Mild 6.0L Build Suggestions?

[Dantheman1540]

What are the cam specs in your vette?

 

[Tonyrodz]

I have the stock 3.73 gears as well

I called up Summit Racing and ordered:

• Federal Mogal rering kit. Engine builder suggested any old cheapo kit off eBay, however, I wanted a trusted name though, so spent another $100 over eBay.
  
  
• Melling Timing chain set - Interestingly was ready to pull trigger on double roller, but guy at summit talked me out of it. Said there would be no point. Similar to what the engine builder said too.
  
  
• Head bolts - I got GM Performance parts one. Was half the price of ARP, although really like ARP stuff.

I had him suggest a CAM that wouldn't sacrifice any power. For a little while I'll be running stock 4L60E and converter, until I can get the new transmission build. But hate to sacrifice just for that. He suggested this cam but not sure I'm really big on it:

• COMP Cams XFI RPM 54-408-11 HERE Mainly it's really expensive and kind of a mild cam. I wonder if you pay for the brand name with COMP?
  
  
• BTR Stuff seems to be very reasonably priced and I like that I can buy matched kits for a little more than the price of that one cam so they are top of my list. I also stumbled across this...
  
  @Tonyrodz I LOVE THE SOUND OF YOUR CAM!!! I remember video you shared Did you get a built transmission or are you still running stock w/ new converter?
  
  
• Trick Flow TrackMax cam HOT ROD ARTICLE trick flow page HERE I originally had my sights set on the trick flow sloppy stage 2. But this cam looks like a good contender too and is reasonably priced as well. Only thing is I think the LQ9 pistons bring me to 10.1:1 compression this cam spec says 10.5:1 minimum.

MPG and Torque are important to me. I'll be doing lots of distance driving... However, would also love to have bragging rights of a 500 HP engine haha (even if that's theoretical stripped of all accessories to claim the rights) haha... I remember the days when big numbers were 300 HP.

With all the mods done I had a 3k Circle D installed, with a stock trans. Needless to say it didn't last very long. The 1st time I raced someone(An Acura--I beat him lol)I got over 100 mph. I slowed down, stepped on the gas--Nothing.
I now have a semi built trans, with some heavy duty internals, shift kit and Vette servo. Shifts great. I don't know how you drive, but I'd recommend getting a beefed up trans.
Listen to these shifts...

Def get a trans cooler.
Some **** for ya...

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

With all the mods done I had a 3k Circle D installed, with a stock trans. Needless to say it didn't last very long. The 1st time I raced someone(An Acura--I beat him lol)I got over 100 mph. I slowed down, stepped on the gas--Nothing.
I now have a semi built trans, with some heavy duty internals, shift kit and Vette servo. Shifts great. I don't know how you drive, but I'd recommend getting a beefed up trans.
Listen to these shifts...

Def get a trans cooler.
Some **** for ya...

"drooling" while watching you burn rubber in your mirror!

My vette is 1999 FRC. My plan was to get a tinker car to build up. I bought it in 2006. Thing is guy I bought it from built it up a bit already and traction limited in 4th gear is enough for me rt now haha it has

C5 Z06 wheels
C5 Z06 exhaust (or flowmaster?)
LS7 camshaft
Patriot Heads (not sure which castings)
Cold Air Intake
Pretty powerful sound system (12" vega sub)
4.10 gears
m6 transmission
Professional tune done by GM engineer (he was writing tunes for engines at gm but left as was making more money doing it on side)

I think that is it. I met the tuner. He gave me ride in twin turbo C5 Z06. Traction limited in all gears haha. 650rwph... just bolted turbos on and tuned.

He had similar 1000 HP automatic transmission C5 sub 10s quarter. Twin turbos and tune. Maybe a built 4L60 as well...? but mostly stock otherwise.

They put me onto turbo company they used nearly bought a turbo setup but didnt like idea of cutting frame etc etc to get it to fit. I thing was TTS turbo systems? I spoke with their tech for a while. Also looked into supercharger for it... Thats when I bought HP tuner system as I was going to do that. Then I moved bought big house and lost my job.

7 years later I bought this junker tahoe and is much more fun to tinker with. beside vette is already MORE than fast enough.

