Upgrading to a ls6 intake and ls6 heads while keeping the stock cam?
03-29-2011, 01:52 PM
#1
Upgrading to a ls6 intake and ls6 heads while keeping the stock cam? I was wondering what kind of gains could be seen from upgrading to the ls6 intake and heads with the stock cam. Its a 2000 ta m6 with all the bolt ons. I was wondering what kind of hp gains and would it be a seat of the pants difference?
These are the heads I'm planning on using when I get a cam,i just don't have the funds for everything that goes along with a cam install. The motor is out of the car and was wonderin if it would be worth finding a set off heads to go on it witout a cam.
Thanks
These are the heads I'm planning on using when I get a cam,i just don't have the funds for everything that goes along with a cam install. The motor is out of the car and was wonderin if it would be worth finding a set off heads to go on it witout a cam.
Thanks
03-29-2011, 01:55 PM
#2
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I was wondering what kind of gains could be seen from upgrading to the ls6 intake and heads with the stock cam. Its a 2000 ta m6 with all the bolt ons. I was wondering what kind of hp gains and would it be a seat of the pants difference?
These are the heads I'm planning on using when I get a cam,i just don't have the funds for everything that goes along with a cam install. The motor is out of the car and was wonderin if it would be worth finding a set off heads to go on it witout a cam.
Thanks
These are the heads I'm planning on using when I get a cam,i just don't have the funds for everything that goes along with a cam install. The motor is out of the car and was wonderin if it would be worth finding a set off heads to go on it witout a cam.
Thanks
03-29-2011, 02:30 PM
#4
You should get 10-15hp from the intake and about the same from the heads.
You could always have a nice valve job done on the heads and either use a thinner gasket or have them milled for more power and compression.
Any reason you don't want a different cam? Even the ls6 cam would be a nice upgrade if the car is already apart anyway.
You could always have a nice valve job done on the heads and either use a thinner gasket or have them milled for more power and compression.
Any reason you don't want a different cam? Even the ls6 cam would be a nice upgrade if the car is already apart anyway.
03-29-2011, 03:20 PM
#6
If you're on a budget the heads might not be the way to go unless they are already sitting in your possession ready to go on...
Figure in head bolts, gaskets, coolant, oil change, tune, and the large amount of effort for the gains and stock 243 are not what I call budget. If you get the heads for ~$300 you're still going to be over $450-500 for everything but the tune. More if you don't shop around for deals online.
You could pick up a slightly used/good condition aftermarket cam for $250-300, $140 new PAC springs, $100 new pushrods (~$70 used), and for close to the same price make a bigger HP gain of at least 35-40hp for a mild cam.
Unless I'm overlooking something and making a mistake it would take ported heads to make the hp/$ gap closer to a cam swap. This is however assuming the timing chain and oil pump are not needing to be replaced.
Figure in head bolts, gaskets, coolant, oil change, tune, and the large amount of effort for the gains and stock 243 are not what I call budget. If you get the heads for ~$300 you're still going to be over $450-500 for everything but the tune. More if you don't shop around for deals online.
You could pick up a slightly used/good condition aftermarket cam for $250-300, $140 new PAC springs, $100 new pushrods (~$70 used), and for close to the same price make a bigger HP gain of at least 35-40hp for a mild cam.
Unless I'm overlooking something and making a mistake it would take ported heads to make the hp/$ gap closer to a cam swap. This is however assuming the timing chain and oil pump are not needing to be replaced.
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03-29-2011, 06:17 PM
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I would say a full ls6 intake, cam, and heads swap on a m6 would net you at least 390rwhp. That's about what everyone with a full bolt on ls6 has been getting with a tune of course. 400 could be possible in then long run and would make for a very budget friendly and reliable setup not saying a big h/c setup cant be reliable though.
03-29-2011, 08:52 PM
#12
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Swaping heads without changing the cam is a horrible idea..... I know, because I did it with a 04 GTO. I thought that I would do the opposite of the norm (cam first, then heads). I not only put on ls6 heads, but they were also ported. Anway, as you probably know, the gto ls1 had the ls6 intake and with the ported 243 heads it only made 300hp/325tq rear wheel.
Later on, I added a texas speed 224tr cam and it made a WORLD of difference. If I had it to do it over I would do the cam first every time.
Hope you learn from my mistake. Good luck.
Later on, I added a texas speed 224tr cam and it made a WORLD of difference. If I had it to do it over I would do the cam first every time.
Hope you learn from my mistake. Good luck.
03-29-2011, 10:22 PM
#13
i was just trying to change out the things i could while the motor was out of the car because its sooooooo much easier. looks like i might just be doing all of it in the car after reading the multiple post of going with a good cam first. kinda sad, but seems like the way to go.
03-29-2011, 11:33 PM
#14
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Everyone says cam first but awhile back a guy on here made over 400rwhp with the stock ls1 cam in an 04 goat you can do it with heads first but the ideal way to go is cam first.
