nyelectrify

Am still undecided about which way to go on a cam
Have done all the other major bolt on mods and am about to do the cam and 243 heads.
I have a 98 with a auto and don't want to change out to a different stall so am wondering if this 224/224-115 will irk and am looking for other suggestions since want more of a sleeper type set up

A.R. Shale Targa

The 243 heads will help a bunch; especially if you mill them .030" or so
to bump the compression to 11ish to one. Most people say no cam at
all will work well with the factory stall converter but obviously several
have ignored this generalization with mixed results. While your cam is
by no means large my suggestion would be to mill those 243s AND
keep the intake lobe under 220 degrees if you're absolutely set on not
changing the stall. EPS sells a truck torque cam thats 218/226 @117.
Give Geoff Skinner a call and he'll set you up.

nyelectrify

The only way IDE consider changeling out the converter is if and only if there is really a mfg that has a converter that has less loss as far as efficiency. I have heard that there is out there a mfg that claims a 18 percent loss verses the 30ish loss
Is there one??

racebum

i agree with AR

the duration and LSA affect where the power comes on and with a stock stall you really don't want a cam that comes on in the upper rpm range with a slouch bottom end.

stock 02+ z06 cam would be a cheap bet. you can get them used for what? $100 and a set of new GM ls2/ls6 springs for 65

the cam AR mentioned almost certainly will make more power but typically that means you want more head flow like a bowl blended 243, ls6 manifold and probably long tubes.

only reason i bring up the 02 z06 cam is because it's a cheap upgrade that works with a stock exhaust and will give you a little more pep for very little money

nyelectrify

Thanks for that lat input, but so far I've purchased a set of shorty headers and have the x crossover, the bbk intake and throttle body along with the blackwing and non screened mass sensor and the set of 243 heads that have about 38 k on them which I am going to have new valves put in and enlarged along with the porting of them.
Also have he corsa Indy exhaust and new water pump along with 165 tstat. Slp oil pump and double roller chain. Molly pushrods and 25 percent underdrive pully.along with ls7 racing lifters, new lifter trays, new plugs, wires,, new radiator and hoses and new tensioners along with belts.
So popping a regular z cam ain't gonna cut it.
If it wasn't such a pain to do the converter I would, but all I see is just the regular type of converters with a different stall speed and only gain would be small compared to supposedly a more efficient converter.
So now what may my choices be as far as a great killer converter that is much better than stock to match up with a auto Trans Vette?? With a killer sleeper cam????

nyelectrify

I don't want it to sound like I'm a dragster at the track, this is really wife's vet which I'm doing over a bit because she complained it was slow after coming back from Europe and driving her sons m5 for couple months zipping around town doing between 90 around town back roads and 140 on the highways at times, miles not cliks

nyelectrify

Just a question also about milling down the heads, doesn't the swap stock for stock, ls1 block with the ls6 243 heads already bump up the compression to about 10.8 to 1??
With that I have no problem anyway since I run 93 in her call all the times, but milling the heads would bring the compression to at least 11 to 1 if not more where I would need to run around 100 obtain fuel, which is no longer as pump gas??

racebum

you have a problem going on in your posts, it's simply this. you're looking to build a hot motor and not change the converter. that's just a bad combo

the reason i brought up the z cam is the early torque it makes. if you're using a stock converter you want a cam with good off idle torque and a smooth idle.

you're going to short change something doing this. if you stay stock in the converter you're going to wind up having to use less cam if you want the car to be any sort of quick

as for compression you can adjust overall timing to make the car safe on 91 octane to a point. 10:5-1 to 11;1 should be do-able, you will just use less overall timing on the 11:1 engine

nyelectrify

Ok yes I'm building a motor but not a beast. Something getting in the sop feel of a ls3 would be nice at about 430 to 450. That's why I think not being a expert I can possibly get away with a baby can and leave the converter alone. Or if I did the converter it would be changing to lessen the loss to wheels in a more efficient one. And if did not raise the idle over 750.
So your thoughts??

