Hello all, new member from Tucson AZ. I have a 2002 Sierra with the 4.8. I have not done anything to the truck except a cat back. I recently developed a tick, I believe it is a lifter issue. I called around to a few shops in town and everyone is saying that it's not worth camming a 4.8, but go to a 5.3 or 6.0. I can't believe that, any suggestions or opinions?

 

Well, they are kinda right. Putting a camshaft into a 4.8 is mainly just going to take you to a 5.3 power level give or take a few horsepower. If you just wanted a little more power and for it to sound cool, then yeah go ahead and cam the 4.8.

Otherwise the 5.3 swap with camshaft or a 6.0 swap is the way to go if you want way more torque than what your 4.8 can put down.

 

The only deficit to the 4.8 is it's torque. It can make tonnnnns of power like any LS, and because it can rev: it can carry that power

but it is down on torque pretty heavily compared to its bigger brothers. Still a great motor and responds well to a 212/218, but it's pretty limited for NA power

 

Depends on your requirements. The gains on an NA 4.8 are proportionally less with a cam, as you'd expect with less displacement. Those shops are giving you their opinions. I know every shop and owner in the Tucson area and most in Phoenix and wouldn't trust a single one, except for maybe Bret at Racer's Edge in Tucson.

 

I thought Harry was the guy at The Racers Edge.

 

You should see Bret's lightning. It's a legit duplicate with the logo and all.

 

Now thats awesome. Someone with a good sense of humor.