Best cam for 3.42 gears

[scottyd2506]

Have a 2000 Z28

Ls6 intake, LT headers, ported TB, ported ls6 heads, under drive pully, 3 inch ORY pipe with Magnaflow muff out back, 3200 stall, 3.42 posi, Trex 603- 237 cam (rough idle).. alu drive shaft and bunch of other mods.

Although I have built many engines, I bought this car already with mods on it..
the previous owner ran 11.78 @ 115 mph (liquidfire350) with true duals, dynoed at 411 rwhp.

later retuned with 3in ORY single magnaflow catback, now making 382 rwhp.

I know I could get more speed and power with open exhaust, more gear and stall, maybe high 10's car..
But I want it to perform best in street trim with the 3200 stall, 3.42's, and maybe duals out the back.

My questions are, do you think a smaller cam would benifit the 3.42's better? say a 224 or 228 cam?

is 380 rwhp on the low side for this kind of mods?

I am not after the lumpy lump sound, more after performance.

is 400+ rwhp or 11's posable with 224-228 cams, 3.42's, 3200 stall.??

From my experience bigger cams are not always faster, esp with mid 3 gears and light stall... but I am new to Ls1's somewhat..
any ideas?????

thanks

scotty

[Mr. Luos]

Is 400+ rwhp or 11's posable with 224-228 cams, 3.42's, 3200 stall.??

I wouldn't worry about the HP number so much as the track times.

And yes, that should go 11's, although I would look into at least a 3400 stall (even for street duty).

[Firebirdjones]

Luos is right. The dyno numbers are interesting and all,,,,but they are hard to relate to track times because of so many variables involved.
Check around,,,there are alot of guys running the smaller 224-228 cams,,most are "cam only" cars (stock heads) with other supporting bolt ons of course that are well into the 11's,,,one of them doing it on 3.42's as well,,,his user name is REL3rd. Very nice guy. He'll tell ya all about it. The car is surprisingly stockish, small cam, 3600 converter, 3.42's, stock suspension etc..I think it even has over 100,000 miles on the stock untouched longblock, (other than valvetrain). I think it ran 11.60's at around 115ish.

There are others here running the smaller cams and tickling high 11's as well.

[cott0n48]

Luos is right. The dyno numbers are interesting and all,,,,but they are hard to relate to track times because of so many variables involved.
Check around,,,there are alot of guys running the smaller 224-228 cams,,most are "cam only" cars (stock heads) with other supporting bolt ons of course that are well into the 11's,,,one of them doing it on 3.42's as well,,,his user name is REL3rd. Very nice guy. He'll tell ya all about it. The car is surprisingly stockish, small cam, 3600 converter, 3.42's, stock suspension etc..I think it even has over 100,000 miles on the stock untouched longblock, (other than valvetrain). I think it ran 11.60's at around 115ish.

There are others here running the smaller cams and tickling high 11's as well.

man are u forreal will what kind of cam u get as in brand?? an i have hella more add on in my car in i tryin make it in 12.8s

[Mr. Luos]

man are u forreal will what kind of cam u get as in brand?? an i have hella more add on in my car in i tryin make it in 12.8s

TSP, Thunder, Futral, etc...


Your car an automatic? If so, get a 3600 stall and see MUCH better times.

[Firebirdjones]

man are u forreal will what kind of cam u get as in brand?? an i have hella more add on in my car in i tryin make it in 12.8s

Ya there are a ton of LS1 cam only cars in the 11's,,,with supporting bolt on's of course. As Luos mentioned, there are alot of manufactures. I would bet some do it better than others, custom grinds etc....

[scottyd2506]

Luos is right. The dyno numbers are interesting and all,,,,but they are hard to relate to track times because of so many variables involved.
Check around,,,there are alot of guys running the smaller 224-228 cams,,most are "cam only" cars (stock heads) with other supporting bolt ons of course that are well into the 11's,,,one of them doing it on 3.42's as well,,,his user name is REL3rd. Very nice guy. He'll tell ya all about it. The car is surprisingly stockish, small cam, 3600 converter, 3.42's, stock suspension etc..I think it even has over 100,000 miles on the stock untouched longblock, (other than valvetrain). I think it ran 11.60's at around 115ish.