racebum

you can easily get 430-450hp out of an 02+ ls6 cam. you're only talking a 25-45hp increase over a stock z06 which you should see with ported heads and longtubes

if you change the converter you can use more cam and make more power but larger cams trade off bottom end power which you need with a stock stall.

there are many many ways to make 450 crank hp and nearly any aftermarket cam would work.

the thing i have always liked about GM cams is that you know they are ground right, won't be hard on the valve train and won't have a short life. in your case it's also a cam that has great low end torque and won't fall down by 5000rpm.

write all this out, if you have a clear goal and it's only 430-450 crank hp. i really don't see the need for more cam than a stock ls6

if you want to go for a 430-440whp package which can be done with heads & cam you will need a lot more cam and lot more stall

you can get a good idea of what the ls6 cam will produce looking at full bolt on z06s. lot of them are hovering around that 400whp mark which is more than a stock ls3

nyelectrify

S you are saying with a slightly different cam from a zo6 and all else I'm doing to it wil surpass and be in the 450 range possibly at wheels and still retaining the factory torque converter??
I investigated the gm hot cams for example and they were very agrssive.
IDE like to go just a bump up from the z06 cam though
So would the 218-226-117lsa cam be too much?!
Or just right fit or very close to it??

racebum

450 at the wheels no way, at the crank yes. 450 at the wheels typically means cams in the 230+ duration area and more overlap, 112lsa, .600 lift, a LOT of head flow and at least 6600rpm. in short mandatory stall


you could also take that same engine, put a stock ls6 cam in it, make 400whp and have a much more tame driver. it's really all about what you want the engine to do

as for the cam you mentioned. i really have no idea what it would do but i would absolutely research known combos that have used it to find out. the reason i mentioned the ls6 cam again is because SO many tests have been done, you know what you'll get and it fits both your 430-450 crank hp goal and use with the stock stall. the car would drive like stock with more top end, meet your goals and cost less

cams and clutches are two places you don't want to over do it in a street car

nyelectrify

Just one more question. I've always heard about putting on the heads a different rockers to get more lift in a stock set up. Would this pertain here so??

YELLO C5

IMHO, I think a supercharger might be the way to go. It'll idle just like stock and shouldn't have any driveability issues. It's going to be impossible to not change idle much and hit the numbers you're looking for. Thinking about all the money spent on exhaust, headers, heads, cam, CAI sometimes I wish I went that route.

Bill McCassey

Sargevette

I ran a 226/228 585/588 114 cam in my 06 GTO with an auto trans. Along with a ported fast, LT's, pulleys and a cat back. I left the convetor stock. Had no problems and it pulled strong.

bracketshark

Here's an idea, leave the motor alone, slip a differential in there with a 3.42 gear and see how she likes that. I'm guessing the car has no more than a 3.15 in it now probably not even that. It will be a lot of fun to drive then. Then, add the upgrades as needed.

Sargevette

That is a good idea. If it's the wifes Vette I wouldn't do any internals.

Maybe headers, exhaust and a tune. she will feel the difference and maintain reliability.

chaase

I am curious as to what rear gear she has in there. If she has 2.73 then 3.42s will feel like a new car. So far, you have looked into or spent money on a lot of things. Some good, mostly bad.

The screen less MAF, BBK intake, BBK throttle body are mostly useless and you should have gotten long tube headers instead of the shorty headers. Shorty headers are not that great.

If you only want 70 more hp, you are basically looking at a Z06 with headers, tune and a CAI. That can be had with a very mild cam with lightly worked Z06(243) heads, long tube headers, your blackwing and a tune. You probably won't need a converter for that mild of a cam. A base supercharger package will give you more HP and will drive/idle like stock.

racebum

this, you have to look at your car as a complete package, not just bolting on parts.