Debating a cam swap, insight needed...

**jrbonds** · 12-18-2012, 07:41 AM

Currently this is what I have:

LQ9 6.0
228R Cam 114lsa
241 heads
LS6 intake
M6 - 3:42 gears
Tune

It does pretty good on gas and but I've had issues with the block which isn't a factor at the moment.

I am thinking the cam is to small for the 6.0? Correct me guide me, I don't where to
start. This thing is an awesome "roll race" car, but the power band is way way up there
in the RPM range and I hate off the line racing. I just recently bought a daily driver so any of those daily driver issues are not a factor anymore. Im thinking bigger cam and changing the heads and rearend/gears. But I've heard way to often that bigger isn't always a
game changer and smaller cammed cars have beaten bigger cammed cars.

Obviously 4:10's, and have my 241's machined or just find some 243's?
The head factor has to be budget friendly. I've already picked up some suspension parts.

So with all that in mind, would you change the cam or leave it? I really want to pull some
more power out of it and don't know where to start. I have just a couple of months to get this figured out.

***SMWS6TA*** · 12-18-2012, 08:10 AM

Trying to stay in your setup, I'd recommend

dropping the 241's and look for 5.3 heads or 243's CNC heads are great if you got the coin.... they flow better then the 241's and up the compression.

CAM - have you thought of a custom grind?

**jrbonds** · 12-18-2012, 08:37 AM

Yeah I'm not opposed to custom grind, but do I call Comp Cams and get them to come up with the numbers for me or do I need to have something in mind first?

***SMWS6TA*** · 12-18-2012, 05:39 PM

I'll pm you some info later when I get home.

**Firebirdjones** · 12-19-2012, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by jrbonds

Currently this is what I have:

LQ9 6.0
228R Cam 114lsa
241 heads
LS6 intake
M6 - 3:42 gears
Tune

It does pretty good on gas and but I've had issues with the block which isn't a factor at the moment.

I am thinking the cam is to small for the 6.0? Correct me guide me, I don't where to
start. This thing is an awesome "roll race" car, but the power band is way way up there
in the RPM range and I hate off the line racing. I just recently bought a daily driver so any of those daily driver issues are not a factor anymore. Im thinking bigger cam and changing the heads and rearend/gears. But I've heard way to often that bigger isn't always a
game changer and smaller cammed cars have beaten bigger cammed cars.

Obviously 4:10's, and have my 241's machined or just find some 243's?
The head factor has to be budget friendly. I've already picked up some suspension parts.

So with all that in mind, would you change the cam or leave it? I really want to pull some
more power out of it and don't know where to start. I have just a couple of months to get this figured out.

This part isn't making sense. The smaller camshaft will make more power throughout the lower and middle rpm ranges, not up top as you describe. Part of the reason you may be experiencing this is the 114 lsa and your 3.42 gears aren't helping either.
The 228 is a small cam by my standards, and the 6.0 isn't a big engine either (by my standards). It's only 364 cubes. Really not a bad combination you have already.

I'd do a cylinder head package and leave the camshaft. If you want bottom end shove some much needed 4.10's in there, the 3.42's are killing you. But then you have the dilema of doing a complete drop in housing and more money

**jrbonds** · 12-19-2012, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

This part isn't making sense. The smaller camshaft will make more power throughout the lower and middle rpm ranges, not up top as you describe. Part of the reason you may be experiencing this is the 114 lsa and your 3.42 gears aren't helping either.
The 228 is a small cam by my standards, and the 6.0 isn't a big engine either (by my standards). It's only 364 cubes. Really not a bad combination you have already.

I'd do a cylinder head package and leave the camshaft. If you want bottom end shove some much needed 4.10's in there, the 3.42's are killing you. But then you have the dilema of doing a complete drop in housing and more money

Scott sent me some good information, so I think I will go with a different cam with a 112 lsa anyway, since its not a DD any more .

I bought a built 10 bolt with 4:10's earlier this summer but never installed it because I kept having those oil pressure issues. I'll get that in there on this rebuild this March. Hopefully it will last me through the summer until I can get that 8.8 rearend fabricated like Scott's.

I'm really tired of this car not being wicked fast like I expected, so I'm going to start changing the bolt on's. Heads, cam, rearend this spring.

**bmax327** · 12-19-2012, 12:04 PM

Put the 4:10's in and go from there.

Good luck

**Blue28** · 12-19-2012, 06:12 PM

Did you degree the cam to verify the cam specs, or just install it dot-to-dot?
If you didn't degree it, it might not have the same ICL as stated on the cam card.
So that would push you power band up a little further if it has less advance then stated.
IMO, i would have got the cam on a 110-111lsa if you wanted it to have a lower power-band and better torque.

**jrbonds** · 12-20-2012, 06:20 AM

Originally Posted by Blue28

Did you degree the cam to verify the cam specs, or just install it dot-to-dot?
If you didn't degree it, it might not have the same ICL as stated on the cam card.
So that would push you power band up a little further if it has less advance then stated.
IMO, i would have got the cam on a 110-111lsa if you wanted it to have a lower power-band and better torque.

Nope, just stuck it in and lined it up. But at the time I bought this cam, she was a daily driver and I wanted a toned down car. But now its no longer a daily, its time to change it up since I have to rebuild the block anyway.