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What do you guys think about the driveability of a stock LS7 cam in my 99 LS1? If I do a cam change it has to be something that will still pass CA smog, which the LS7 cam should do.
Use a ls6 Z06 cam. Near the same. You will have to change the front cover and use a ls2 cam sensor as well as do a wiring harness relocate with the LS7. Get a grind ofr your application and save the headache.
To answer your question, they drive fine and are great with turbos setups as well.
Last edited by Slow Z06; Jul 11, 2011 at 12:51 AM.
Yep, the only way to do headers legally here. I've had it with smog problems - I'm keeping this car legal with the technical exception of the Vararam which is easy to swap out with the stock airbox if I have to.
Keep in mind the ls7 cam specs are listed in relation to 1.8 rockers...not the 1.7 we have on the ls1.
If you want a smog legal cam, you may be able to get a baby custom cam. Can't really go wrong with the ls6 cam if all you are looking for is a little extra power and stock drivability. There was an fbod that hit 11's with that cam + headers on stock 241 heads. He was lightened, but I believe still heavier than a corvette.
If doing labor yourself, ls6 springs are like 50 bucks and the cam I believe is 200 or so. Throw in an extra $100 for misc parts (bolts, gaskets, fluids) and you are looking at $350 installed...not bad and you will gain a minimum of 20 hp, more if you had real long tubes.
Keep in mind the ls7 cam specs are listed in relation to 1.8 rockers...not the 1.7 we have on the ls1.
If you want a smog legal cam, you may be able to get a baby custom cam. Can't really go wrong with the ls6 cam if all you are looking for is a little extra power and stock drivability. There was an fbod that hit 11's with that cam + headers on stock 241 heads. He was lightened, but I believe still heavier than a corvette.
If doing labor yourself, ls6 springs are like 50 bucks and the cam I believe is 200 or so. Throw in an extra $100 for misc parts (bolts, gaskets, fluids) and you are looking at $350 installed...not bad and you will gain a minimum of 20 hp, more if you had real long tubes.
Yeah, I've looked at the LS6 cams. If I do 1.8 rockers on my stocker I get up to about the lift of a 2001 LS6 cam and can do all that with just the valve covers off. If I do a cam I know I'm going to end up doing a timing chain, oil pump and who knows what else. I guess no matter what I do I'll at least end up changing springs too. I'm not too concerned about dipping into the 11's, but I would like some more upper end to go with all the other mods I've done so far.
you can do a 224 /228 581/588 on a 113 and pass CA smog with a good tune
Totally. And I'd be willing to bet it'll get better results than a LS7 cam, which is not really suited for a LS6. Hey, you'll even get a bit of that "cammed" sound, which I promise you'll love.
Thats the other benefit of doing a cam swap, like you said, it allows you swap the chain and the oil pump. Get a katech ported ls6 pump and at minimum an ls2 timing chain, but if you have the funds, swing for the C5R chain.
Definitely give Andy@A&A or Charlie@RPM a call. Overlap is the key to passing SMOG in calif. I barely passed with a 228/232 cam. I've since had a rebuild and run a smaller cam (218/224) and it passed with ease