There are others here running the smaller cams and tickling high 11's as well.

Thanks for the help.... sorry, it does have a 3600 stall! why do I have 3200 in my head?
anyone going 11's with 4 inch orY pipe through muffler you know of??? without de-caps?

Right now after going from 411 rwhp to 382 rwhp and losing 30 hp, I might think the car would be low 12's.. ok by me... The restrictive Y exhaust kills 30 hp with this cam, but a smaller cam like a 224-228 does not need it's best number so high in the rpm's... smaller cams in gerneral have better cylinder pressure, or more dynamic compression..
I'm wondering if a smaller cam might pick up not only avg hp, but maybe even peak hp.
411 seems kind of low for such a big cam.

I'm not going to go with caps on the exhaust to gain 1/4 mile times..
3.73 or steeper are just too windy on a small road trip.

REL3rd car sounds awesome, he's faster than me with stock heads, smaller cam.

I'd like to see some hp graphs of cam comparisons on same engine...220-224-228-237-243 etc

Thanks
scotty

[Firebirdjones]

Thanks for the help.. I was just curious if my cam may be "too" big for 3.42's ,3200 stall and also a Y pipe..
anyone going 11's through muffler???

Right now after going from 411 rwhp to 382 rwhp and losing 30 hp, I might think the car would be low 12's.. ok by me... The restrictive Y exhaust kills 30 hp with this cam, but a smaller cam like a 224-228 does not need it's best number so high in the rpm's... smaller cams in gerneral have better cylinder pressure, or more dynamic compression..
I'm wondering if a smaller cam might pick up not only avg hp, but maybe even peak hp.

I'm not going to go with caps on the exhaust to gain 1/4 mile times..
3.73 or steeper are just too windy on a small road trip, too much stall is too slipping crusing sometimes.

REL3rd car sounds awesome, he's faster than me with stock heads, smaller cam.

I'd like to see some hp graphs of cam comparisons on same engine...220-224-228-237-243 etc

Thanks
scotty

REL3rd is doing it on the stock catback. Albiet it is the optional SLP catback offered when new with transverse muffler,,,but still just the same as any 3 inch transverse muffler catback out there utilizing the Y-pipe.
It does sound as though you are trying to talk yourself into one of the smaller cams. If you want to keep that gear and stall,,,,I would personally go with a smaller cam. Sounds as though you are looking for a driver as well as something relatively quick, and I think a 224-228 cam would do just that. There are many profiles out there with fast lobes and such to choose from.

[scottyd2506]

REL3rd is doing it on the stock catback. Albiet it is the optional SLP catback offered when new with transverse muffler,,,but still just the same as any 3 inch transverse muffler catback out there utilizing the Y-pipe.
It does sound as though you are trying to talk yourself into one of the smaller cams. If you want to keep that gear and stall,,,,I would personally go with a smaller cam. Sounds as though you are looking for a driver as well as something relatively quick, and I think a 224-228 cam would do just that.

There are many profiles out there with fast lobes and such to choose from.

Any idea how much rwhp Rel3rd has?

I'm thinking of a 228@.050 585-600 +2 or +4...
I don't mind the 237 cam, it's a weekend driver mainly.. but I still think the smaller cam will net me quicker times. esp with y pipe exhaust @ 3.42's.

later
scotty

[Firebirdjones]

Any idea how much rwhp Rel3rd has?

