Baby cam in LS3, what ICL to run?
10-31-2014, 05:02 PM
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Baby cam in LS3, what ICL to run? I've got a 2014 SS sedan that's my daily driver, I put on 25K miles a year. Its an A6 with a 3.27 rear gear.
I got trigger happy and bought a Cam Motion cam for it a few weeks ago, I wanted conservative to keep a smooth idle and good fuel economy (and I'm realistic about power gains with a cam this small). So the specs are 210/218@0.050", .551/.53X lift, 116LSA +4A Lobes are gentle so valvetrain noise is minimal. Essentially like the stock cam (204/211) with a little more duration, 1 degree narrower LSA, and 4 degrees of advance ground in.
I've also built an exhaust for the car with Z/28 try-y headers, high-flow cats and 2.5" pipes with my own mufflers. The exhaust is quiet but flows well. Not as good as long tubes, but better than stock.
My question to the cam experts is: where to set ICL when I install the camshaft? I want to retain the 6200 shift point, and maximize the power in the 4200-6200RPM range.
I have a Cloyes adjustable timing gear set so I can set the cam timing +/-6 degrees from straight up. Remember there is 4 degrees of advance ground in so if I set it straight up I'll be setting ICL at 112.
I have installed cams in more than 10 of my daily drivers over the years, and I do degree them when I install. But this is my first LS3 engine...
Thank you for your insight!
Jeremy
I got trigger happy and bought a Cam Motion cam for it a few weeks ago, I wanted conservative to keep a smooth idle and good fuel economy (and I'm realistic about power gains with a cam this small). So the specs are 210/218@0.050", .551/.53X lift, 116LSA +4A Lobes are gentle so valvetrain noise is minimal. Essentially like the stock cam (204/211) with a little more duration, 1 degree narrower LSA, and 4 degrees of advance ground in.
I've also built an exhaust for the car with Z/28 try-y headers, high-flow cats and 2.5" pipes with my own mufflers. The exhaust is quiet but flows well. Not as good as long tubes, but better than stock.
My question to the cam experts is: where to set ICL when I install the camshaft? I want to retain the 6200 shift point, and maximize the power in the 4200-6200RPM range.
I have a Cloyes adjustable timing gear set so I can set the cam timing +/-6 degrees from straight up. Remember there is 4 degrees of advance ground in so if I set it straight up I'll be setting ICL at 112.
I have installed cams in more than 10 of my daily drivers over the years, and I do degree them when I install. But this is my first LS3 engine...
Thank you for your insight!
Jeremy
10-31-2014, 09:37 PM
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I did not buy their catalog one off the website. Thanks for taking the time to look, though. Mine was custom, same duration as their catalog cam, but 116 LSA and +4A (Catalog cam is 115+5A).
10-31-2014, 09:45 PM
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That was my initial thought too. Keep IVC near the stocker to keep the torque and power peaks at similar RPM's as stock. making sure I'm not overlooking something.
11-01-2014, 07:49 AM
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I've got a 2014 SS sedan that's my daily driver, I put on 25K miles a year. Its an A6 with a 3.27 rear gear.
I got trigger happy and bought a Cam Motion cam for it a few weeks ago, I wanted conservative to keep a smooth idle and good fuel economy (and I'm realistic about power gains with a cam this small). So the specs are 210/218@0.050", .551/.53X lift, 116LSA +4A Lobes are gentle so valvetrain noise is minimal. Essentially like the stock cam (204/211) with a little more duration, 1 degree narrower LSA, and 4 degrees of advance ground in.
I've also built an exhaust for the car with Z/28 try-y headers, high-flow cats and 2.5" pipes with my own mufflers. The exhaust is quiet but flows well. Not as good as long tubes, but better than stock.
My question to the cam experts is: where to set ICL when I install the camshaft? I want to retain the 6200 shift point, and maximize the power in the 4200-6200RPM range.
I have a Cloyes adjustable timing gear set so I can set the cam timing +/-6 degrees from straight up. Remember there is 4 degrees of advance ground in so if I set it straight up I'll be setting ICL at 112.
I have installed cams in more than 10 of my daily drivers over the years, and I do degree them when I install. But this is my first LS3 engine...
Thank you for your insight!
Jeremy
I got trigger happy and bought a Cam Motion cam for it a few weeks ago, I wanted conservative to keep a smooth idle and good fuel economy (and I'm realistic about power gains with a cam this small). So the specs are 210/218@0.050", .551/.53X lift, 116LSA +4A Lobes are gentle so valvetrain noise is minimal. Essentially like the stock cam (204/211) with a little more duration, 1 degree narrower LSA, and 4 degrees of advance ground in.
I've also built an exhaust for the car with Z/28 try-y headers, high-flow cats and 2.5" pipes with my own mufflers. The exhaust is quiet but flows well. Not as good as long tubes, but better than stock.
My question to the cam experts is: where to set ICL when I install the camshaft? I want to retain the 6200 shift point, and maximize the power in the 4200-6200RPM range.
I have a Cloyes adjustable timing gear set so I can set the cam timing +/-6 degrees from straight up. Remember there is 4 degrees of advance ground in so if I set it straight up I'll be setting ICL at 112.
I have installed cams in more than 10 of my daily drivers over the years, and I do degree them when I install. But this is my first LS3 engine...
Thank you for your insight!
Jeremy
I like the 112 but 114 ITCL would be OK. If you got to trigger happy when ordering this cam and want to change it let me know. We can swap it out if you like for something different. These little baby cams work very well everyone that has one like this loves it. Kip
11-03-2014, 09:04 PM
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Hi Jeremy
I like the 112 but 114 ITCL would be OK. If you got to trigger happy when ordering this cam and want to change it let me know. We can swap it out if you like for something different. These little baby cams work very well everyone that has one like this loves it. Kip
I like the 112 but 114 ITCL would be OK. If you got to trigger happy when ordering this cam and want to change it let me know. We can swap it out if you like for something different. These little baby cams work very well everyone that has one like this loves it. Kip
I am excited about the cam! By trigger happy, I meant that I had not done my usual level of obsessing about every detail before I buy... there is no remorse, and with your recommendation I will set it up initially at 114ICL.
Jeremy