Help me choose a cam for a LS3 cause I have no clue!!

[scherp69]

When it comes to choosing a cam, I have absolutely no clue. I didn't when I had a sbc and I don't know now. I've emailed and pm a few different people about prices and suggestions, but haven't heard back from any of them.

For those that don't know my build, I have a L92 and am leaning towards getting rid of the VVT and getting a Speartech harness. The motor is stock and I have a stock LS3 intake with a LS3 throttle body which has been ported and polished. I have Stainless Works long tube headers and will be running a TKO600 with 3.70 gears in the back. I was looking at the Comp Cams camshafts, but they don't say much about them so didn't do me much good as like I said, I'm a cam idiot . I found a cam from Texas Speed which says it adds 80hp to the stock motor. The specs are: 231/236 .641"/615" 111 LSA. Here's a link to the cam: http://texas-speed.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=1057&catid=44 They have a cam package where you can get the cam, double springs and push rods for $699.

What are you thoughts on that cam. I want the engine to have the classic muscle lumpy sound, but don't want it to be too much cam as the car is going to be 99% of the time street driven. Or is there another cam you would recommend. I need to make up my mind fairly soon as there is a 3 week wait for a Speartech harness and I want to make a day trip to the border to pick up parts in early June. Thanks in advance.

[GregWeld]

Mike ---

I'd confer with Mast Motorsports -- or Frank at Prodigy - these guys are used to building motors (LS stuff) and probably have a far better idea of what you are looking for.

All too many times "guys" choose the wrong cam - because they almost always choose too large...

[WSSix]

That cam is not going to be too much for a stock LS3. It will actually do pretty well. Tried and true or proven cams are a great way to go if you're not trying to do something different or special ie you just want something that works. So get with someone you trust, Mast or Frank are good choices and so are Texas Speed, and see what they've used and the results they were able to achieve. Drivability is subjective but you should still be able to get a feel for the cam from your source. Also keep in mind that while people tend to stick a really big cam into these engines since the engine will take it, that doesn't mean that a small cam won't produce dang good power. I've used almost baby cams that have produced fantastic power curves that are a blast.

[Mkelcy]

Mike ---

I'd confer with Mast Motorsports -- or Frank at Prodigy - these guys are used to building motors (LS stuff) and probably have a far better idea of what you are looking for.

All too many times "guys" choose the wrong cam - because they almost always choose too large...

Amen to that.

[Jims78elky]

I have the GM #809-88958733 "Hot Cam" Just for the LS3 376/480HP version you can buy, I think its the right cam (for me anyway) and if you don't like it or want to upgrade you can always go with something else.

Hot Cam specs 219/228 @.050 525 lift

[scherp69]

Thanks for all the replies guys. So I talked to one of the techs at Comp Cams and he recommended this one: XFI RPM High lift. 54-426-11. [email protected] is 222/224 Lift .566/.568 on a 112 LSA http://www.compcams.com/Company/CC/cam-specs/Details.aspx?csid=1090&sb=0 Does anyone have any experience with this cam? Again, I know absolutely nothing about choosing cams, but comparing this one to the cams that so many other people are running, this seems like a fairly mild cam. Not saying I'm ignoring their advice ( I wouldn't be asking about it if I was), it was just something I noticed.

[Rybar]

Seems like a milder cam for an LS3. But would probably make good power and good street manners. If you want a more choppy idle you want the LSA lower, but not sure how low an LSA is ok for most LS motors. I'm running a Texas Speed 233/239 112 LSA lift is 595/603 on my stock cube LS1. I love it, it's a little peaky but would probably work better in an larger cube LS3.

http://www.texas-speed.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=169&catid=44

[Mkelcy]

Thanks for all the replies guys. So I talked to one of the techs at Comp Cams and he recommended this one: XFI RPM High lift. 54-426-11. [email protected] is 222/224 Lift .566/.568 on a 112 LSA http://www.compcams.com/Company/CC/cam-specs/Details.aspx?csid=1090&sb=0 Does anyone have any experience with this cam? Again, I know absolutely nothing about choosing cams, but comparing this one to the cams that so many other people are running, this seems like a fairly mild cam. Not saying I'm ignoring their advice ( I wouldn't be asking about it if I was), it was just something I noticed.

