LS2 performance
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5th Gear
Joined: Jun 2024
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LS2 performance
I picked up a low mileage 05 c6 awhile back I’m finally ready to start doing stuff to it. I was looking at exhaust systems. The lg and particular and I wanted to get second opinions on what you guys think is some of the best exhaust for the C6 and what would be a good cam for the LS2
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
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LS2 in stock form, makes 411HP at the crank. Long tube headers will pick up about 25hp, and tune that engine will need with LT header installed will pick up about another 15hp as well. The X pipe and muffler will not pick any any HP to mention, and muffler is just used to change the sound of the exhaust.
If you want to pick up another 12'ish HP, then need to change out the intake manifold to say a Fast intake. The first gen of sonic welding the intake on the LS2 left a lot to be desired, and was not until the LS3 that the factory intakes became very good.
As for air filter system, if you do cold air intake, that is pulling air from outside the motor void area, it does not pick up more HP, but helps to hold the HP the motor is making by not pulling timing from pulling in hot air. Also, keep in mind that oil type filters do not start to work even close to correctly in regards to filtering air until they become dirty , and worse is over oiling the filters, that the oil transfers to the MAF to cause problem as well. Even worse, they do not filter correctly even with dirty to pull a lot of crap into the engine, and since the stock air filter system is out flowing the motor already, only mod needed to the car with stock air filter system is place, is to prop the shroud cover open slightly, so it can pull fresh air from in front of the car.
As for cam, can get really radical with cam to make more power, but ends up car un-driveable in stop and go traffic, due to low RPM bucking.
So between cam work, and new intake manifold, you can forgo these, to super charge the motor instead for close to the same price*, and end up with the motor making 650hp or more with stock cam and stock intake manifold
* if doing cam and vavle springs, need to change out the lifter trays with at least new OEM trays, and the only way you can do that is to remove the heads. Hence worn lifter trays will end up with the lifter rollers going off axis to cam with the old trays allowing the lifters to rotate, and will take out cam and lifter lobs. So yes, can get a shop to change out a cam and not pull the heads, but just asking for problems down the line for yourself, and that the shop is not going to warrenty against.
If you want to pick up another 12'ish HP, then need to change out the intake manifold to say a Fast intake. The first gen of sonic welding the intake on the LS2 left a lot to be desired, and was not until the LS3 that the factory intakes became very good.
As for air filter system, if you do cold air intake, that is pulling air from outside the motor void area, it does not pick up more HP, but helps to hold the HP the motor is making by not pulling timing from pulling in hot air. Also, keep in mind that oil type filters do not start to work even close to correctly in regards to filtering air until they become dirty , and worse is over oiling the filters, that the oil transfers to the MAF to cause problem as well. Even worse, they do not filter correctly even with dirty to pull a lot of crap into the engine, and since the stock air filter system is out flowing the motor already, only mod needed to the car with stock air filter system is place, is to prop the shroud cover open slightly, so it can pull fresh air from in front of the car.
As for cam, can get really radical with cam to make more power, but ends up car un-driveable in stop and go traffic, due to low RPM bucking.
So between cam work, and new intake manifold, you can forgo these, to super charge the motor instead for close to the same price*, and end up with the motor making 650hp or more with stock cam and stock intake manifold
* if doing cam and vavle springs, need to change out the lifter trays with at least new OEM trays, and the only way you can do that is to remove the heads. Hence worn lifter trays will end up with the lifter rollers going off axis to cam with the old trays allowing the lifters to rotate, and will take out cam and lifter lobs. So yes, can get a shop to change out a cam and not pull the heads, but just asking for problems down the line for yourself, and that the shop is not going to warrenty against.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12,500
Likes: 3,625
For the price is going to cost to pull the heads, so you can replace the lifter trays when doing a cam, just go blower with stock cam and stock valve springs, since your never going to make over 600HP on the motor with any cam, which is cake walk with blower.
