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6.0 budget performance help

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Old 10-29-2011, 09:38 PM
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Default 6.0 budget performance help

looking to do some upgrades to my 6.0...i keep seeing lots of diferent opinions but nobody seems to do any budget builds on here. im putting a 6.0 iron block into my el camino and wanna get the best bang for my buck. my goal was to be a little over 400whp. ive herd alot of good things with the ls3/l92 heads but the price tag for heads and manifold is $1000 at the least. cams can be had for a little less than that but can effect my emissions issues.

just looking for a little help as to what would give me good power for less money.
Old 10-29-2011, 09:49 PM
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On a budget you could really go 2 ways. you could grab some 243s, 02+ ls6 cam, ls6 intake, UD pulley, longtubes, good flowing exhaust, some sort of good cold air intake and you should def be over 400whp.

Id be hunting for a good deal on some ls3 heads and intake though plus all the bolt ons above. Def gonna get more out of it that way and still pretty budget friendly. If you have to worry about emissions then Id stick with a stock cam like the ls3. Im not sure if there are any larger square port friendly cams that are emissions legal. Ill let someone else chime in on that.
Old 10-29-2011, 10:27 PM
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the engine will have some headers and i will make a custom intake for it. i will have to switch to a car intake cause i have the truck intake at the moment.

does anybody recomend a good cam or other parts?
Old 10-29-2011, 10:46 PM
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400 RWHP is pretty easy with a 6 liter. You can just use the stock 6 liter heads. Some long tube headers, a cam in the 220s duration @ .050" and an LS6 intake if you are fuel injected or either Edelbrock intake if you are going carbureted.
Old 10-29-2011, 10:53 PM
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Is this a LQ9 or LQ4? Why do you need to worry emission's? Elky's are old enough to be grandfathered in any state, I would think..
Old 10-29-2011, 10:57 PM
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its an lq4, i worry about emissions because i dont like my car to be tagged as classic, and they have milage restrictions...also my cars not old enough to be emissions exempt in delaware. i will be running cats and evap and thats it on this engine, i only have to pass an exhaust test. i will be keeping it fuel injected with an auto trans.
Old 10-30-2011, 12:03 AM
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Just reuse stock heads, mill em down some and get a gm cam. Or just leave motor as is with a tune and some shorty headers.
Old 10-30-2011, 06:48 AM
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What year is your El Camino. I can't imagine emission standards are very tough for a car of that era. I passed emissions tests for my 87 Buick Grand National with a cam and a hollow cat when we had testing here in Florida.
Old 10-30-2011, 09:05 AM
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emissions arnt very strick here, if you actually fail our emissions you must have an engine on its last leg. i have a 90 tpi in the car with emissions delete except for cats and this thing passes with no problem, i just dont want to be stuck with an emissions issue after putting in a new engine since we do the test every two years. im just looking for a good driver with great power since i drive the car daily 20 miles highway each way to work. my car gets 10mpg now and almost anything would be a step up haha
Old 10-30-2011, 12:20 PM
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You can put a cam in your motor and still pass emissions. low 220's is the highest I would go. Depending on what ECM you use. You can tune out the fuel in the 800 to 2500 range and make it super clean. The LS PCM is gonna be the key to your success.

25 years and older here in Texas and your car is exempt. You can have quad turbo's sticking out of the hood. As long as the blinkers and horn work...you're GOLDEN.
Old 10-30-2011, 01:28 PM
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well i was thinking about getting an ls6 intake and just keep the stock heads, and just upgrade the cam with the duration you guys recomended. i will be finding a stock 6.0 truck ecm and have it flashed by somebody my friend recomended.
Old 10-30-2011, 01:38 PM
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would comp cams 54-426-11 be good?
222 int./224 exh duration
0.566 int./0.568 exh lift
Old 10-30-2011, 02:10 PM
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Originally Posted by mikeselky85
would comp cams 54-426-11 be good?
222 int./224 exh duration
0.566 int./0.568 exh lift
That is what is in my car. Makes great power but it idles smooth.
Old 10-30-2011, 03:29 PM
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smooth idle is fine, though a cammed idle would be great...smooth is just sleeper . hows your driveability with the cam setup?
Old 10-30-2011, 05:04 PM
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Originally Posted by mikeselky85
smooth idle is fine, though a cammed idle would be great...smooth is just sleeper . hows your driveability with the cam setup?
Just like any stock engine.
Old 10-30-2011, 09:21 PM
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Originally Posted by mikeselky85
would comp cams 54-426-11 be good?
222 int./224 exh duration
0.566 int./0.568 exh lift
I am running the Lunati #55065LUN 220/224 575/575 on a 112.

Slightly choppy idle because of the 112, but makes power from 1800 to 6800. 700 rpm idle. This is in my HD and it tows great.
Old 10-31-2011, 02:47 PM
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I hate emissions
Old 10-31-2011, 11:45 PM
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In MD the car has to be 20 years old or older to qualify for a classic car, and on top of it there is no emissions testing or milage restrictions other than the fact that your only supposed to drive it on Sundays or to shows. People DD their classic cars around here and cops don't care, they actually stop and look at it and smile. lmao, once again, thats around here.

OP, I'd go classic with the insurance. When I had my Chevelle, my insurance was $600 a year for full coverage & road side benefits through Grundy.
Old 11-19-2011, 07:49 PM
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well ive started on my 6.0 combo. i have 4.005 flat top forged pistons and 6.125 forged rods. i was thinking i would just go with an ls6 manifold and get a little head porting and possibly go with comps XER281HR cam...not sure how it will do with emissions but maybe ill just try my luck. that should put me well over my ideal power, just not sure how the driveability will be, i know i will need to do a stall as well with my 4l80-e



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