Looking for advice on Cam + LS6 Heads for my 01 Z

**5abivt** · 05-25-2009, 09:24 AM

I'm looking into ls6 heads and a cam. I will be going with 1.7 full roller rockers, new springs and my builder knows about it needing custom pushrods I will most likely opt for hardened ones. Few questions I have...

Are ls7 lifters better/lighter than the stock ls1 lifters?

Should I mildy port the ls6 heads or are they much better as is over my stockers?

I want a cam that idles JUST LIKE STOCK. if it is aggressive I want it to be unnoticeable by any of my friends. Are there any popular grinds out there that have super smooth idles and just provide a noticeable gain througout the range?

I will be going pacesetters with no cats on the stock exhaust for now until I can find an exhaust that is as quiet as stock or close.

**c5z28** · 05-25-2009, 09:46 AM

Ls-7 lifters are ls-1 lifters so don't worry, you should get hardened pushrods because they warp on stock power. And if you want to save money skip the rockers and have those heads cnc'd, those heads ls-6 heads are good for about 15hp over stock. You will get more power out of some radical heads then rockers. Even the mildest of cams are noticeable so deal with it and enjoy the sound, or get a muffler that chokes the hell out of your exhaust. This is a mild cam only car check out the results.
http://www.fquick.com/videos/My_New_..._standard/6061

**5abivt** · 05-25-2009, 10:20 AM

Ok nice. I hear alot about lT1 guys going ls7 so I guessed maybe they were lighter. Sweet video and that does sound incredible! : bravo:

I'm sort of limited to my decisions. this is my dd and I can't have it loud or droning or rough idling especially if I plan on having a baby seat back there. I may look at high flow cats, some resonators and possibly dynomatting the floor inside to help quiet it down.
Ls6 heads are worth just 15 hp ? I would have expected slightly better. That T/A sounded great a mild cam sounds like no problem.

I agree with the rockers but Ive read countless horror stories about the stock rockers capabilities. If the new cam I go with doesn't exceed the reccomended lift for stock rockers I'll keep them in there and spend it elsewhere. thanks !

**c5z28** · 05-25-2009, 11:36 AM

I just pm'd crash if I remember correctly he is using stock rockers on his 408 smal block.
Have you already bought those heads yet, and what kind of power and where do you want the power range to be? If you worry about the sound the mats help and so do highflow cats, what kind of catback do you have, is the car an a4 or m6? If you have an m6 your car won't be in the 2000rpm all the time like my a4 where all the drone is.

**Hi-Po** · 05-25-2009, 12:16 PM

Luos is also using stock rockers on his 402. ALOT of people running stockers. Then, when they do go bad, another good % of people just have their orginal stockers rebuilt.

**TACE02** · 05-25-2009, 01:48 PM

Since you are in there, go ahead and spend another $130 and put some GM LS7 lifters in there. I learned the hard way that it is much cheaper to do in the beginning rather than later... Also, learned the hard way again, easier to go ahead and change the oil pump to a LS6 ported oil pump in the beginning, another $150. Let my mistakes teach others, LOL. Neither of these are actually necessary, but recommended. It is more of a preventitive maintenance thing.

**Hi-Po** · 05-25-2009, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by TACE02

Since you are in there, go ahead and spend another $130 and put some GM LS7 lifters in there. I learned the hard way that it is much cheaper to do in the beginning rather than later... Also, learned the hard way again, easier to go ahead and change the oil pump to a LS6 ported oil pump in the beginning, another $150. Let my mistakes teach others, LOL. Neither of these are actually necessary, but recommended. It is more of a preventitive maintenance thing.

Agreed on the lifters, if your in there... yes change them. I kept my stock pump during cam install. It only had 15,000 miles on it and was a 2005.

**side2000** · 05-25-2009, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by 5abivt

I'm looking into ls6 heads and a cam. I will be going with 1.7 full roller rockers, new springs and my builder knows about it needing custom pushrods I will most likely opt for hardened ones. Few questions I have...

Are ls7 lifters better/lighter than the stock ls1 lifters?

Should I mildy port the ls6 heads or are they much better as is over my stockers?

I want a cam that idles JUST LIKE STOCK. if it is aggressive I want it to be unnoticeable by any of my friends. Are there any popular grinds out there that have super smooth idles and just provide a noticeable gain througout the range?

I will be going pacesetters with no cats on the stock exhaust for now until I can find an exhaust that is as quiet as stock or close.

-port the heads. pointless to just bolt em on when its cheap to get the heads worked (or you can do it yourself)
-even a mild cam will be noticeable
-cats will help quiet it down. w/o cats its gonna be "loud" no matter what muffler you put behind. cats and a sound absorbing muffler like magnaflow will treat ya right (steer clear of chambered mufflers if you dont want drone). all this will help your commute but when ya rip on it its gonna sound like youre rippin on it.
-"misewell" replace the stuff others said while youre in there. its cheap. . .and youre in there. . .

