Jarren_b

Hey guys im looking for opinions..

Ive done the whole big cam thing twice in my c5 and now that I have an all stock c6, its nice to have a car that drives completely stock, without, valvetrain noise, cam stink, ect.. My car currently has a vararam and full LS7 exhaust

Ive been really considering an LS7 cam since I could run it on factory springs and it should make for a decent 20hp bump or so. Ive done enough swaps that I could do it in my sleep but If I can pull my stock cam out and throw in the the ls7 without changing springs or anything Id do it. My car has 40k miles. I know technically you should change springs with any swap but do you guys thinks its necessary with my car having such low miles and such a mild cam?

Im open to any opinions, Im just looking for cheap, factory power and I will be going with a procharger next year so I figure the wide LSA would be good

DavidBoren

With 1.7 rockers, the ls7 cam is .560/.556 @ .050", which is maxing out the valve springs on your ls2...

You need to change the valve springs, too, no way around it.

K11PER

iTrader: (8)

Not to hi-jack your thread but I also have a LS7 cam I was given for my iron 6L build, but I have LS3 heads with 4.030 +4CC flat top pistons (std crank/stroke) and .051 gasket I believe. Heads were hand ported mildly but don't have flow numbers

Looking at a 90% street application with a 6speed. Would this be a good cam to run? I haven't bought rockers because I know the LS7 is spec'd with 1.8 ratio, so I was hoping to find out what to do before I purchase.

Hoping someone can chime in for both me and Jarren.

DavidBoren

K11per, the ls7 cam is better suited for your ls3 rectangle port heads, than it is for jarren's ls2 cathedral port heads. And it will probably work surprisingly well in your 6.0L with either 1.7 or 1.8 rockers.

KW Baraka

iTrader: (7)

Are you CURRENTLY running the cam that's in your sig? If so, I'm assuming that the springs are spec'ed for that cam.....and they have less that 10K miles on them.

If this is the case, I'd stick with those springs for now. But I absolutely would not use stock LS2 springs.

GM rates those springs to .550" lift; the LS7 cam hits at .558" lift with 1.7 ratio rocker arms.

Jus' sayin' .

KW

kinglt-1

iTrader: (26)

I would call kip at cam motion and pick his brain about a mild cam. For shelf cams something like the btr stage 1 comes to mind. You can have a nice driving car that does not stink and have excessive valvetrain noise if you do it right. For starters look into a softer lobe cam then the XER that you had in the C5, Keep overlap under 5 degrees, and get a solid tune.

kinglt-1

iTrader: (26)

The car in his sig is a C5, it states in the OP that he also has a C6...that is the car he is asking about putting the LS7 cam in.

CAMSTER

iTrader: (10)

I would call Brian Tooley and ask cause you need to make sure about the cam sprocket you need for your c6 cam sensor but though not my first choice the ls7 cam with more duration and way more lift will wake up the smaller brother for sure.

corvette c6 zo6

Nice topic

Jarren_b

After more research, your right springs need to be changed regardless which isnt a big deal since I have all the tools but ill just be installing LS3 springs which from what Ive read are the same as Ls2 springs and rated at .570 lift. Plus they are only around 60 bucks and I can use my factory retainers

Jarren_b

My next question is- Does anyone know if the Base circle of the Ls7 cam is different from the LS2? I would assume it is and im trying to determine if I need a slightly longer pushrod. I have a length checker but It would be nice to have it all done at once. Im loving the Idea of a "Sleeper" c6. I know there are better cams out there power wise but for my needs and the cost of the swap, it just works for me. I also think it will be a nice blower cam, Im currently looking for a used procharger for my car. Can anyone tell me if I should expect a different pushrod length? and if so, how much difference over stock?

JHZ28

iTrader: (3)

I'm going to be doing the same swap. Ls7 cam in a lq4 with 799 heads not sure on pushrods yet either

Jarren_b

Hopefully someone will chime in for the both of us!

Jarren_b

bump!!

Project GatTagO

iTrader: (7)

I tried to find this out 7 years ago and nobody seems to have an answer. I run a LS7 cam in a L92, but have always had the sewing machine valve train noise. If you go this route, just check for proper pushrod length and please post what you find. I would love to know what you come up with.

Andrew

Jarren_b

What pushrod length are you currently using?

Here is what Ive found so far

Stock LS2 cam- 1.552 diameter, .776 radius

Stock LS7 cam- 1.45 diameter, .725 radius

Based on that

1.552-1.45/2 = .051 smaller, Meaning I need a .051 longer PR

Stock PR is 7.385+.051=7.436

I have a set of Comp 7.45 pushrods already that I would love to use but they might be just a little too long. Thats why I need to find out what preload is set at from the factory, a little extra preload wont hurt anything but I dont want to hang the valves open if I have way too much.

Let me know what you guys think.. Will 7.45 work or would I be better off with 7.425? or maybe even 7.400

KW Baraka

iTrader: (7)

1. I wouldn't go with the LS3 springs for that cam. At the very least, I'd use the springs that came on the LS7 heads.....even if total valve lift will be .030" less with the 1.7 ratio rockers.

2. What is the pushrod length for the LS7 engine? Knowing that might help you determine what length push rod you'll want to go with.

3. Best of luck....hope this works out well for ya !!

KW

Jarren_b

LS7 springs will not work on an Ls7 head. LS2/3 heads are rated at .570 lift. Ill have barely over .550 lift on the 1.7 ratio rockers. I can tell you right now that If I upgrade the springs to a dual spring or something of that nature I most definitely would not do an ls7 cam. that would be pointless. My whole goal here is completely stock driveability,valvetrain noise, low cost, ect. Think of my car as a sleeper c6, nobody will ever know that the cam and exhaust are anything but stock.

Ls7 pushrod length is 7.750 so not even close. This is different because of the heads

KW Baraka

iTrader: (7)

Well if the LS7 springs won't work, that's fine, but I'd still go with another spring. The blue springs inspire zero confidence me.

But hey.....your car, your engine .

OK....didn't realize the heads were that different that the LS7 had such long PRs. Carry on .

KW

Jarren_b

And why dont they? Ive heard more horror stories of aftermarket beehive springs then GM springs. GM springs have gone hundreds of thousands of miles. They are not necessarily in high performance applications but neither is the cam im installing. If GM let the LS7 leave the factory with almost identical springs and you never hear spring failures on that motor then I dont see why it would be any issue.