Cam swap worth it?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,999
Likes: 1,685
From: Southeast TX
There's also the perception thing. I've heard guys say their big wampum strip only cammed LS rig has "perfect" manners. They don't bother to tell you that 6th gear is useless at anything under 85 mph. That they always have to use a gear lower than normal to get any sort of smoothness. "You just shift around the rough spots." Or that they have to ride the clutch to keep it from dying while going through a parking lot.
Last edited by old motorhead; Mar 4, 2022 at 08:05 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,999
Likes: 1,685
From: Southeast TX
I recently got a Base 2005 C6 Corvette and I've only talked to one builder/tuner and they don't specialize in LS's. But he said getting a Cam, Kooks long tube headers, corsa axle back exhaust, vararam air intake and dyno tune I would be making 400 to the wheels minimum. He also said that they've never worked on a LS2 with a 4 speed auto transmission. And the cam I want to get is a stage 2 boost cam. I know I could make more but I was wondering if any of yall have had experiences with my engine/transmission. With the right tuner with all these mods, how much whp could I make.
Here's one worth considering. PG LS3 STAGE 1 (patgtuning.com). I'll be using something really close to this in the LS2 in the wife's SSR.
Last edited by old motorhead; Mar 4, 2022 at 09:30 AM.
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 6
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Thanks for the insight I'm planning on getting a A&A V-3 TI supercharger probably about 6 months to a year after I install the boost cam, upgraded valvetrain, headers, exhaust and the F.A.S.T 102mm intake manifold, if everything goes right. I just heard that I need a stage 2 boost cam at least for the power that I want. And obviously I'm going to do some research on cam specifications to find out more about them. But this one im currently looking at from Texas Speed, 224/230 .600/.600 113+3 LSA.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12,502
Likes: 3,631
Run stock intake manifold with blower, since some off the after market intakes will not hold the pressure without leaking/blowing isntead. Hence motor is no longer breathing on it own, but being force feed air and its that pressure that the intake needs to hold.
As for centrifugal super charger, stock motor with long tube headers and meth kit, over 700hp with that type of blower on stock motors.
If you want to step up past that, then can get into cam, stronger piston and rods (stock crank is good for 1K), so the motor can take more boost.
If you want to build the motor with stronger crank, stronger pistons and rods, cam with stock LS3 heads, then something like the Maggy TVS-2650 for LS at 15lb of boost should have you in the 1250hp range, and over 1K of linear torque off idle as well.
Hence as I said, just the blower on a LS stock motor starts off with 650+HP to begin with, with no other mods to begin with. Step up from there, long tube headers, high flow cats, and meth kit, and now you can up the boost to take you close to the 800 mark on stock motor parts. If you want to build the bottom end stronger to add more boost, then over 1K is a walk in the park, and more closer to 1250hp instead on a pump gas street motor.
As for centrifugal super charger, stock motor with long tube headers and meth kit, over 700hp with that type of blower on stock motors.
If you want to step up past that, then can get into cam, stronger piston and rods (stock crank is good for 1K), so the motor can take more boost.
If you want to build the motor with stronger crank, stronger pistons and rods, cam with stock LS3 heads, then something like the Maggy TVS-2650 for LS at 15lb of boost should have you in the 1250hp range, and over 1K of linear torque off idle as well.
Hence as I said, just the blower on a LS stock motor starts off with 650+HP to begin with, with no other mods to begin with. Step up from there, long tube headers, high flow cats, and meth kit, and now you can up the boost to take you close to the 800 mark on stock motor parts. If you want to build the bottom end stronger to add more boost, then over 1K is a walk in the park, and more closer to 1250hp instead on a pump gas street motor.
Last edited by Dano523; Mar 5, 2022 at 01:50 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,999
Likes: 1,685
From: Southeast TX
Thanks for the insight I'm planning on getting a A&A V-3 TI supercharger probably about 6 months to a year after I install the boost cam, upgraded valvetrain, headers, exhaust and the F.A.S.T 102mm intake manifold, if everything goes right. I just heard that I need a stage 2 boost cam at least for the power that I want. And obviously I'm going to do some research on cam specifications to find out more about them. But this one im currently looking at from Texas Speed, 224/230 .600/.600 113+3 LSA.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,999
Likes: 1,685
From: Southeast TX
For 650 wheel with room to grow, I'd sure add a blower cam. Doesn't need to be overly large either. Something either side of 220 on the intake and low to mid 230's on the exhaust will be plenty. Mild blower cam with headers and 11ish psi should yield mid 600's. That's assuming a manual transmission. If you have an auto tranny, you'll have to turn the blower a little faster to hit your numbers. Once you turn the wick up even higher, a meth system would sure help. Just stay conservative on the cam. The reason you add a blower is so you can make some big power gains with very little loss of drivability. A stupid big blower cam kills all of that.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,999
Likes: 1,685
From: Southeast TX
Just about any cam will "work". The trick is to find one that works really well for what you want out of your Vette. The cams I like have a little bit of an attitude at idle and make good power yet can still be tuned for perfect street manners and decent fuel eco. Here are two that would work well without a bunch of big cam issues.
Pat G stage 1 LS3 blower camshaft (patgtuning.com)
https://cammotion.com/camshafts/pd-220-234-ls-supercharger-camshaft-220-234-118-4-for-positive-displacement/
The first one has -5.5 degrees of overlap and has a little more power potential. It will have a rougher idle, but still should be able to be tuned for near perfect street manners. Second one will still have a bit of a choppy idle, but smoother than the first one. Personally, I'd choose the second one. Spin the blower just a little faster and you'll make similar power to the first one. I ran a custom 218/234 118+2 in a supercharged 6.0L and really liked it.
Pat G stage 1 LS3 blower camshaft (patgtuning.com)
https://cammotion.com/camshafts/pd-220-234-ls-supercharger-camshaft-220-234-118-4-for-positive-displacement/
The first one has -5.5 degrees of overlap and has a little more power potential. It will have a rougher idle, but still should be able to be tuned for near perfect street manners. Second one will still have a bit of a choppy idle, but smoother than the first one. Personally, I'd choose the second one. Spin the blower just a little faster and you'll make similar power to the first one. I ran a custom 218/234 118+2 in a supercharged 6.0L and really liked it.