I recently picked up a 06 Regular cab 148k 2wd 5.3 with Silverado truck has CAI Installed and dual cat back straight pipes currently. This truck is not a DD by any means. I have 0 knowledge on a cam, but it is something I am extremely interested in installing. I am not to concerned with HP / Torque I just mainly want it to be lopey. I have searched youtube a bit and have found a few that have a sound I like. 220/224 - 228/232 - 220/220 and a few others. I am just looking to get a bit of expertise as to what I would need to purchase whats pointless and whats worth doing while I'm at it. Ill do whatever I need to have it done right and correctly and get the most out of the upgrade. But that being said I will opt for a lopey cam over 20hp... I will be getting some headers and installing them when I do this work. Obviously once done ill have it tuned by whomever I can find to have the best reviews around.

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Do I need to get heads, lifters, stall, or any and every other part I see thrown around when people talk about cams?

 

What is your budget? That will play a big role in the suggestions people give.

The 220/220 has great reviews in a 5.3 and Atomic Performance can tune it without issue

 

Honestly I wouldn't know a serious budget to set for this type project. The only thing the money will determine is how soon I make it happen. I plan to do as much of it myself as possible between myself and a few of my buddies I think we can accomplish most of it. I don't want to dump a bunch of useless money into it but if I need to purchase parts to make it right I'm willing to make it right. I don't want to throw a cam in and be like yep sounds good but it might blow up in 10 minutes.

 

The larger the cam the more a stall matters. Stay at or under the 220/220 more often than not can keep the stock stall without issue.

Stock heads will be just fine. Some people mill the heads to gain compression but then again you have to think about cam size for piston to valve clearance issue when milling them. Just staying with stock heads should make that a non issue.

Lifters, new GM ones work just fine. Pushrods will have to be measured for or bought as a package deal through a vendor depending on cam choice.

Consider larger injectors too, factory injector could be at their limits up top depending on how much power it puts down.

 

 

Staying smaller than 220/220 what would be some others I should check out?

Also I don’t care if this thing gains 10hp I want it to look and sound the part. If I end up with more hp cool.

 

 

 

 

So I’m guessing this would be enough for me. I own nothing to tune it with though. I’m kinda excited to do the project also so maybe I could try it between time.