GM High Tech Performance did a comparison of the stock cam versus 8 aftermarket cams for an LS3 a while ago. They had a few parameters - lift not more than 0.650", LSA not less than 112 degrees, and so on - but they probably didn't knock out anything that would be a good street cam.

There was amazingly little overall difference between the cams, with the GMPP hot cam acquitting itself very well at the high end (down, IIRC, about 30 hp from the top performing cam, which was at about 552hp) and being the torquiest at 3,000 rpm.

Here's a link to the results, and that'll take you to the rest of the article.
http://www.gmhightechperformance.com/tech/lsx_engine/0911gmhtp_chevy_ls3_engine_camshaft_comparison/photo_13.html

I also like that the GMPP hot cam has relatively low lift (0.525") and, as a result, will be easier on valve train parts.

As Greg said above, the single most common mistake is to get too much cam.

************************************************** ********
By the way, I looked at your thread over at P-T.com and saw the recommendations that you talk to PatG.

I've got two projects: my long distance '68 Camaro tourer is getting a bone stock LS3 376/480 which has the GMPP hot cam from the factory. It's my street car, and I want it to be as reliable as possible.

The other, a '67 Camaro, is intended to be the go fast car, with more a "maximum effort" LS1, and it's got a PatG spec'd cam. I'm not as concerned about 40,000 mile reliability in that car, so I don't mind a more stressed valve train. Pat was great to work with, and is VERY knowledgeable.

Unfortunately, neither is on the road, so I can't tell you what they sound like.

[scherp69]

Heard back from Patrick Guerra this morning. I'll be sending off a engine specs page to him and will be getting a custom cam done up. With the cam he's spec'ing for me, he figures it should be 525-550 flywheel hp, right where I want to be. That way there's room for head upgrades down the road. The cam will also be a good pro-touring cam. As he put it, it will have good street manners and a wide power band. Once I get the cam specs, I'll be ordering a Speartech ECU. Thanks for all the replies guys.

Oh..if anyone is interested in getting Patrick to do up a custom cam for you, here's his website link: http://guerragroup.com/camshaft_help.htm I had never heard of him until I started looking for cam recommendations. He's been highly recommended by several people and does quite a bit over at LS1tech.com.

[scherp69]

Never heard of him, and his pricing is a bit odd. Competition cams will spec you out a custom based on your engine. So, why bother charging the extra $25? If you plan to do head upgrades, then do it now. I went with Livernois Motorsports heads for L92/LS3. Then you could sell your heads that you have now, so it be less cost than having somone port them.

Also, going with Speartech ECU (LS1 ECU), you will need to have someone tune it for you. The software that you have to use is HP Tuners. Not something that you can learn over night. So you have to find a person, that is specialized in tuning with HP Tuners software. I was able to get a former Wheel2Wheel tuner, Rich Gala.

Jeff

To be honest, I might end up leaving my heads alone. My car is going to be 99% street driven and if I'm getting over 500hp at the flywheel, I'm sure I'll be very happy with that. As for Comp Cams, I already had one of their techs recommend a cam for me and everyone that has commented on the one they recommended all said it was a very mild cam. From what I understand, he works with Comp Cams and when he does a cam recommendation, Comp Cams gives you a discount on the custom grind. As I stated above, he's is highly recommended at LS1tech and everyone that I've read about that used his cams are very happy. As for Speartech, other than them costing a bit more, I haven't heard a bad thing about them either. Even Mike Norris recommended them on a thread I saw. As for tuning it, guess I'll have to chance it that someone local can tune it.

[scherp69]

Jeff...I really appreciate the advice. Unfortunately where I live, there really are no tuners. The one place that had a dyno and could tune just sold so not sure what's going to happen. I've already accepted the fact that I'm likely going to have take the car about 3 1/2 to 4 hours away to get it tuned as well as to get it aligned. I ended up ordering a Speartech harness today. In the end if it doesn't work, you can be the first to tell me "I told you so". Other than the cam, my motor will basically be stock. I only want to be over 500 hp and I will be happy. If that happens, I doubt I will ever do anything else to the motor. Again, I do appreciate the advice.