I haven't posted around here much for the last few years since I sold my old truck "white lightning". Anyways I have a 09 sierra 5.3, 6spd, 3.42 gears, 33" tires, all stock with the exception of a drop in filter and custom tuned by Truckshop. I'm at 170k on it and I have a lifter or two that are about to give up the ghost so I figure I might as well get rid of some more potential issues all at once.This is my worktruck/dd so I want reliable not racetruck. So I have a few questions.

Im going to be doing the DOD delete so I figure I will go with a aftermarket cam while im in there instead of a stock one. Truck will be remaining stock for the most part. I'm not installing headers or a converter. This truck cruises up and down the highway for the most part and tows trailers pretty regular. I know the 3.42s and 33" tires aren't the best combo in the world and I might possibly be putting some 3.90 or 4.10 gears in it as well. I just don't want to kill my highway mpgs since this truck lives 98% of its life there. Gears may help it some most of the time it doesn't stay in 6th gear for any period of time.


Anyways on to my cam questions. I haven't looked at cams in years. I've tried searching for results on small cams but it seems everyone who cams a truck and post about it is trying to build a racetruck. Im looking for a cam that will work with the stock manifolds and coverter.. Im not real concerned with huge power gains and faster 1/4 times. What im looking for is a cam that will make more torque and power in the low end and mid range. I plan to use some ls6 springs and im not opposed to upgrading pushrods just because I know the base circle of the cam usually requires longer than stock pushrods and I will also be using the ls7 lifters

These are the cams I've been looking at:

BTR stg 1 truck Specs are 206/212 .525/.534 114+2

Cam Motion 205/210 .501 .501 115

Vinci HD Tow Stick 200/208 .502 .502 115

Vinci Ultra Torque 210/218 .551 .551 116

Comp 212/218 .522 .529 114


These are just a few that come to mind. Im not looking for my truck to sound like a racecar. If it sounds alittle "thumpy" that's fine but sound isn't the concern at all here. Im wanting low/mid performance that will last another 200k+

Im going to do a new oil pump and o ring with this and hopefully the engine will be good to go for a long time.

Sorry for the long post. I appreciate any help input about these cams or suggestions.

This is the truck




Thanks

 

I asked similar questions on ls1tech.....I ended up going with the BTR Stg2 Truck Cam for my 2000 Silverado 5.3 since I want to hear a little bit of lope while sitting at a stoplight.....I haven't installed it yet so I can't give much feedback.....but of the ones you listed, I saw the 212/218 popping up a lot during my research.

 

The cams from comp are developing a bad reliability reputation. Such a mild cam won't see the abuse or wear that larger cams do. Anyways, point is I would suggest a different manufacturer. Something below 220 above 210 would be best.

 

Any input as to how the higher lift moves the power around ? Seems like most or the more cams for low end have lower lift numbers ?

 

Out of those, I would do the vinci 200/208.

Anything in the 210s duration is more suited to a 6 liter for what youre wanting.

 

The lift numbers have much less effect than the duration and LSA as far as the power band goes. Being that this is an NNBS truck the 5.3 has good heads and breaths better than nbs trucks. It's can swallow a lot more cam having a 6speed as well. Something like a 210/218 will be awesome. Gears would make a world of difference. I went from 32" tires and 3.42s to 3.90s I actually gained a little mileage all the way around and its night and day for towing and passing.

 

I would love to try this cam in a truck
FTI LSX StreetSweeper-TQ Camshaft - FlowTech Induction

 

That cam is wayyyyyy too big for his desires. Anything over 220 in a 5.3 will beg for a higher stall speed or gears. That's a great cam for a DD rcsb with a small stall. Not so much for a tow pig.
To the OP. I am sure of one thing. You will be disappointed if you go too small and equally unhappy if you go too big. The 212/218 is the go to proven cam. Those cathedral heads will like an exhaust bias. It works just fine with LS6 springs and makes great power across the board. 3.90s or 4.10s will make a night and day difference. If I were to spec you a custom cam it would go like this....
211/216 .520/.535 LSA113+2

 

Call geoff skinner at EPS and get a custom grind. Iv used his cams for years and they run extremely well. He specd a cam for a STOCK 2000 Z71 5.3 that i used for towing and it had .59X lift...... IMO the cams mentioned above leave a lot of power on the table with the low lift

 

thanks guys.. Geoff did the cam in my old truck and it worked very well. I will have to give him a shout and see what he says. I was thinking alittle more lift would help but most of the cams for stock trucks and toquier cams have low lift