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Hello all, I know very little about cams and engines but I am looking to cam my 99 Silverado. My uncle suggests an LS9 cam which from what I have read is going to give me decent bang for my buck since it is cheap but gives a good idle sound and power. My question is, if I do go through with purchasing the cam what else will I need to purchase to make sure the swap goes smoothly and everything is how it should be? Like I said I don't know a lot about engines and such but I am willing to learn.
Thanks!
P.S. I have the whole style and such of the truck planned out I just need the cam, tune, and headers but that is for another topic This is the truck as is, meh picture but you get the idea I plan on dropping it 2/4 as well as adding headers and doing some other menial stuff to it
If you can answer the majority of these questions it will really help us give you the best advice.
What size tires?
What motor is in it?
What is the year of the truck and is it RWD or 4X4
Are you wanting a drop-in cam without changing valve springs? Do you know the mileage on the engine?
Are you using the stock torque converter and gears? Are you willing to change those?
The more info you provide the better we will be able to provide a camshaft recommendation.
Most importantly what is the overall goal with the truck? 1,000hp 1/4mile drag truck? Or sling dirt on the weekends and haul a lawn trailer during the week?
Sadly your uncle is a bit misinformed about that camshaft. It would be an absolute terrible choice for a NA 5.3 engine.
That camshaft needs cubes and it needs boost to perform well, otherwise it's going to lack everything you want in a camshaft. It will be super lazy and have no torque down low in the rpm range and will only produce power up top but because you have a smaller cubic inch motor, the power still won't be alot.
There are tons of better camshafts suited for a NA 5.3. Anything from texas speed, summit or brian tooley racing that is like their stage 1 or 2 camshaft would be ideal with the stock stall converter. Most of those are in the 212/218 size or smaller. (google cam specs if you need more information on what that means).
Valve train upgrades will be needed, most of those companies sell them as kits with new lifters and pushrods.
Your 1999 truck has the smallest fuel injectors of the 5.3's, so you will need larger ones to support the extra power being made. There will be other odds and ends here and there with gaskets, fluids etc etc and of course the engine must be tuned by a shop or someone with a tuner to make it run correctly.
If you can answer the majority of these questions it will really help us give you the best advice.
What size tires?
What motor is in it?
What is the year of the truck and is it RWD or 4X4
Are you wanting a drop-in cam without changing valve springs? Do you know the mileage on the engine?
Are you using the stock torque converter and gears? Are you willing to change those?
The more info you provide the better we will be able to provide a camshaft recommendation.
Most importantly what is the overall goal with the truck? 1,000hp 1/4mile drag truck? Or sling dirt on the weekends and haul a lawn trailer during the week?
1.I will go outside and look here in a bit
2.5300 5.3L Vortec
3.1999 2WD 4.I would like a drop in cam preferably yes. Mileage is 212k 5.Yes and yes if I can afford it 6. I would like just a nice ride something that can catch someone's eye but more importantly something that I can enjoy driving around more
Sorry this was a copy pasta from SilveradoSierra they can see most of this stuff autmatically
Sadly your uncle is a bit misinformed about that camshaft. It would be an absolute terrible choice for a NA 5.3 engine.
That camshaft needs cubes and it needs boost to perform well, otherwise it's going to lack everything you want in a camshaft. It will be super lazy and have no torque down low in the rpm range and will only produce power up top but because you have a smaller cubic inch motor, the power still won't be alot.
There are tons of better camshafts suited for a NA 5.3. Anything from texas speed, summit or brian tooley racing that is like their stage 1 or 2 camshaft would be ideal with the stock stall converter. Most of those are in the 212/218 size or smaller. (google cam specs if you need more information on what that means).
Valve train upgrades will be needed, most of those companies sell them as kits with new lifters and pushrods.
Your 1999 truck has the smallest fuel injectors of the 5.3's, so you will need larger ones to support the extra power being made. There will be other odds and ends here and there with gaskets, fluids etc etc and of course the engine must be tuned by a shop or someone with a tuner to make it run correctly.
You might be right about my uncle, he has an ls9 in a 6.0.... maybe that is what he was thinking of. I have been seeing NA a lot, does this mean North American? 10-4 on the ideal stock stall converter, will look into sizes and read up on them. I do know about the tune part my other uncle has a build but his is a lifted truck but he has a trusted tuner so I have that in my mind.
I would throw a 212/218 low lift cam in it as it will sound good and perform better in every way than stock without breaking the bank.
Black Friday is coming and many forum sponsors have great cam sales on that exact cam.
Is there a suggested cam on summit y'all know of? Sorry if I am making you do the work I should be doing but I don't want to be looking at the wrong thing
11-19-2019, 04:59 PM
LS9 cam on a 99 silverado what should i know?