**Dr.Crash** · 05-25-2009, 04:45 PM

I've still got stock rockers and have had no problems all the way up to 7k rpm's. If you are going to go through the trouble of doing H/C, you should just get those heads P/P. I would also replace the oil pump, timing set, push rods, and lifters. The LS7 lifters are the same as a stock replacement. i have them and they work great. I know some will tell you that you dont need to change some of these parts, but there are all pretty cheap and you already have the motor apart. How much do your friends know about cars? i would just go with a little bigger cam (bigger than stock Z06) and tell them you jst got exhuast. That works for most who dont know much about cars. Def get those heads worked over!

**Hi-Po** · 05-25-2009, 08:07 PM

I ran my stock rocker to 7000-7200 for 13,000 miles so far. I have since lowered it to 6500 and will never hesitate to wrap it to cutoff 15 times a day.

**5abivt** · 05-25-2009, 09:24 PM

thanks for the input guys. Sounds like I will definitely get the heads worked. For the cam I will want something extremely mild. here's what i have and what i want.

6 - speed.
Free ram air mod + K&N
Longtubes, cats, not sure on cat back yet. exhaust will be done before I do the top end.
motor has 190k km on it (118k miles) so thats why I was thinking to go ls7 lifters and possibly aftermarket full roller rockers.

What I want. Stock like driveability and sound just more power. Looking to keep things below 6000 for sure. i have a 370 ci solid roller LT4 with all the bells and whistles being built for my vette that will be spinning 8000 rpm I don't want another screamer or anything that sounds like an airplane on the freeway.

My goals would be to (assuming I am in the general stock range around 300 rwhp) put down around 370-400rwhp. I dont care less for emissions but it sounds like I will need the cats to keep the noise down. think i can get those power levels and still pass emissions?

**c5z28** · 05-25-2009, 10:09 PM

A 224 114lsa is about the biggest you can go to pass emisions. With ported and milled heads you should be about 420rwhp.

**TACE02** · 05-25-2009, 10:24 PM

a 224 cam and LS6 ported heads, I would lean closer to the 380-390 RWHP, 400 would be a bit of a stretch.

**c5z28** · 05-25-2009, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by TACE02

a 224 cam and LS6 ported heads, I would lean closer to the 380-390 RWHP, 400 would be a bit of a stretch.

A local in my area made 392rwhp with the 224 and stock ls-6 heads my man!!! 400hp+ is what he is lookin at

**TACE02** · 05-25-2009, 10:44 PM

Never set your expectations higher than you are willing to cope with. I have a MS3, LS6 stage 2.5 heads milled .030, FAST 90/90 ported/portmatched, and full bolt-ons and have 436RWHP. Two friends of mine with the same mods, just different heads made 460RWHP and 470RWHP. Every car makes different power. Not saying 400 isn't possible, but I would personally expect 380ish and be excited if it hit higher. And besides, dyno #'s don't win races.

**5abivt** · 05-25-2009, 11:41 PM

I dont have any expectations really. Since this is my dd I just want decent power. Imo anything around 400 rwhp is nothing to laugh at. I'd be totally happy with 350 and higher i'm just sure adding a bigger than stock cam and heads will get me there.

**c5z28** · 05-26-2009, 01:58 AM

Headers will get you at 350rwhp

**5abivt** · 05-26-2009, 09:09 PM

I was looking at another cam thread and many many people are 400 + with stock exhaust. is the stock exhaust not very restrictive?

It's got me thinking to do the pacesetters + y and high flow cats + stock cat back. then doing the heads/cam

**Jkerr27** · 05-26-2009, 09:27 PM

Hey guys,

So far I have a programmer, intake, shorty headers and full exhuast so far. I'm looking for a cam and aren't sure whether to go the 224 route or just balls out and do a 232.

Thoughts?

**TACE02** · 05-26-2009, 10:50 PM

Originally Posted by Jkerr27

Hey guys,

So far I have a programmer, intake, shorty headers and full exhuast so far. I'm looking for a cam and aren't sure whether to go the 224 route or just balls out and do a 232.

Thoughts?

Depends on what your in to... if you like speed, well I am sure everyone can vouch for me here, the mod bug will bite. So you might as well start out with a larger cam than the 224, but needless to say, eventually you will want more and like many allready, a cam swap again will be in your future. But on a side note, noticed you said you have a programmer, toss it. Go get a real tune when you get the cam, trust me, you will be much better off and much more happier. Also, why shorty headers??? LS1s love Long Tube headers, proven fact!!! Any questions, don't hesitate to ask in advance of purchase, may save you some money.