No flames please, I am an avid user on LS1tech just popping in over here for a friend with an 02 5.3 Avalanche wanting to do some upgrades. I told him I'd search some options for him. Found a few answers but not so much on the others. Our main idea was to do LS6 intake and 6.0 cam. I told him I didn't know how doable it was. Found out LS6 intake would be no good for the truck. So basically we're left with the cam. I had a 6.0 cam I wasn't going to use so is this a worthwhile upgrade for him or not worth much? Basically something we wouldn't have to tune for. If a torque loss on a 5.3 wouldn't be much, I was thinking maybe an LS6 cam with spring kit would be better, but don't know about tuning.

 

Don't bother with the 6.0 cam. The LS6 cam is better but most guys here will tell you to go a different route(search for LS6 cam, there's a lot of threads on this). 212/218 seems to be a pretty popular mild cam. If all you're doing is a cam, I wouldn't bother with an LS6 intake yet. How/what are his bolt ons?

 

Dude, what part of Kentucky are you from?

 

Yeah I read a few threads and decided the LS6 wouldn't be good for his low end. I'll do some more searching on the 212/218 cam. Decent cam without a tune? BTW, what's max lift on the 5.3 springs? He doesn't have any bolt ons yet but was gonna do FIPK. Does have a cat back exhaust (I need to ask which brand).

 

Not close to VA. I am on the KY/TN border, on Lake Cumberland. Monticello, but you probably never heard of it.

 

Cool I know where that is!! How much power is he looking for? Want stay stock, mild or wild?

 

Definitely get LT headers for the cam also. It'll really wake up his truck.

 

Well something mild, nothing to tune for, don't want to get into too many supporting mods. He just wants a noticeable gain.

 

So he'd be willing to waste $200 on a FIPK intake that adds about 6rwhp as opposed to buying a wait4me tune that costs $157.10 and will add about 15-20 rwhp and even more with a cam?

That doesn't make any sense and a z06 or 212/218 isn't going to need hardly anything to get it to idle. They are perfect candidates for mail order tunes.

 

Well it makes sense when he can't have his DD down for a week waiting on a tune.