01 Tahoe 243 head/cam/converter swap questions
 

For starters guy, this is my first post on this forum, Im on SEVERAL other forums, as Colbye32.

I have a 2001 Tahoe, stock 5.3, It does have the Airaid MIT, 3" stainless catback and thats it for now.

I have a set of 243 heads that will be going on the engine, milled .030 to keep stock compression. This vehicle has 1200+ lbs of car audio equipment it lugs around in the bag. Needless to say, I want my stock like drive ability, with some power added. I plan on a circle D stall, 2600, or 3000rpm ? I was told various different things from many people. This is a daily driver, and will continue to be. I will eventually be running longtubes as well.

Which of the cams listed would give me the best LOW / mid range torque ?
1) Texas speed stage 2 low lift 212/218 /.550/.550 112 LSA
2) Texas speed stage 3 low lift 216/220 / .550/.550 112 LSA

or Should I go with the High lift, and some Pac Springs
3) Texas Speed stage 2 high lift 212/218 .600/.600 112 LSA
4) Texas speed Stage 3 High lift 216/220 .600/.600 112 LSA

Can't seem to find many threads regarding tahoe builds, if I did, every one said something different.

My wife has a 05 Tahoe z71 lifted on 35"s.
I just put a l33 with 243s milled .015 with a btr stage 2 truck cam, 212-218 553- 553 113.
I tow my truck to the track with it and I am very happy with how easy it tows it compared to the stock motor.
It has 4.56 gears, a 3" catback exhaust that I did with mandrel bends and a magnaflow.

Tahoe
 

Hey man nice to see another Tahoe around. Check out my build thread. I went with 4.8 pistons and 243 heads with the stage 1 tsp lowlift. It rocked up on the top end but once I added a yank 3000 and put 4.11s in it the missing bottom end was taken care of. I have alot of fun surprising people with it

Thanks for the replies guys.

Seems as if I’m over thinking most of this.

The whole issue was for me, if I do a stage 2 cam, I’d peobably stick with the stock converter, which would be more cost effective, and be able to throw it together in a weekend for sure.

If i go all out the 3000-3200 stall and stage 3, is probably my route. But with these heavy truck, I’m sort of worried about having less drivability than I do now. The truck isn’t horrible, but it can’t get out of its own way.

Im still doing some research, and hopefully can find a couple Tahoe builds on here So I can research and get some real world reviews

My 2001 cammed Tahoe experience 2wd
 

Now I don't have Dyno numbers or time slips to back up my thoughts, I feel even with the stage one cam on a stock converter was mismatched. Did it work? Yes it drove nice but was slower than stock down low in my opinion. Losing bottom grunt in a heavy tahoe is pretty noticable. Other than displacement or power adder's a gear stall swap is pretty noticable because even though Texas speed rated my stage 1 cam to work with a stock stall and have a powerband of 1800-5800 or something like that mine was really coming on power in the 2500-3000 range and pulling strong to 6300.just my 2 cents

Stage 1-3
 

Anyway I think alot of people blow the stage thing up a bit. Tsp claims about a 45 hp gain on a stage 1 lowlift and something like 8 more HP on a stage 3...even a small stage one @ 208/214 is pretty radical compared to a stock lm7 cam

Stage 1. 6000+ rpms =
 

Has my stock 25.9 or whatever injectors almost hitting 100 on the duty cycle for what that may be worth

I’ve read the 8.1 injectors are a simple direct swap, I wouldn’t mind upgrading fuel pumps and all that if 100% necessary.

After talking with both Texas speed, and BTR, they both said a high lift cam, with double valve springs are NOT meant for long term use. They said 30-40k miles is all the springs will last.

im leaning more towards a beehive spring, as it is what they use factory on the ls based cars and trucks.

I was told pretty much any cam, low lift vs high lift, with the right stall I’d love it.

I am a one time, do it all, do it right kind of guy, I want my decision to make me happy, and not have me worried about leaving power on the table, for a savings of money.

Those cams are all too big for a heavy, street truck. Keep the duration at or below 210 and the lift no higher than the stock springs can handle which is around .502. Crane, Cam Motion and Vinci have cams such as these that do not move the torque band higher like those posted.

What gets these things moving is torque. Sitting still, that thing probably weighs 6500 which is what the 2500s weigh empty. They have 6.0 motors to get them moving, more displacement and torque. Leave yours stock and supercharge it or get/build an LQ4/9.

Long tubes, a high winding cam and a high stall converter even with 4.10 gears will not make a pleasant daily driver.

6500?