Few upgrades

**TLS_Addict** · 08-11-2010, 07:59 PM

I have a close to stock 2000 LS1 Z28 A4 (2.73 rear). All it has is an SLP intake with K&N filter, headers, high flow cats, and a cat back with a tune. I think it has a worked MAF if I recall....

The thing runs great but honestly it could use more power.

I am looking at a used set of 243 heads and an LS6 intake. My idea is this. I can get them for a pretty cheap price and I thought perhaps I would have my local shop port/polish them to match to make the most of the power gain they would offer. It wouldnt bother me to swap out the heads/intake by myself, however I have to take a look at how the EGR is taken out when swapping in the LS6 intake.

As well I am planning to do gears but I think that will be later this fall as the car is my DD right now and I am enjoying the 25+ mpgs that I am getting with it....lol Actually looking to go with either the 3.42 or the 3.73 gears.

Question is this, should I spend $300/$400 and get a cam and throw in while I am at it (around a stock 02 Z06 cam) or would you throw on some longer rockers just to up the lift a little and leave the duration and LSA the same? Would there be a HUGE difference in power between the rocker addition vs the entire cam swap?

Oh, to note. I e-mailed Tune by Frost and I would put in a new PCM while I am at it as the one in it is locked due to a tune from one of the prior owners.

Thanks guys, much appreciated!

**konigandy6** · 08-12-2010, 05:33 AM

Originally Posted by TLS_Addict

I have a close to stock 2000 LS1 Z28 A4 (2.73 rear). All it has is an SLP intake with K&N filter, headers, high flow cats, and a cat back with a tune. I think it has a worked MAF if I recall....

The thing runs great but honestly it could use more power.

I am looking at a used set of 243 heads and an LS6 intake. My idea is this. I can get them for a pretty cheap price and I thought perhaps I would have my local shop port/polish them to match to make the most of the power gain they would offer. It wouldnt bother me to swap out the heads/intake by myself, however I have to take a look at how the EGR is taken out when swapping in the LS6 intake.

As well I am planning to do gears but I think that will be later this fall as the car is my DD right now and I am enjoying the 25+ mpgs that I am getting with it....lol Actually looking to go with either the 3.42 or the 3.73 gears.

Question is this, should I spend $300/$400 and get a cam and throw in while I am at it (around a stock 02 Z06 cam) or would you throw on some longer rockers just to up the lift a little and leave the duration and LSA the same? Would there be a HUGE difference in power between the rocker addition vs the entire cam swap?

Oh, to note. I e-mailed Tune by Frost and I would put in a new PCM while I am at it as the one in it is locked due to a tune from one of the prior owners.

Thanks guys, much appreciated!

Ported 243 heads and an LS6 intake are excellent choices. However, it would be pointless to swap heads and leave the cam stock. Swap the cam out and leave the rockers alone. Get hardened pushrods and upgrade your valve springs.

**Firebirdjones** · 08-12-2010, 11:05 AM

I agree and would do the same. I'd personally hate to tear that far into a motor and not do the camshaft and valvetrain too.

I like the idea of the LS6 cam. That along with the heads and intake makes a nice running car that still acts and sounds just like a stocker, but should rev to 6500 easily. This combo could even be used with your stock converter if you so desired.
If it were me I'd probably do a very mild converter though, along with the gears you mentioned it would be a fun driver.

**konigandy6** · 08-12-2010, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

I agree and would do the same. I'd personally hate to tear that far into a motor and not do the camshaft and valvetrain too.

I like the idea of the LS6 cam. That along with the heads and intake makes a nice running car that still acts and sounds just like a stocker, but should rev to 6500 easily. This combo could even be used with your stock converter if you so desired.
If it were me I'd probably do a very mild converter though, along with the gears you mentioned it would be a fun driver.

Not so sure I'd go with an LS6 cam... If you're going through the $$$ to put quality heads on, why not get a custom grind cam to go with it.

**TLS_Addict** · 08-12-2010, 01:08 PM

I was thinking the LS6 cam because, like mentioned above, it would be a stock sounding cam and be very streetable as well as the cam is very well researched and used for a few years by GM and is known to make pretty decent power and still give me some good mid range power with good top end pull.

Ideas on other cams?

**Firebirdjones** · 08-12-2010, 08:57 PM

I don't see anything wrong with the LS6 cam for what you are trying to do. I run a Vinci version of it that is ground by Crane.

210/218 at .050
.551/.551 lift on a 112 LSA

Only real difference in mine, is the lobe seperation being tighter, 112 on mine verses 117 on the GM version. My intake duration is a tad higher (210 vs 207).
It idles pretty darn smooth after I fiddled with the tune, you can't tell it's in the car and drives like stock. I can lug the motor around at 700 rpm in 5th or 6th gear without complaints, and pulls down 30 mpg highway, and 23 city. Yet it pulls to 6500 easy and acts like it wants more. It's my wifes daily driver and for what we are using it for, this little cam works great. I've trapped 111 mph with it on the stock 3.42's shifting into 4th right at the finish line, and I'm driving it easy and had a lean AFR along with a crappy DA. I think it's got another couple of mph in it. Gear alone would be a huge improvement.

Honestly I have no complaints. If you plan to stay with your stock converter, I definately wouldn't go any bigger than the LS6 cam. If you plan a converter change you might want to look into something a little bigger. There is always that fine line to cross. How much can you tolerate on a driver??

Some like Donkey sized cams, and I have 2 cars with that already with .050 duration numbers well above the 260 range, although they do drive relatively well on the street, they require alot of gear, alot of converter and alot of rpm. It's not something I'd want in a daily driver.

Something else to think about. I've seen and heard from several people how well the LS6 crate engines in stock form perform on the dyno and the track. With long tube headers as the only change, tuners claim they put down something in the 370 rwhp neighborhood. I know of one person on here running the LS6 in his 4th gen with an auto that is running 12.40's and trapping 112 mph. It's really not a bad running combo considering the mileage it still knocks down.

With your LS6 heads, cam and intake, that's basically what you will have.

**TLS_Addict** · 08-13-2010, 06:43 PM

See, that is what I was looking for, a stock-ish cam that works well with a stock converter and NOT have to run more than 3.42 or 3.73 gears on the street. Also, I have seen the guys with LS6 engines and exhaust and tunes running 370+ rwhp which is about what I would like for a daily driver. Anything really radical and it wouldnt even be fun to drive every day. Plus, LS6 engines are very reliable and known to last.