TrickFlow, but AFR is also a great head. There are others but you can't go wrong with either of those two.
Talk with tuners and vendors who will narrow down your requirements and give you some suggestions.
I dont do the strip. I do want to get more performance so I'm as fast as can be when I decide to put my foot in it. I dont want something real radical because its going to be my driver but I also want enough loop in the idle that it sounds good.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,460
Likes: 16
From: hamilton alabama
I am in the process of doing a head cam package on my 2000 coupe. It already has ls6 intake ported tb vararam and b&b catback. I have been buying parts little by little for the swap and it took me about 3 weeks or so just to figure out what cam i wanted lol. I changed my mind on cams like i changed my socks 
I 1st thought i would get the biggest cam i could get without having to add a stall which was a 224 228 588/588 114 and finally i just said to hell with it and settled on texas speed torque 2 cam 232/234, .595"/.598" Camshaft 112 or 113 LSA Standard and called yank and ordered a ss3200 stall. I also purchaced ls6 heads which i will upgrade to the patriot gold springs and bought tpis headers with catless midpipe , asp underdrive pulley and i am hoping with the proper tune to get around 430rwhp but will settle for 415rwhp and retain good street manners and drivability. 
I 1st thought i would get the biggest cam i could get without having to add a stall which was a 224 228 588/588 114 and finally i just said to hell with it and settled on texas speed torque 2 cam 232/234, .595"/.598" Camshaft 112 or 113 LSA Standard and called yank and ordered a ss3200 stall. I also purchaced ls6 heads which i will upgrade to the patriot gold springs and bought tpis headers with catless midpipe , asp underdrive pulley and i am hoping with the proper tune to get around 430rwhp but will settle for 415rwhp and retain good street manners and drivability.
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Moore OK
I am in the process of doing a head cam package on my 2000 coupe. It already has ls6 intake ported tb vararam and b&b catback. I have been buying parts little by little for the swap and it took me about 3 weeks or so just to figure out what cam i wanted lol. I changed my mind on cams like i changed my socks I 1st thought i would get the biggest cam i could get without having to add a stall which was a 224 228 588/588 114 and finally i just said to hell with it and settled on texas speed torque 2 cam 232/234, .595"/.598" Camshaft 112 or 113 LSA Standard and called yank and ordered a ss3200 stall. I also purchaced ls6 heads which i will upgrade to the patriot gold springs and bought tpis headers with catless midpipe , asp underdrive pulley and i am hoping with the proper tune to get around 430rwhp but will settle for 415rwhp and retain good street manners and drivability.
I 1st thought i would get the biggest cam i could get without having to add a stall which was a 224 228 588/588 114 and finally i just said to hell with it and settled on texas speed torque 2 cam 232/234, .595"/.598" Camshaft 112 or 113 LSA Standard and called yank and ordered a ss3200 stall. I also purchaced ls6 heads which i will upgrade to the patriot gold springs and bought tpis headers with catless midpipe , asp underdrive pulley and i am hoping with the proper tune to get around 430rwhp but will settle for 415rwhp and retain good street manners and drivability. How did you determine that's the biggest cam you can run without a stall?
I'm having the same dilemma.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,460
Likes: 16
From: hamilton alabama
asked a few shops like venence texas speed etc etc the 224/228 588 588 is a tad too much altho i understand it will work without a stall you will feel a lil surging while stopped in gear so if that doesnt bother ya that would be a nice cam or another cam to solve that issue would be a 220 224 588 588 112 i believe is what i was told that would not have the surge but about 5 to 10hp less i think if i remember right but i do have a bad case of oldtimers 
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,526
Likes: 18
From: Santa Fe TX
If you are auto I'd go with a 224 or smaller duration with 570-580 lift. 114 or 115 LSA.
If you are stick, you can put the lift at 580-590 and bump the duration to 228. LSA can go down to 113. That's about as extreme as I'd go.
243 heads (LS6/LS2) can be had cheap and are a solid upgrade from the 241 heads you have. You can get Ported/polished trickflows or AFRs for more power, but twice the $$$.
Those are just basic recommendations on what I would consider the limits for a person just stepping into the H/C world.
Feel free to go smaller/lower. Take a look at the stock cam specs, the Z06 Cam Specs and the Stock 241 vs 243 flow numbers. Then look at what cams people are running, look at the flow numbers for the more pricey heads and decide what fits your needs/budget.
If you are stick, you can put the lift at 580-590 and bump the duration to 228. LSA can go down to 113. That's about as extreme as I'd go.
243 heads (LS6/LS2) can be had cheap and are a solid upgrade from the 241 heads you have. You can get Ported/polished trickflows or AFRs for more power, but twice the $$$.
Those are just basic recommendations on what I would consider the limits for a person just stepping into the H/C world.
Feel free to go smaller/lower. Take a look at the stock cam specs, the Z06 Cam Specs and the Stock 241 vs 243 flow numbers. Then look at what cams people are running, look at the flow numbers for the more pricey heads and decide what fits your needs/budget.
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 26
Likes: 1
From: Mount Laurel NJ
Before you decide on a cam, you should get some flow numbers on your heads. this will determine your maximum lift before the air tumbles, and you numbers start to drop off; this will kill your performance and you will be "overcammed".
Blue printing 101 - heads first than cam :0)
Blue printing 101 - heads first than cam :0)
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Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Before you decide on a cam, you should get some flow numbers on your heads. this will determine your maximum lift before the air tumbles, and you numbers start to drop off; this will kill your performance and you will be "overcammed".
Blue printing 101 - heads first than cam :0)
Blue printing 101 - heads first than cam :0)
Pic your heads first
FWIW I run 243 heads that have been polished but not really ported.
Basic comp cam 224r 224/224 581/581 112+0
Looking at AFR 205 heads milled to 59 with a 224/230 581/588 110+2