LS3 Cam for autocross
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 145
Likes: 10
LS3 Cam for autocross
I have a C5 with an LS3 swap which is stuck in the garage for a few weeks while I get the headers coated and some issues sorted so I figured it was as good of a time as any to do some upgrades, mainly a cam. The car is used mainly for autocross with some fun weekend drives mixed in. It has a manual trans. Im looking for something with more hp but peak numbers arent quite as important as good power throughout the rpm range.
Brian Tooley recommended their stage 2 cam, and PCM of NC (who is tuning the car) recommended their own custom cut stage 2 as well. Does anyone have any other recommendations or maybe other things that should be upgraded while doing this?
https://briantooleyracing.com/btr-ls...-camshaft.html
https://www.pcmofnc.com/product/pcm-...-0l-6-2l-7-0l/
Brian Tooley recommended their stage 2 cam, and PCM of NC (who is tuning the car) recommended their own custom cut stage 2 as well. Does anyone have any other recommendations or maybe other things that should be upgraded while doing this?
https://briantooleyracing.com/btr-ls...-camshaft.html
https://www.pcmofnc.com/product/pcm-...-0l-6-2l-7-0l/
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2022
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 882
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From: SW Desert
I have that same engine in my C5Z HPDE car and the cam is pretty good for low and midrange power (400 ft lbs of tq at 3000 RPM) while still pulling strong to 6500. The problem with a stouter cam is that you will lose a bit of low end which is critical in Auto X. I'd be inclined to leave the cam alone if the engine is running well. Maybe have your tuner do a few "adjustments" to help the midrange. What rear gears do you have? I know you mentioned running close to redline so stiffer gears may bring a new challenge but that might be worth exploring.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 145
Likes: 10
I have that same engine in my C5Z HPDE car and the cam is pretty good for low and midrange power (400 ft lbs of tq at 3000 RPM) while still pulling strong to 6500. The problem with a stouter cam is that you will lose a bit of low end which is critical in Auto X. I'd be inclined to leave the cam alone if the engine is running well. Maybe have your tuner do a few "adjustments" to help the midrange. What rear gears do you have? I know you mentioned running close to redline so stiffer gears may bring a new challenge but that might be worth exploring.
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Before you touch the motor,
take car on track and see if you can play rev ranger with the car around the track, or if your playing low rpm grunt master instead.
944 car with turbo spooler, can play rev ranger with the car on autocross and road course tracks all day since there is where the engine makes it power anyway, but with power in the C6, takes a hell of lot of talent to keep back end in check with nannies off and keeping reves high to stay in higher power band instead.
Bluntly, on autocross track, it's bottom end power you want to grunt out of the tight apexes, most will be faster with RV cam that makes power off the bottom, then cam that is going to make all it power top rpm instead.
Simply, run the courses and see where the RPM's are mostly for the runs, and that where where you want to motor to make more power instead.
take car on track and see if you can play rev ranger with the car around the track, or if your playing low rpm grunt master instead.
944 car with turbo spooler, can play rev ranger with the car on autocross and road course tracks all day since there is where the engine makes it power anyway, but with power in the C6, takes a hell of lot of talent to keep back end in check with nannies off and keeping reves high to stay in higher power band instead.
Bluntly, on autocross track, it's bottom end power you want to grunt out of the tight apexes, most will be faster with RV cam that makes power off the bottom, then cam that is going to make all it power top rpm instead.
Simply, run the courses and see where the RPM's are mostly for the runs, and that where where you want to motor to make more power instead.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 145
Likes: 10
Before you touch the motor,
take car on track and see if you can play rev ranger with the car around the track, or if your playing low rpm grunt master instead.
944 car with turbo spooler, can play rev ranger with the car on autocross and road course tracks all day since there is where the engine makes it power anyway, but with power in the C6, takes a hell of lot of talent to keep back end in check with nannies off and keeping reves high to stay in higher power band instead.
Bluntly, on autocross track, it's bottom end power you want to grunt out of the tight apexes, most will be faster with RV cam that makes power off the bottom, then cam that is going to make all it power top rpm instead.
Simply, run the courses and see where the RPM's are mostly for the runs, and that where where you want to motor to make more power instead.
take car on track and see if you can play rev ranger with the car around the track, or if your playing low rpm grunt master instead.
944 car with turbo spooler, can play rev ranger with the car on autocross and road course tracks all day since there is where the engine makes it power anyway, but with power in the C6, takes a hell of lot of talent to keep back end in check with nannies off and keeping reves high to stay in higher power band instead.
Bluntly, on autocross track, it's bottom end power you want to grunt out of the tight apexes, most will be faster with RV cam that makes power off the bottom, then cam that is going to make all it power top rpm instead.
Simply, run the courses and see where the RPM's are mostly for the runs, and that where where you want to motor to make more power instead.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 115
Likes: 23
From: West Coast
Alvin and the PCM of NC team are awesome, you're in great hands.
With that said, if it already has the GM hot cam, I would leave it and add 1.8 roller rockers as suggested above. Once those are done, we're talking single digit HP differences between that cam and the others suggested on your setup IMO.
With that said, if it already has the GM hot cam, I would leave it and add 1.8 roller rockers as suggested above. Once those are done, we're talking single digit HP differences between that cam and the others suggested on your setup IMO.