Need help with H/C

[INeedLS1]

I am trying to find the best heads/cam combo for my car for around $2,000-$2,500. Right now my car has long tubes, a lid, and the stock intake. It is a 6 speed and still has factory gears(yes I know rear is in jeopardy with H/C, I will get to that later). I obviously want to get the most possible performance out my car but I don't want my set up to be totally impractical for my intended use. My car is technically my daily driver but because I have a vehicle for work I only put about 8k a year on it. I would like to maintain decent gas milage but would be willing to sacrifice some MPGs for performance. As far as what is tolerable for daily use, my threshold is pretty high. I can handle a choppy idle as long as it doesn't affect drivability or reliability. My goal is to have a fun street car so it's going to see vary little track time if any. With that being said, I've been looking at the packages offered by Texas Speed. How do you feel about these packages and the heads and cams they offer? I would also like to upgrade my intake at some point. Maybe a FAST, but I haven't looked too much into that just yet. I'm guessing heads will affect which aftermarket intakes will work? Also what does LSA mean to me and what would you guys recommend?

[INMY01TA]

What part of Maryland are you from? I'm in Crofton. You can come to Capitol Raceway any Friday and check out my car. Has a 230/236 cam w/111 lobe seperation angle. Lopes like a pro stocker. My heads are stock but I do have the FAST 90/90. Gas milaege really suffers with bigger cams. I average like 16mpg.

[mark21742]

if your willing to spend just alittle more, TrickFlow makes a very nice heads/ cam package for right at $3000. if your on a tight budget you might look at the PRC ported/polished 243's.

is your car stock other than the mods you mentioned? if it is, you might want to look at dumping some money into the suspension first so it will handle with any added power and launch a hell of alot better

[INeedLS1]

I have some suspension mods. 3 point SFCs, front and rear sway bars, panhard bar, Konis, and Strano springs. Rear tire is a Nitto 555R and I have 555 extremes in the front. My budget is pretty tight. Is a quality head/cam combo not realistic with only spending $2500? I don't want to spend all the money and end up wasting my time and money. I'm not trying to build anything crazy, but would like to see over 400 at the wheels if possible.

[00z28bubba]

I have some suspension mods. 3 point SFCs, front and rear sway bars, panhard bar, Konis, and Strano springs. Rear tire is a Nitto 555R and I have 555 extremes in the front. My budget is pretty tight. Is a quality head/cam combo not realistic with only spending $2500? I don't want to spend all the money and end up wasting my time and money. I'm not trying to build anything crazy, but would like to see over 400 at the wheels if possible.

new will be hard to do imo. a cam w/ supporting mods is around 1200 in parts alone. you still need a tune which a good price for a dyno tune would be around 300. which leaves you 1k for heads. you can get some used ones or non ported heads for that price. which you would be better off having your heads ported for that price. not the best heads available but its alot better than stock. or you can stay cam only and do a fast 92/92 combo if you up your budget a lil bit. the cam and fast combo can put you close to 400whp. but it really depends on your cam.

[tav8ws6]

Im also looking to be in a 400 to 425 wheel horsepower range. From my research Ive found that the best bet (which is also well priced) is the Texas Speed and Performance H/C package. They have 2 worth looking at, the stage 2.5 5.3L head which will run you about $1500, or the stage 2.5 LS6 heads with are about $1800.


From what ive seen with long tubes and a tune and at least an LS6 intake, either head combo will get to the 400 mark. The 224R cam will put you on the lower end, and the 228R should put you between 400-425.

I still cant decide what head is better though. And someone correct me if my infor is wrong.

[00z28bubba]

Im also looking to be in a 400 to 425 wheel horsepower range. From my research Ive found that the best bet (which is also well priced) is the Texas Speed and Performance H/C package. They have 2 worth looking at, the stage 2.5 5.3L head which will run you about $1500, or the stage 2.5 LS6 heads with are about $1800.


From what ive seen with long tubes and a tune and at least an LS6 intake, either head combo will get to the 400 mark. The 224R cam will put you on the lower end, and the 228R should put you between 400-425.

I still cant decide what head is better though. And someone correct me if my infor is wrong.

for some reason i think those cams will be shy of 400 with an ls6 intake. maybe not. im sure somebody will fill us in on that though.

[mark21742]

if it was me I'd spend the extra $300 on the LS6 heads.
this is just my opinion, but after daily driving my car with a 220/224 cam I would definatly go with the 228 over the 224

[tav8ws6]

I saw a video last night, heres the guys list of mods
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dYEl98ZQiw[/ame]

Fast Toys Ram Air
LS1 Motorsports Lid
Ported TB
FAST Intake
PowerBond UD Pulley
TR224 112LSA Cam
Texas Speed Stage 2.5 5.3L heads
XS Stainless Long Tubes..
Off Road Y
GMMG exhaust
Vigilante 3200 stall
Stock GM 3.42 rear end

On this he made 421 rwhp and 409 rwtq (i THINK this is without a tune, but not 100% sure)

So if u go to the bigger 228R cam and stay with the LS6 intake, they should almost balance themselves out and put you at just under what he has? The math works in my mind.


And i also believe people go with the 5.3L heads due to a smaller combustion chamber. Again im not 100% sure.

[Redphoenix1998]

5.3L heads will up the compression and HP gains

[tav8ws6]

Ok i see that, then why not just mill the 2.5 LS6 heads instead for even better flow and upped compression?

[mark21742]

Ok i see that, then why not just mill the 2.5 LS6 heads instead for even better flow and upped compression?

I was on a very low budget and ported my stock 241s, but if I had a bigger budget I'd go with the ported/milled LS6 heads

[INeedLS1]

I was thinking about maybe going with the PRC LS6 Stage 2.5 CNC Ported Heads with the Torquer v.2. Looking around it seems that this set up should put me over the 400 whp mark and still be drivable on a daily basis. The heads, cam, oil pump and new timing set will be right around my $2500 budget. Any input on this heads/ cam combo?

[BlackSS1]

I was thinking about maybe going with the PRC LS6 Stage 2.5 CNC Ported Heads with the Torquer v.2. Looking around it seems that this set up should put me over the 400 whp mark and still be drivable on a daily basis. The heads, cam, oil pump and new timing set will be right around my $2500 budget. Any input on this heads/ cam combo?

That combo should put you well over 400 WHP. Daily driveability is subjective, and you will need a GOOD tune. Bigger the cam, the more side effects it has... so depends on your tolerance and your tune.

[tav8ws6]

just found this on youtube as well.

tsp224/224,.581"/.581", 5.3 stage 2.5, peace lt, tsp ory, ls6, 420hp 390 ft/lb, untuned

seems like power is all over the charts