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[Tonyrodz]

speaking of being cheap. summit has cheapest LS7 style lifters in house brand. Not sure who makes these... it maybe they are a name brand just private labeled. or if I steer clear.

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I used these in my build. Cheaper in price.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G8M28BG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6CjTFb08QM779?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

Okay now I am probablybbn overthinking this haha... so I studied theblifter failures.

First the plastic guides are required to keep the lifter from spinning. I don't recall how my LT1 managed that...

I have found several examples on Youtube of ppl who had a lifter spin, it spun because guides broke. I would think this is the main cause of failure?

I wonder how long those lifters last with the link between them? I imagine very luttle oil gets on those linkages... Maybe plastic holds up longer?

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[Matthew Jeschke]

These seem to be the top shelf lifters haha Johnson 2110 Drop in lifters. They have larger roller, tighter manufacturing tolerances, and less susceptible to lifter knock, but are $$$$. HERE

No I remember on my LT1 they had a metal guide that went over the top of the lifter instead of the plastic trays that go in LS. Kind of spooky with a plastic part in the motor ?

 

[Dantheman1540]

If I'm not mistaken that LS7 cam is really designed to make more topend power, great driveability, and sound pretty much stock. Definitely an improvement over the stock LS1 cam tho.

4.10s in a vette no wonder it blows the tires off! I need to get something light weight one of these days.

I thought the plastic lifter trays were an awful idea when I first saw them but I've disassembled a few high mile LSs now and haven't seen any issues with the trays in any of them. Although I do change them every time in case me messing with them has caused the old likely brittle plastic to have micro cracks.

I had LS7s in my Silverados supercharged 6.0 for about 3 months before I tore the motor apart due to an unrelated issue. It's going back together with the johnson lifters if I remember right. I got my LS7s from TSP but I think they are all out of stock now.

 

[S33k3r]

This guy's videos might be helpful to you:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8uf_zVTV63l1-uRSx6XbnQ

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

@S33k3r k3r I think I've watched about every Richard Holdener video on the LS He's pretty helpful guy!

@dantheman are those the 2110 LS Drop in Johnson lifters? I'm really tempted to order those as they appear indestructible. The trays do have my very nervous, but then again my truck has 240,000 miles on this motor (assuming wasn't swapped before), and trays still hold lifters perfectly. I prefer the older style metal guides though. This plastic stuff makes me nervous!

I have a few couple cams on the list right now. I'm looking for ones that build power across the whole power curve.

• Comp Cams 54-469-11
  Reviewed HERE | Manufacturer Page HERE
  Pros: Power everywhere big w/ big gains down low.
  Cons: Really expensive & designed for newer rectangular port heads
  
  
• Trick Flow TrackMax #30602003 aka sloppy stage 2 cam
  Reviewed HERE & HERE | Manufacturer Page HERE | Sold HERE
  Pros: Inexpensive, reviews claim power up across entire range
  Cons: Suggests 10.5:1 compression ratio my build is 10.0:1
  
  
• Brian Tooley Torque Truck Cam 30202111R1
  Cannot find review I watched was by Holdener | Manufacturer Page / Sales Page HERE
  Pros: Inexpensive, no loss down low gain up high
  Cons: mild gains
  
  
• LS9 factory camshaft (likely just rumor)
  Cannot find any review | Sold HERE
  Pros: Very inexpensive. Told but cannot confirm, builds power everywhere?
  Cons: Cam sensor has to be relocated to timing cover.

I see they make cams specific to trucks. However, I can find NO reviews on them. Everybody just looks at peak horse power :/ I really don't know how to spec a camshaft, would help greatly if there were some lessons on how to spec camshafts for particular goal.

 

[Dantheman1540]

Honestly don't know exactly what part number the Johnsons are I'm letting the engine shop work out those details.

That first cam is very aggressive. Its almost exactly what my buddy has in his 408ci stroker denali. It's a monster cam that sounds like it belongs in a drag race vette and has been a PITA to tune. IMO I'd go smaller.

A good sort of range that will help dictate cam driveability is this.

This is based on duration.
Below 209 stockish
210-219 extremely driveable little sound great towing
220-229 hot rod sound but no loss of driveability
230-239 race truck
240+ full blow race not for street.


Don't take that as 100% fact but when it comes to tuning a cam for driveability that's based on a scale I've seen tossed on HPtuners forum before.