Looking for some cam suggestions.

I have an 09 5.3L ECSB Z71 4x4 w/3.73 gears.

I hate the AFM/DOD 4 cyl mode. Plus intermittently I have a slight tick/tap at idle in the right bank. With a stethescope I can hear a metallic tap at idle in the right side valve cover, most noticeable with the stethescope on the middle couple of valve cover bolts. Strangley it is intermittent, and seems to be getting better with miles. Some days it is quiet, some days I'll pull into my garage and hear at little tap tap tap on the passenger side. My thought is one of the AFM lifters doing something goofy on occasion.

I should probably get it looked at under warranty, but I'd rather not let a grease monkey trying to beat flat rate mess with it. And I'm good at tinkering with LS engines.

So I'm thinking of killing the AFM, going with LS7 lifters, tuning... probably intake and exhaust.

Any suggestions for a non AFM cam, that would be just a hair better than stock? Don't really need big gains, main object is killing AFM and better lifters. I want it very stealthy, smooth idle... I pull a small trailer with toys quite a bit, probably a couple thousand pounds. So I want to stay with a broad tq curve that comes on real early. Also may be upping the tire size a bit, another reason to keep it a real mild cam.

Since the heads will be off, would it pay to do anything to them for such a mild cam?

Thanks.

 

The cam in my sig is stealthy and has provided gains throughout the RPM band. If you plan on doing a mild converter, consider a 212/218 (search this forum with those numbers and you'll find a ton of info). Proven mild 5.3 cam. Vinci also offers a couple of 210/218's, the one with the wider LSA would idle mild also. With the proper tuning though, even aggressive cams can sound mild.

 

id vote for the 212/218 low lift comp.

 

How about with the stock converter? 87 Octane?

Looking for something very very stealthy and idles stock smooth. Have had a few LS6's and LS3's in vettes and even that minor little lope - the ms's didn't like. She wants it to run smooth, put 87 in it, but when you stand on it - pulls nice and a little rumble.

And completely reversible. Anybody deleting AFM know if it can be all put back to stock? May trade it back in a few years down the road. I've seen where some are tapping the AFM oil passages and plugging. If that is done, is AFM killed forever in that block?

 

with proper tuning i would think the 212/218 wouldnt lope much at all. It would work with the stock converter well. Yes you could tune on 87 octane and notice a gain! if it matters (sounds like you want 87 octane only) but i felt a noticable difference on 89oct over the 87. However the 93 oct tune doesn't feel any better than the 89 tune and my mpg was alittle better on 89.

 

thunders old man cam

 

This is a 208/212 on a 115 split. Stock converter is fine.

 

dezert1500, i saw this thread and was going to post your vid!!

anyway heres a link to dezert1500's other before and after thread
http://www.gmfullsize.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151586