LQ4 Tahoe Cam

[zraffz]

not sure if it was done before, but very ambitious plan. I just might overpaid for my shit. Definitely subscribed.

I already have a relatively low mileage LQ4; around 100k miles... so I guess I'm cheating a bit. I am hoping I can just lightly lap the valves, replace all the gaskets, seals, head bolts, oil pump, lifters, timing sprockets/chain, cam, valve springs (possibly push rods depending on my cam), re-ring and possibly just touch up the cylinders with a ball hone without touching the bottom end. I will see what the bearings look like soon enough. I'm confident what I can build on a budget, I have sent an S10 into the low 11's on a LQ9 that spun 7,200 RPMs with a basic rebuild, rod bolts, honed rod caps, oversized rod bearings and 237/244 .650"/.650" Cam Motion cam and been deep in the 12's in the same truck with a cammed L31.

I'm figuring around $1,200 into the motor (not including the original purchase), $600 in inner & outer rockers, $350 for the tune, $300 into the new body mounts & bolts, and $200 for a new rear bumper. From the body line on the door down, I am not confident in my ability to blend the factory paint so I will probably just shoot bedliner out of a gun.

 

[Chrismnj]

I already have a relatively low mileage LQ4; around 100k miles... so I guess I'm cheating a bit. I am hoping I can just lightly lap the valves, replace all the gaskets, seals, head bolts, oil pump, lifters, timing sprockets/chain, cam, valve springs (possibly push rods depending on my cam), re-ring and possibly just touch up the cylinders with a ball hone without touching the bottom end. I will see what the bearings look like soon enough.

I'm figuring around $1,200 into the motor (not including the original purchase), $600 in inner & outer rockers, $350 for the tune, $300 into the new body mounts & bolts, and $200 for a new rear bumper. From the body line on the door down, I am not confident in my ability to blend the factory paint so I will probably just shoot bedliner out of a gun.

I went with BTR and about $1400 for valve train and cam

 

[zraffz]

I went with BTR and about $1400 for valve train and cam

Doing the work yourself? I have stuck cams in f-bodies for half that without changing the lifters. We are talking about a $390 cam that requires $75 GM springs in this truck.

 

[Chrismnj]

Doing the work yourself? I have stuck cams in f-bodies for half that without changing the lifters. We are talking about a $390 cam that requires $75 GM springs in this truck.

Will have a friend mechanic help me, or let me rephrase this, I will help him help me. Never done one by myself. Most likely will be pulling the engine out. Have a long list of items to install, hopefully starting this weekend.

 

[zraffz]

Will have a friend mechanic help me, or let me rephrase this, I will help him help me. Never done one by myself. Most likely will be pulling the engine out. Have a long list of items to install, hopefully starting this weekend.

Awesome! You'll have fun. I always pull the motor when I do this kind of stuff because it's easier to work on but I bet its doable in a full size truck. If it's out, pop the main and rod caps off one at a time for bearing inspections. Its worth the piece of mind IMO.

Depending on how **** you get, you can definitely hit $1,400 on a cam swap if you go with dual springs, hardened pushrods, better than factory "ls7" style lifters, rockers (or trunion upgrades which aren't necessary on truck cams), expensive head gaskets, studs, etc. Like i said, I've stuck $390 cams into motors with $250 springs and $100 pushrods and they have held up without ever pulling the heads to replace lifters/trays.

I've gone high 10's on an LT1 Camaro with home ported heads/intake manifold/cam/150 shot on $5,000 total (including vehicle purchase) with mainly used parts. The car had close to 50,000 miles on the motor the last I heard from the new owner.

 

[Chrismnj]

you have your own shop?

 

[zraffz]

you have your own shop?

Nah. I grew up doing this stuff with my dad and it was a big passion of mine before I had a family of my own. I used to build one or two cars a year and assembled several motors for friends.

Once you get the bug, you get hooked. I just don't have the time or money to do it anymore. It's funny how much life changes. I used to eat, sleep and breath building cars and trucks. Now I work to pay for my home and support my family while my wife raises our 1.5 year old son... I gladly put my hobby on the shelf for that!

 

[bottomline2000]

if you have done a cam swap you should know less is more in a heavy truck. those low LSAs with high lift are gonna push your powerband up and make your truck a dog down low without a stall..you want chop without the low end loss. check out the "butt kicker" DUR @ .050" 210*/218* LIFT .552 / .552LSA 114*4A from Vinci. I'm running the trucker cam 216/224 Lift 552;552/115*5A also, but N/A and even with my low lift specs i wouldn't want to run it without a 26-2800 stall. not trying to sell you on vinci, but to give you some direction on what may work based on wanting chop and not losing low end.

http://www.vincihiperformance.com/camshaft spec list page ls truck.html

 

[zraffz]

if you have done a cam swap you should know less is more in a heavy truck. those low LSAs with high lift are gonna push your powerband up and make your truck a dog down low without a stall..you want chop without the low end loss. check out the "butt kicker" DUR @ .050" 210*/218* LIFT .552 / .552LSA 114*4A from Vinci. I'm running the trucker cam 216/224 Lift 552;552/115*5A also, but N/A and even with my low lift specs i wouldn't want to run it without a 26-2800 stall. not trying to sell you on vinci, but to give you some direction on what may work based on wanting chop and not losing low end.

http://www.vincihiperformance.com/camshaft spec list page ls truck.html

I hate to disagree but that goes against everything I have learned.

Two cams, with the same exact lift and duration on two different LSAs will act very different.
The wide LSA will stretch the powerband over a larger RPM range and carry the shift points higher. This is why many fuel injected race cars select cams with wide LSAs.
The narrow LSA will have a more concentrated powerband over a narrower RPM range, reduce the usable RPM, have a choppier idle and poorer emissions.

 

[bottomline2000]

I hate to disagree but that goes against everything I have learned.

Two cams, with the same exact lift and duration on two different LSAs will act very different.
The wide LSA will stretch the powerband over a larger RPM range and carry the shift points higher. This is why many fuel injected race cars select cams with wide LSAs.
The narrow LSA will have a more concentrated powerband over a narrower RPM range, reduce the usable RPM, have a choppier idle and poorer emissions.

No problem.. Go for it and let us know how your choices work out.

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