cam upgrade
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
cam upgrade
new to c5 ls1. wanted to give my 98 c5 m6 a little more punch. daily driven, 4hr plus road trip car, that likes the twisty roads. i have read so many blogs I am now lost. i am not looking for a high dyno bench number, just everyday grins. how much cam can a ls1 intake heads and manifolds take? lose the cats or not?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
BRUISED
CAM,,,,, Well,,, YES & NO!
I hate to type a book on this subjet so,,, I will PM you my number and LETS DISUSS this topic.
Give me a call learn a LOT..
Bill PM Sent
CAM,,,,, Well,,, YES & NO!
I hate to type a book on this subjet so,,, I will PM you my number and LETS DISUSS this topic.
Give me a call learn a LOT..
Bill PM Sent
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,725
Likes: 149
From: chicago area IL.
its really not that simple to say this cam with out knowing what your plans are? you just doing a cam now and heads later or just cam only? bolt'on?
if your only planing on a cam only i say best bang for the buck is a gear 3.73 till today it was one of the best mods i done to my corvette
if i was you i'd talk to BTR he helped me with my cam was very helpful and was able to make pretty good power with great street manners in my setup with a mild cam
if your only planing on a cam only i say best bang for the buck is a gear 3.73 till today it was one of the best mods i done to my corvette
if i was you i'd talk to BTR he helped me with my cam was very helpful and was able to make pretty good power with great street manners in my setup with a mild cam
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,375
Likes: 328
From: CA.
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15
Depends on where you live---IF you need to pass emissions testing your cam choices become limited----Lift really is not important but here is Calif where the smog police are brutal the largest cam you can get to pass smog is something in the low .220's at .050 duration and a LSA NO LOWER than a 114---
Now if smog is NOT an issue then everything changes------
Right now your car has a limit to cam size due to your small LS1 intake manifold-and stock exhaust manifolds and low comprresion LS1 heads----I would without changing any of these parts no go too crazy on the cam otherwise you are not going to achieve the full potential of a large cam-----I would stick with something in the high 220's like a .228 lift under .600 and an LSA of a 112-------
The next level if you get better LS6 heads---a LS6 intake manifold and a set of at least shorty headers would allow you to upgrade to a real HP maker cam---Something in the high .230's and an LSA of 110 to 112-- lift over .600----
Right now your intake manifold is your limiting part as are your heads----Going too big on a cam without the other appropriate mods will be disappointing for sure---and you will be wasting your $$$$ IMHO
Now if smog is NOT an issue then everything changes------
Right now your car has a limit to cam size due to your small LS1 intake manifold-and stock exhaust manifolds and low comprresion LS1 heads----I would without changing any of these parts no go too crazy on the cam otherwise you are not going to achieve the full potential of a large cam-----I would stick with something in the high 220's like a .228 lift under .600 and an LSA of a 112-------
The next level if you get better LS6 heads---a LS6 intake manifold and a set of at least shorty headers would allow you to upgrade to a real HP maker cam---Something in the high .230's and an LSA of 110 to 112-- lift over .600----
Right now your intake manifold is your limiting part as are your heads----Going too big on a cam without the other appropriate mods will be disappointing for sure---and you will be wasting your $$$$ IMHO
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Depends on where you live---IF you need to pass emissions testing your cam choices become limited----Lift really is not important but here is Calif where the smog police are brutal the largest cam you can get to pass smog is something in the low .220's at .050 duration and a LSA NO LOWER than a 114---
Now if smog is NOT an issue then everything changes------
Right now your car has a limit to cam size due to your small LS1 intake manifold-and stock exhaust manifolds and low comprresion LS1 heads----I would without changing any of these parts no go too crazy on the cam otherwise you are not going to achieve the full potential of a large cam-----I would stick with something in the high 220's like a .228 lift under .600 and an LSA of a 112-------
The next level if you get better LS6 heads---a LS6 intake manifold and a set of at least shorty headers would allow you to upgrade to a real HP maker cam---Something in the high .230's and an LSA of 110 to 112-- lift over .600----
Right now your intake manifold is your limiting part as are your heads----Going too big on a cam without the other appropriate mods will be disappointing for sure---and you will be wasting your $$$$ IMHO
Now if smog is NOT an issue then everything changes------
Right now your car has a limit to cam size due to your small LS1 intake manifold-and stock exhaust manifolds and low comprresion LS1 heads----I would without changing any of these parts no go too crazy on the cam otherwise you are not going to achieve the full potential of a large cam-----I would stick with something in the high 220's like a .228 lift under .600 and an LSA of a 112-------
The next level if you get better LS6 heads---a LS6 intake manifold and a set of at least shorty headers would allow you to upgrade to a real HP maker cam---Something in the high .230's and an LSA of 110 to 112-- lift over .600----
Right now your intake manifold is your limiting part as are your heads----Going too big on a cam without the other appropriate mods will be disappointing for sure---and you will be wasting your $$$$ IMHO
Excellent data..Bill
