I'm at wits end
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,999
Likes: 200
From: Bay Area Ca.
I'm at wits end
Have exhausted my research into small cam for 08 MN6 LS3. Now I have looked into DTE gear change to 4.10's. Be about the same $ with UD pulley added to cam install. Might as well add the C5R chain while it's is apart. Tuner feels the chain swap isn't needed by the way.
It is one or the other mods right now maybe last mod too.
422rwhp/tq motor. No track or strip planned or light to light pulls. Generally drive low rpm's but on occasion will find a nice back road and have some fun.
If I go DTE whick stage? Can I get by with stage 1 Tuner recommends stage 2, hell if I go stage 2 might to stage 3 and get both oushafts upgraded for another 250$. ( It never stops does it ). Any way I really can not decide which mode to do and if I go the gears which stage will suffice?
Looking for guys that have had the same problem for some input. My head actually hurts from all this. HELP
My thinking with the gear change was that it would be more fun all the time whereas the cam only under 3 to 5 grand pulls. Also I run Invos 305 in the rear so maybe the rear end change would be the more reliable mod. Hell I really don't know.
It is one or the other mods right now maybe last mod too.
422rwhp/tq motor. No track or strip planned or light to light pulls. Generally drive low rpm's but on occasion will find a nice back road and have some fun.
If I go DTE whick stage? Can I get by with stage 1 Tuner recommends stage 2, hell if I go stage 2 might to stage 3 and get both oushafts upgraded for another 250$. ( It never stops does it ). Any way I really can not decide which mode to do and if I go the gears which stage will suffice?
Looking for guys that have had the same problem for some input. My head actually hurts from all this. HELP
My thinking with the gear change was that it would be more fun all the time whereas the cam only under 3 to 5 grand pulls. Also I run Invos 305 in the rear so maybe the rear end change would be the more reliable mod. Hell I really don't know.
Last edited by Boomer111; Jan 6, 2010 at 05:32 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,408
Likes: 145
From: Northcentral, Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '09-'11
I have both mods, 4.10 gears & cam. I wouldn't want to part with either of them, and I think one compliments the other. However, I went with gears first, then headers & CAI, then cam with dbl. roller T.C., UD pulley, comp 921 springs, etc., and finally a ported Fast92 (Spinfast). All of this over a two year period. That worked well for me. Good luck with your decision!
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,999
Likes: 200
From: Bay Area Ca.
I have both mods, 4.10 gears & cam. I wouldn't want to part with either of them, and I think one compliments the other. However, I went with gears first, then headers & CAI, then cam with dbl. roller T.C., UD pulley, comp 921 springs, etc., and finally a ported Fast92 (Spinfast). All of this over a two year period. That worked well for me. Good luck with your decision!
I did talk with DTE, Jenny, was very helpful explaining that I visited an old Web page. The New Stage 2 has Z06 output shafts both sides and a carbon disk pack. So my decision would be Stage 2 for the gear change. Now cam or gears?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 962
Likes: 0
From: SPRING HILL FL
Take a ride in a cammed car and a ride in a gear only car. For me if I had the money I would go with a cam change first. Cam is coming at the end the year for me. either one will be good, but a gear will be insurance when you do the cam next!
It never does end....
It never does end....
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 12,391
Likes: 2,911
From: Fort Worth, Texas
I hate to say it too, but they really go hand in hand...if I only had the money to do one, I'd go with the cam as long as it was a small one as you talked about, because you won't loose as much bottom end and your 305 invos aren't gonna hold after a gear change
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,999
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From: Bay Area Ca.
Helpful, thank you!
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,999
Likes: 200
From: Bay Area Ca.
Just to update..........I went with the Stage 2 rear differential. Like the idea of being above the drone zone at 70mph and seems like I would experience the gear change more than the cam. Also I always have thought the C6 is a little to long legged. Not DD so around town should be fun and I see no significant drawback on the open hiway.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,950
Likes: 264
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
I've done it all twice now. Second time I went gears first. Gears you feel every time you hit the gas. Plus the cam has downsides...there are no downsides to the gears. You made the right choice in my opinion!
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Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,999
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From: Bay Area Ca.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,537
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From: Bethesda MD
You may need to tweak the idle and very low rpm (e.g. 600 - 1000 rpm)airflow settings. When I had a light weight flywheel I used a couple hundred rpms higher launch. Since your car will launch harder with the gears, you'll adjust to the feel at the same time as you get use to the gears.
For light to light, gears were the right choice. I have the DTE Stage II also.
For light to light, gears were the right choice. I have the DTE Stage II also.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,950
Likes: 264
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
Not a big money saver to do it now....you can swap the diff without pulling the trans, mid pipes, etc.. It's not like the flywheel is right there, you have a lot of work to get to it. So it's a lot of work to swap just a flywheel for very little gain - maybe 10 on the dyno.
For bang for your buck mods, a light flywheel is way down on the list. Most do it if they replace their clutch.
Going on a diet and losing 20 lbs would have a much better benefit and be a lot cheaper!
For bang for your buck mods, a light flywheel is way down on the list. Most do it if they replace their clutch.
Going on a diet and losing 20 lbs would have a much better benefit and be a lot cheaper!
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,999
Likes: 200
From: Bay Area Ca.
Not a big money saver to do it now....you can swap the diff without pulling the trans, mid pipes, etc.. It's not like the flywheel is right there, you have a lot of work to get to it. So it's a lot of work to swap just a flywheel for very little gain - maybe 10 on the dyno.
For bang for your buck mods, a light flywheel is way down on the list. Most do it if they replace their clutch.
Going on a diet and losing 20 lbs would have a much better benefit and be a lot cheaper!
For bang for your buck mods, a light flywheel is way down on the list. Most do it if they replace their clutch.
Going on a diet and losing 20 lbs would have a much better benefit and be a lot cheaper!
After turning 60 the weight seems to want to hang around more. And yes I already work out an hour every day have for 40 yrs. No weights mostly cardio and calisthenics.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,950
Likes: 264
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
I'm the VP at this business...www.pritikin.com so my business is people who could lose 20 lbs! You are in good company. Most of the world is in your shoes.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,999
Likes: 200
From: Bay Area Ca.
I'm the VP at this business...www.pritikin.com so my business is people who could lose 20 lbs! You are in good company. Most of the world is in your shoes.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,094
Likes: 197
From: Colorado Springs, CO
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
You may need to tweak the idle and very low rpm (e.g. 600 - 1000 rpm)airflow settings. When I had a light weight flywheel I used a couple hundred rpms higher launch. Since your car will launch harder with the gears, you'll adjust to the feel at the same time as you get use to the gears.
For light to light, gears were the right choice. I have the DTE Stage II also.
For light to light, gears were the right choice. I have the DTE Stage II also.
On my car, I added the fidanza Al flywheel to the LS7 that was already in there an I dont even need to touch the gas pedal to get going.
Agressive clutches are what makes for more RPMs being needed.
One important thing to note is that your average clutch is 15 pounds lighter than an LS2 or LS7 clutch so if you get a SPEC 3 or Tex 700 clutch with the steel flywheel its nearly the same weight as an LS7 with the aluminum flywheel so the argument about weight differences is moot. A guy running a Tex with a steel flywheel is running 15 pounds lighter compared to 17.5 off from using the al flywheel with the stock clutch. Some of the twin discs weigh even less at only 39 pounds and none of them report bogging.