I'm thinking of a 228@.050 585-600 +2 or +4...
I don't mind the 237 cam, it's a weekend driver mainly.. but I still think the smaller cam will net me quicker times. esp with y pipe exhaust @ 3.42's.

later
scotty

I'm not sure on his HP,,,or if he has even dynoed the car. I think he is still a member here, you could try PM'ing him.
I just remember he runs a 226 or 228 at .050 camshaft that was ground with nitrous in mind, though he has never sprayed it. I don't know the rest of the specs on the cam, lobe profile, lift etc..... An LS6 intake, stock heads, headers, tuned by Frost, and a 3600 stall from Precision Industries. Running 3.42's, and all stock suspension with adjustable shocks. The motor and trans have over 100,000 and haven't been gone through yet.

I believe the smaller cam would also work in your favor. And I tend to lean towards the +4 (ground 4 degrees advanced) simply for more low end since you want to keep the 3.42's and tighter stall. Could always get with a couple of the LS shops that Luos mentioned and see what they would recommend as well. Always good to get an idea from a couple different places and see what they have to say. If they are both on the same page it helps to make up your mind.

[nhraformula]

Ya there are a ton of LS1 cam only cars in the 11's,,,with supporting bolt on's of course.

Im one of theose guys.
long tube headers
off road y-pipe
hooker exhaust
224 cam
ls6 intake
volant cai
3000 stall
tuning

[scottyd2506]

REL3rd is doing it on the stock catback. Albiet it is the optional SLP catback offered when new with transverse muffler,,,but still just the same as any 3 inch transverse muffler catback out there utilizing the Y-pipe.
It does sound as though you are trying to talk yourself into one of the smaller cams. If you want to keep that gear and stall,,,,I would personally go with a smaller cam. Sounds as though you are looking for a driver as well as something relatively quick, and I think a 224-228 cam would do just that. There are many profiles out there with fast lobes and such to choose from.

found a link where REL3rd is showing some of his vehicles, appears he has sold the SS.. but still has spcs on his car and times.

http://www.fquick.com/garages/Chevro..._SS/2000/8853/

Seems like he had a 226 595 cam, 3600 stall, 342 gears

Dyno'ed 344 rwhp @ 314 rwtq
11.61@116

just goes to show you that, max power is not always king.
When liquidfire had my car, it ran 2 different 11 second passes, 11.78@115 best, with 411 rwhp on mustang dyno, 3600 stall, 342 gears.

probabaly isn't launching as hard as the small cam car.. on the street though the big cam one would shine more.. (no traction compound)

have to getto work
Thanks

scotty

[Firebirdjones]

found a link where REL3rd is showing some of his vehicles, appears he has sold the SS.. but still has spcs on his car and times.

http://www.fquick.com/garages/Chevro..._SS/2000/8853/

Seems like he had a 226 595 cam, 3600 stall, 342 gears

Dyno'ed 344 rwhp @ 314 rwtq
11.61@116

just goes to show you that, max power is not always king.
When liquidfire had my car, it ran 2 different 11 second passes, 11.78@115 best, with 411 rwhp on mustang dyno, 3600 stall, 342 gears.

probabaly isn't launching as hard as the small cam car.. on the street though the big cam one would shine more.. (no traction compound)

have to getto work
Thanks

scotty

Ya he had talked about selling at one point. But I just haven't seen him on here much so I don't know.
You are right, HP numbers aren't everything, and can be very misleading at times. But the ET and MPH show the car runs just fine.

[scottyd2506]

Ya he had talked about selling at one point. But I just haven't seen him on here much so I don't know.
You are right, HP numbers aren't everything, and can be very misleading at times. But the ET and MPH show the car runs just fine.

yep esp with street gears.. where you need torque.

Anyone have any info on the Ls1 pistons?
Are they flat tops? (with or without valve reliefs)
Are the pistons at or around zero deck eight? so one has a .030 -.045 quench motor for more efficient operations on pump gas.

Thanks

scotty

[rel3rd]

Yes, the faithful 2000 SS was sold a week ago...

Personally, I'll take a baby cammed, heavyweight car with a dynosheet that isn't worth bragging about, over a huge dyno numbered subpar performing car anyday of the week... It's all in the overall combination. My setup just happened to work very well.