Chevy 5.3 Engine Help part selecting

[ChevyonBillets]

Hello everyone, Today I purchase a chevy ls 5.3 motor .I want to add bolt on's with a daily driver in mind . I drive 110 miles a week. I want a cam that gives me a nice aggressive thumping sound but not sacrificing to much mpg??? . Beefing up the stock heads with better spring??? .


What would be a good cam and set of springs, headers ,timing chain, head gasket too choose from?????????????

[79shortbed]

LS6 springs, Comp Cams 212/218 Cam, hardened pushrods, stock everything else. You'll tell it has a bit of cam to it without sacrificing streetability. No need for different head gaskets, but you will need new head bolts, stock ones are torque to yield(one time use).
If you want to upgrade rear gears and your stall converter, call up thunder racing and get them to spec you out a cam. anywhere from their TR224, TR220, or a split duration cam, they get pretty wicked the farther up you go. Personally, money provided, I would go 3.73 or 4.10 rear gears, 3200 stall, and the TR220 or TR224/ Major springs needed, along with the pushrods, the stock ones suck. Looking at what? 375-400 hp?

[Pop's C-10]

He doesn't have to pull tha heads to change tha valve springs..

http://www.ls1.com/forums/f7/how-rep...prings-132116/

[LEEVON]

x2 on the comp 212/218 cam. There is a low-lift and high-lift version. I'm not sure about the specs on the high-lift but the low is .522/.529 lift which will suit you fine, and work with the LS6 springs.

The lobe separation angle (LSA) has an effect on the "thump". LSA of 115 or 114 won't thump as much as 112 or 113, and I believe this cam is available in all of those combinations.

[79shortbed]

Originally Posted by Pop's C-10

He doesn't have to pull tha heads to change tha valve springs..

http://www.ls1.com/forums/f7/how-rep...prings-132116/

Oh yea. Sorry I forgot when I typed that late last night. Sorry, he is correct. No need to pull the heads, just the valve covers.

[ChevyonBillets]

I started to take apart engine and found a broken valve spring. look at the push rod is not bent there is no damage, piston seem in good shape. So for sure in need upgrade on the springs.

[ChevyonBillets]

My friend is selling me a Lunita hyraulic roller 221 int./221 exh. 0.558 int./0.558 exh. cam. Could this be a good street cam???

[79shortbed]

Going to need some LS6 springs, pushrods, and around 3000 stall. 3.73 or better gears. Got a part number for that cam?

[ChevyonBillets]

Originally Posted by 79shortbed

Going to need some LS6 springs, pushrods, and around 3000 stall. 3.73 or better gears. Got a part number for that cam?

Thanks ,part number is Lunati 55004LUN on summit racing .com

[BR3W CITY]

I was gonna say, if it wasn't mentioned get a good set of pushrods. I'm running a way more radical cam, but I like Texas Speed stuff and they also offer a couple nice cams for what you'd want.

iirc when I bought mine, they had a number of packages with PRC springs, hardened rods and a cam. Just don't get comp 918's.

http://texas-speed.com/p-1157-texas-...ve-spring.aspx

They have a 220/220 "sleeper cam" and a 224/224 available in those kits with pretty good single springs and hardened rods. 113-115LSA would lump but I don't think it would torch your vacuum. You could go up to a twin spring kit and then go with a higher lift cam, but you start losing the driveability and street manners you wanted, as well as starting to stress the importance of the other supporting mods.

I'm running the tsp tsunami and street manners are....well I guess their good for what kind of truck it is, but its a handful. on the 111lsa vacuum brakes aren't really an option, so I'm on manual until I get hydrboost.

[BigDan3131]

Why not just keep the stock cam and add a small turbo, when your not "on it" you will get your mileage and when you hammer it you will get your power. Is that 110 miles per day or week? If its week that's just 22 miles per day which is nothing.

[BR3W CITY]

Originally Posted by BigDan3131

Why not just keep the stock cam and add a small turbo, when your not "on it" you will get your mileage and when you hammer it you will get your power. Is that 110 miles per day or week? If its week that's just 22 miles per day which is nothing.

Cost is the only issue, with a cam being 3-700, where for even a junkyard turbo setup your at 3k with mediocre parts.

[ChevyonBillets]

Originally Posted by BigDan3131

Why not just keep the stock cam and add a small turbo, when your not "on it" you will get your mileage and when you hammer it you will get your power. Is that 110 miles per day or week? If its week that's just 22 miles per day which is nothing.

My founds don't stretch for turbo set up right now, 110miles per week

[whitels1]

I would recommend the GM Gen3 Hot cam 219/228 112lsa .525/.525, kit comes with LS6 valve springs. Matched with a nice set of long tubes and a 2800 converter it would run nice. I have been running this set up in my 99 Z28 for years I get 20mpg to work and back. She is no dyno queen but sounds good, runs good at the track and has plenty of low end. While doing the cam it's easy enough to change your oil pump and timing chain, stock stuff works just fine, no need for a double chain with a mild cam and light springs, if you have an air compressor you can pressurize your cylinders to change your valve springs, if you do end up pulling the heads, the stock gm head gaskets and head bolts work just fine. I always put a fine mist of the Permatex copper spray-a-gasket on both sides of the gasket before bolting the heads up.

Few vids of the car.

Arctic Beast -VS- Time Machine - YouTube

Z28 racing a turbo ElCamino - YouTube