I'm ready to go ahead and get a new cam. I've even told people not to bother with it on a 4.8L, but I think I have learned better to just do it. I've tried searching, but couldn't find anything specifically for a manual.

2002 Reg cab with 4.8L and 5spd manual.
3.42 rear end with truetrac and 265/70/17 tires. The gears are staying the same. The most I'll do for tires is go 275/65/18, so they stay the same.
Full exhaust (shortie headers, collector cut at cats, with dual 2 1/2 straight pipes back to dual in muffler dual out free flowing dynomax.
TBSS intake with 90mm TB
Original clutch and flywheel is still in there, and the slightest slippage SOUND some times, from 2nd to 3rd. 270K miles. I rev it out all the time and have done so for 10 years and 180K miles. Its time to accept it.

I DO NOT race it, (against people). This is my daily driver. I would rather have no chop (to not call myself out as the obvious speeder). I'm okay with a little but I have been in vehicles with a big chop at idle, and you feel like you have a flat tire in slow traffic, I'm NOT DOING THAT. I don't think I will add heads. For the price it's just probably not worth it on this engine This just seems like it will be enough to tide me over for a few years, and I can work on a few other things. I have been paying $900 a month on a loan (which is a lot for me), and have a year and a half left before that's gone. THEN I will pay off all the bills and start really planning on a 6.0. For now I need at least a few more years out of this engine without worrying about it.

I understand what the individual cam numbers mean. I have no clue how they all work together, and what variations are made and how. I just don't see the overall picture/profile.

Everything I searched and read about the suggestion for a 4.8 with minimal bolt-ons, every one said 212/218. I'm thinking being a manual, might change things for me. I don't care for power from 1000 - ~3000. I don't want every last bit, I want reliability to remain (no high lift),

I've found several 212/218 cams from different manufacturers, (and still looking), but here are two that I had on the top of my list so far.
They are 218 / 226(comp), 218 / 227(summit), both 111 lobe sep. Both list the powerband as 2500-6300/6500. (where all the 212/218 are 1,000-6,000). Both say this is max cam for stock converter, and NO CLUE IF THIS IS JUST STUPID; but if that means its roughly the max for a stock clutch, or how that would relate to a manual transmission.

Summit Racing SUM-8701-2-BHV Summit Racing™ Pro LS Camshaft & Spring Kits | Summit Racing

COMP Cams 54-273-11 COMP Cams HV Camshafts | Summit Racing - (there is a NSR version, but I would like to use springs, and bump redline up from 6,000 to hoping 6,500 if it's safe,safe). (Twice as much as the summit package after buying springs and gaskets).

The only other contender outside of 212/218 was the Texas Speed dual spring 216/220 "stage 3 low lift truck cam." There's a 112 LSA and a 113 LSA

I'm probably going to do it myself, because I'm cheap. I have watched vids and read, and there is a part on the install where I'm concerned about not damaging the lifters and springs on the install. I will keep reading, but if there is anyone (anywhere) in Texas that wants to throw me a quote, that's just a fun drive to me. PM or post it, and I have a pretty flexible schedule if that helps. I do plan on getting it professionally tuned after. I do have two widebands I'll probably install before then.

212/218 shows up as every recommendation, does a manual and not needing to worry about below 3k change that?
Is this too much cam for what I want, or not a good daily driver cam?

Gonna tag @Summitracing and see if they care to contribute. Thanks.

 

Well, you do need to worry about under 3k. If you're driving through a neighborhood or a parking lot you will want it tame in low rpms.

I vote 212/218 on a 113 or 114LSA

You can tune it to have a very mellow idle.

I'm very happy with my 212/218 in my 6.0, I think you will be at least as satisfied with it in a smaller motor.

 

Comparing the same cam in different displacement engines is very... um...

 

Conjecturing

 

MS4!!!

https://www.texas-speed.com/p-8577-t...-camshaft.aspx

 

But for real..
This one would be perfect if you want a small low lift cam that makes good power all thru the rpms

https://cammotion.com/in-stock-ready...206-210-115-5/

 

For a little 4.8L, the Summit 8719R1 (209/217 112+1 .550/.550) cam should pull strong from 3000 up to the 6500rpm redline, and still drive decently with 3.42s.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-8719r1
The extra long exhaust duration will help the fact that you're not running long tubes. With -11* overlap it will have a mild lope after tuning.

 

I have the old school OG comp 54-412-11 XFI RPM 212/218 cam in my 5.3L with stock stall 212/218 .522/.529 114 +2 LSA I used the GM Blue springs
I put a Texas Speed Stage 2 Truck cam in my buddies 5.3L with a Circle D 3200 stall 212/218 .550/.550 112 LSA He used the PAC 1218 springs

Something around that size will be a good pairing for what you want. I pulled 2 degrees of timing out and upped the Idle like 100-150 RPM on mine and you can barely tell it's cammed...

 

I get inspected annually. I couldn't do long tubes even if I wanted to unless I got two exhausts and swappped em out every year. I think most of you know more than I do, but I don't think my exhaust will be restrictive in any way. I think its free flowing enough, but I don't even know if that's what you are referring to on the size or the primaries. I recently got this done, and third and fourth pull all the way through. They used to lose something at higher revs, but now it just keeps pulling all the way through till redline. It's a noticeable difference, (but I can only compare my truck, to my truck).


All the other recommendations were 212 / 218. You all are recommending something with less duration. Doesn't that mean less power? Why not at least 212/218?


I forgot to ask, is a timing chain something worth doing while I was there anyways? I was going to also do water pump gasket and thermostat.

 

That sounds like right about what every recommendation I found was. I was hoping having a manual would give me more options. Specifically to raise the powerband up from 1K to 3K+. Thinking I could get a slightly smaller band. but that would do a little more. (just not even sure if that's how it would work).