Cam and head swap Q?
06-07-2010, 09:33 PM
#1
TECH Apprentice
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Ferndale, Ar
Posts: 358
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Cam and head swap Q?
ok here is what i have, its an 07 silverado (not classic) w/ a 5.3, fabtech 6in with a 3in body and 37in mudgrapplers and 4.56's and i am doing a cam/ head swap and need to know what kind of set ups people are running on these things to get lots of low end power. i dont really have a budget i just want to get some of the best parts. i have never messed with a 5.3 but i know alot about the platform, i built an ls6 stroker for my trans am that made great power but i just dont know what to do with this truck. i want to run the stock converter too but my tranny is built up pretty good. also need a good set of headers if yall know of any for this. i had patrick g off of tech do a custom grind for my car and was wondering if any of yall had heard about him or not?
Thanks for any input!
Thanks for any input!
06-08-2010, 12:39 PM
#2
If I were you I would keep the stock heads, and get a small cam. You wont gain alot of low end with that engine, but you can make a pretty good difference with a small cam and some headers.
Im sure you know that a small cam will help more down low and in the mid rpms while still gaining some up top, while a larger cam will make power more in the mid to high rpms while either keeping low end the same or losing some depending on the size. The trick is to not go too big or to small, you want it to match your application so size it depending on where you want the power.
Comp sells some cams with 206/212 duration, with relatively low lift on either a 112 or 115 LSA, depending on if you want some chop or not. Also check out their springs and pushrods as well as other things like retainers and valve locks it you wish to replace all that.
Im gonna go out on a limb here and recommend short tube headers for your application. Most are gonna disagree but a good set of shorties with tuning will be my only recommendation for low rpm power as far as headers go. The long tubes for our trucks have too large primary pipes for low rpm use, I've yet to find a decent set made for low rpm.
Most people that buy long tubes are more worried about horsepower gain up top then torque. You can go to a mid length header but the shorties will most likely be cheaper and easier to install. Also shorties and an appropriately sized exhaust will support almost anyones application on this site, it might not make the most HP up top but it would be close while still providing gains across the rpm range.
I recommend JBA's as they are made of 14 gauge stainless and have a "scavenging cone" to help keep the exhaust velocity up. You can pick them up for about $400 in stainless or a bit more for the coated ones.
People will say you might as well keep the stock manifolds if you are gonna get shorties but I disagree. While the stock ones are nicer than they used to be there are still improvements to be made for a performance application. I gained a noticeable amount of torque off idle with my JBA's, and even more when I had it dyno tuned a few days later. My tuner even commented that he was able to get more power out of it down low than a similar truck with longtubes.
Also Alot of people use Pat G off tech for cam recommendations, but I think most can make a good choice for their app. with enough research. Hope this helps.
Im sure you know that a small cam will help more down low and in the mid rpms while still gaining some up top, while a larger cam will make power more in the mid to high rpms while either keeping low end the same or losing some depending on the size. The trick is to not go too big or to small, you want it to match your application so size it depending on where you want the power.
Comp sells some cams with 206/212 duration, with relatively low lift on either a 112 or 115 LSA, depending on if you want some chop or not. Also check out their springs and pushrods as well as other things like retainers and valve locks it you wish to replace all that.
Im gonna go out on a limb here and recommend short tube headers for your application. Most are gonna disagree but a good set of shorties with tuning will be my only recommendation for low rpm power as far as headers go. The long tubes for our trucks have too large primary pipes for low rpm use, I've yet to find a decent set made for low rpm.
Most people that buy long tubes are more worried about horsepower gain up top then torque. You can go to a mid length header but the shorties will most likely be cheaper and easier to install. Also shorties and an appropriately sized exhaust will support almost anyones application on this site, it might not make the most HP up top but it would be close while still providing gains across the rpm range.
I recommend JBA's as they are made of 14 gauge stainless and have a "scavenging cone" to help keep the exhaust velocity up. You can pick them up for about $400 in stainless or a bit more for the coated ones.
People will say you might as well keep the stock manifolds if you are gonna get shorties but I disagree. While the stock ones are nicer than they used to be there are still improvements to be made for a performance application. I gained a noticeable amount of torque off idle with my JBA's, and even more when I had it dyno tuned a few days later. My tuner even commented that he was able to get more power out of it down low than a similar truck with longtubes.
Also Alot of people use Pat G off tech for cam recommendations, but I think most can make a good choice for their app. with enough research. Hope this helps.
06-09-2010, 05:31 PM
#3
TECH Apprentice
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Ferndale, Ar
Posts: 358
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
thanks for the input, i might end up puttin a procharger on it so i want to go ahead and put some decent heads on it... i think i have changed my mind about the stall i definatley am gonna go ahead and put one in it does anybody have a clue what would be a good stall that is big enough for a cam but not to big to pull a trailer with? i would also like to do an inktake too if anybody knows what would be a good one for it let me know! thanks!
06-09-2010, 09:42 PM
#4
The JBA's must be better than the Gibsons, as my shorty headers did practically diddly for me...although I have heard that as far as shorties go, the JBA's are supposed to be the best.
As for which converter is big enough for a cam but still good to tow, it depends on the size of the cam...if you decide on a cam like mine (206/212 .515/.520 114), a mild 2600 converter would be more than adequate and still retain towing capabilities. For a mild NA setup, I'd look into a Circle-D reworked trailblazer converter, but if you're going for the Procharger, you'd probably be better off with one of their stouter billet converters. Maybe bump the cam up a notch also to help take advantage of the heads you mentioned...
As for which converter is big enough for a cam but still good to tow, it depends on the size of the cam...if you decide on a cam like mine (206/212 .515/.520 114), a mild 2600 converter would be more than adequate and still retain towing capabilities. For a mild NA setup, I'd look into a Circle-D reworked trailblazer converter, but if you're going for the Procharger, you'd probably be better off with one of their stouter billet converters. Maybe bump the cam up a notch also to help take advantage of the heads you mentioned...
06-10-2010, 01:49 AM
#5
Yeah Im guessing its the cone that jba puts in the collector to help with scavenging, or I just have a sensitive buttometer!
I agree if you want to keep towing ability use one of the reworked trailblazer converters made by Circle D or Yank. I wouldn't go higher than 3000 stall.
As for the heads you either have 243's or 799's which are supposed to be LS6 heads if Im not mistaken. I have 799's on my '07 Tahoe. If I were you I wouldn't waste money on heads until you've already added the procharger and all the supporting mods. Then if you want a little more power throw on some reworked heads. The procharger will cram the air in whether they're stock heads or not.
Are you looking for intake manifolds, or an intake system? Either way if your doing a procharger eventually don't buy either since it will come with its own intake and your factory manifold will perform fine with it.
I agree if you want to keep towing ability use one of the reworked trailblazer converters made by Circle D or Yank. I wouldn't go higher than 3000 stall.
As for the heads you either have 243's or 799's which are supposed to be LS6 heads if Im not mistaken. I have 799's on my '07 Tahoe. If I were you I wouldn't waste money on heads until you've already added the procharger and all the supporting mods. Then if you want a little more power throw on some reworked heads. The procharger will cram the air in whether they're stock heads or not.
Are you looking for intake manifolds, or an intake system? Either way if your doing a procharger eventually don't buy either since it will come with its own intake and your factory manifold will perform fine with it.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
GrooveCityZ71
GM Engine & Exhaust Performance
7
08-31-2015 12:05 PM
