Whats the Ultimate Head/Cam Package??
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,133
Likes: 139
From: Port St Lucie Florida
Whats the Ultimate Head/Cam Package??
May be looking into upgrading heads and a cam so which is it? Car will be used for mostly street and some track. Also looking to pass 500 rwhp 450 Tq. Car is an LS3 vette.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 543
Likes: 58
From: Houston TX
Headers (depends on the sound you want)
Exhaust (depends on the sound you want)
New Intake (suggest FAST)
New clutch
New rear end (not totally necessary, but recommended)
Cam (depends on sound and street manners you want)
Heads (lots of folks use Trickflow heads)
Most cam only upgrades should get you in the ballpark of 470-480 rwhp with supporting mods. A new intake would get you another 10-20, and so would new heads.
What kind of street manners are you looking for as this will dictate a lot about what type of cam to aim for?
Drifting
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,728
Likes: 36
From: TX / CO
This is what I'm doing with my 08' LS3. Anticipating 510-520, but more importantly looking for solid TQ in a specific band. We'll see.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...n-camming.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...n-camming.html
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,203
Likes: 104
From: Short Hills, NJ
If you keep the car naturally aspirated, you will certainly need the following to get 500 rwhp in an LS3.
Headers (depends on the sound you want)
Exhaust (depends on the sound you want)
New Intake (suggest FAST)
New clutch
New rear end (not totally necessary, but recommended)
Cam (depends on sound and street manners you want)
Heads (lots of folks use Trickflow heads)
Headers (depends on the sound you want)
Exhaust (depends on the sound you want)
New Intake (suggest FAST)
New clutch
New rear end (not totally necessary, but recommended)
Cam (depends on sound and street manners you want)
Heads (lots of folks use Trickflow heads)
Cracking 500rwhp with a good heads/cam (along with the full supporting mods/bolt ons) package on an LS3 manual is quite achievable, Trick Flow heads or even a properly ported/polished set of LS3/L92 heads can help make it happen.
You should give Cartek Performance Engineering a call.
www.cartekracing.com
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,592
Likes: 187
From: Hudson WI
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Call the guys at Breathless Performance since you live in Florida and work with them to get what you want.
I am doing a cam, rockers, CNC LS3 heads, FAST intake, ported throttle body along with the headers I already have and hope to get close to 500. I have an LS2, so you have 12 more inches displacement, so that should help you.
I am doing a cam, rockers, CNC LS3 heads, FAST intake, ported throttle body along with the headers I already have and hope to get close to 500. I have an LS2, so you have 12 more inches displacement, so that should help you.
Last edited by timd38; Aug 21, 2011 at 07:05 PM.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,114
Likes: 42
From: California
I made over 500rwhp with my LS2 with just H/C and supporting mods, while using re-worked 243's.
Charlie can get you set up with well over 500 on an LS3 utilizing stock/modified components. Much better on the budget that way.
Charlie can get you set up with well over 500 on an LS3 utilizing stock/modified components. Much better on the budget that way.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 11,331
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From: Missouri City Texas
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Sarasota,FL & NW Indiana
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 12,195
Likes: 2,804
From: Fort Worth, Texas
A healthy cam, 1.875" Headers, Halltech 103 CAI, UDP and lightweight clutch should get you close to 500rwhp. If you are going to swap heads and intake I'd consider going to a cathedral port head as it will have better port velocity, allow more compression and have better PTV clearance allowing for a bigger cam than the LS3 heads.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,592
Likes: 187
From: Hudson WI
NCM Sinkhole Donor
A healthy cam, 1.875" Headers, Halltech 103 CAI, UDP and lightweight clutch should get you close to 500rwhp. If you are going to swap heads and intake I'd consider going to a cathedral port head as it will have better port velocity, allow more compression and have better PTV clearance allowing for a bigger cam than the LS3 heads.
Like I said, I am not smart enough to debate, I just asked them what to use, since I was upgrading, and both gave me the same answer. My GM contact is mentioned in almost every issue of GM High Tech Performance magazine and Wegner, until this year, built all the NASCAR LS spec engines for the regional series, so I took their advice. We will see the results of their recommendations later this month.
The current LS3 heads were the original LS7 heads, but they could not get to 500HP and meet all the other GM requirements without more cubic inches, so when the bore got bigger, so did the engines valves, thus LS7 dedicated heads. That is at least what I was told.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,949
Likes: 263
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
Call Horsepower Sales in Pompano, see my sig for the number. Ask for Jeremy or Roger.
They will get you there...this is what they do all day long for the S Fla Vette Community.
I agree with previous posters, cam, headers, intake...maybe heads if budget allows, but disagree that you need to swap clutch and rear, pending more information about how you plan to use the car.
They will get you there...this is what they do all day long for the S Fla Vette Community.
I agree with previous posters, cam, headers, intake...maybe heads if budget allows, but disagree that you need to swap clutch and rear, pending more information about how you plan to use the car.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 12,195
Likes: 2,804
From: Fort Worth, Texas
I am not smart enough to debate this with you, but Wegner engines and one of the GM guys I know from GM Performance, both tell me that the best LS2 heads are not as good as LS3 heads.
Like I said, I am not smart enough to debate, I just asked them what to use, since I was upgrading, and both gave me the same answer. My GM contact is mentioned in almost every issue of GM High Tech Performance magazine and Wegner, until this year, built all the NASCAR LS spec engines for the regional series, so I took their advice. We will see the results of their recommendations later this month.
The current LS3 heads were the original LS7 heads, but they could not get to 500HP and meet all the other GM requirements without more cubic inches, so when the bore got bigger, so did the engines valves, thus LS7 dedicated heads. That is at least what I was told.
Like I said, I am not smart enough to debate, I just asked them what to use, since I was upgrading, and both gave me the same answer. My GM contact is mentioned in almost every issue of GM High Tech Performance magazine and Wegner, until this year, built all the NASCAR LS spec engines for the regional series, so I took their advice. We will see the results of their recommendations later this month.
The current LS3 heads were the original LS7 heads, but they could not get to 500HP and meet all the other GM requirements without more cubic inches, so when the bore got bigger, so did the engines valves, thus LS7 dedicated heads. That is at least what I was told.
The LS7 head did evolve from the L92 and notice it has a smaller runner yet flows much better. A small bore LS7 head would be another recommendation, but I haven't seen any results yet. I'm not saying the L92 isn't better than a ported GM cathedral port casting, I was referring to aftermarket cathedral port 235 TF, 230 AFR, 237 PRC.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,093
Likes: 197
From: Colorado Springs, CO
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
A healthy cam, 1.875" Headers, Halltech 103 CAI, UDP and lightweight clutch should get you close to 500rwhp. If you are going to swap heads and intake I'd consider going to a cathedral port head as it will have better port velocity, allow more compression and have better PTV clearance allowing for a bigger cam than the LS3 heads.
100%Since the fastest LS2s run a G6X3 and trick flow 225's at better than 520rwhp, I'd start there. The added displacement of the LS3 bottom end tends to show 15-20rwhp mod for mod so you do the math.
Trick Flows have huge decks, smaller combustion chambers for more compression, and have a better valve angle allowing huge cams without fly-cutting. They also have better resale value, and are way less fussy about cam profiles. Even the AFR 230V2 shares this lack of cam fussiness. Patrick G made 508rwhp on a 6 liter bottom end with a 231/231 114LSA with those heads. Thats a 3 degree overlap cam.
Why try to reinvent the wheel?
Get a G6X3 and trick Flow 235's. The bigger trick flow head fits the LS3 bore or an iron block with 4.03" bore and bigger. Its a >535rwhp result.
