Blk98Bird

Thinking of doing a cam down the line, and the same issue keeps coming up in my mind:

the ls6 cam setup is about $305
g5x3 setup with 921 springs and pushrods is about $1300 + tune

Now, I know these two cams are completely different animals but i'm wondering how much real-world performance you pick up with the much larger cam. Between the extra hassle of tuning and the extra cash, there's a wide margin between the two. From what I hear of the ls6 most people pick up 20-30 horse and .2-.4 in the 1/4. For more than 4 times the price, will I pick up 4 times the tenths in the quarter? Car is a 4.10 geared m6 for reference.

I ask because I realize there is more to the performance of a cam besides it's dyno numbers, and i'm not familiar with how the improved curve of the x3 would also pick up some speed.

Thanks!

M6HTZ

I don't know for sure, but their seems to be a lot of people with LS6 motors switching to the G5X3 cam and gaining lots of power. If you are going to do the swap then you might as well make it worth the labor. Seems like most people wish they had gone bigger from the start. You would hate to have to buy two cams and pay for two installs and tunning.

I am trying to pick a happy medium cam that will produce good power without having to rev to the moon. I am looking at tsp 228 reverse split cam. It seems like a good happy medium cam, but I'm still looking.

Blk98Bird

From what i'm seeing in searches on the x3, it puts out around 60 horse +/- on a full bolton car, which is roughly twice the ls6. However, the price is 4x plus it has to be tuned, so what i'm trying to find out now is how much the superior curve of the x3 compliments that 30 horse advantage.

I can't seem to figure out if the x3 is also a great value for the performance it puts out, or if it's another one of those "if every pony counts" mods that come at a little bit of a premium sometimes (fast intake vs. ls6, etc.).

If anyone can shed some light on this for me, that would be great. I'd be willing to shell out the cash for the x3 if it truly was the miracle some people seem to be making it out to be!

jrp

iTrader: (16)

the ls6 cam only puts that extra 20-40rwhp at 6k+ with a 10-15rwhp from 4500rpm+. the x3 will murder the ls6 cam all up and down the powerband. if your lookin for a stock setup with just more top end then get the ls6. if you want more power everywhere look into the x3.

Blk98Bird

By murder, how many tenths are we talking here. That's what i'm really looking for but haven't been able to find yet.

Performance over stock
Performance over ls6

blueWS6

well i know the G5X2 put some cam only + bolt on cars in the 10's and the G5X3 makes more power than that, and i have yet to see an M6 car with boltons and LS6 cam anywhere close to that. And the G5X3 can be tuned to be a very streetable car. JMO

foff667

iTrader: (2)

how much does the g5x3 cam actually cost? I bought my heads, cam, pr's & gasket kit for nearly $1300 lol...i would assume the g5x3 is like $420ish+$100 for pushrods & $300-400 for springs so thats only $900 tops plus tuning, dunno where you go $1300+tune, more like $1300 including a tune. But to anwser your question like the others say from probably 2800rpms on the g5x3 would destroy the ls6 cam...you may make 20hp more with the ls6 but if youve got all the supporting bolt ons you may gain 40-50peak with the lg cam and like i said thats everywhere after like 2500ish rpms. If you want a sleeper & to save yourself some cash now thats fine, but after driving with a cam youll barely feel the difference from stock with for a while you'll be swapping springs & cams again for something more aggressive.

Blk98Bird

1300 was quoted by LG for their 'cam kit.' I figured it to be just about 900 if I used patriot springs, etc. since I first posted so that helps a bit. This is what I mean however, I appreciate everyone's input in trying to help me but all i'm seeing is "the x3 will murder the ls6" "it will make x horse more" etc. I'm looking for real word application like solid track times.

Hearing that it has gone as far as bringing some cars into the 10s really impresses me, and is pretty close to the info i'm looking for. I'd just like to see "the ls6 cam should shave about x tenths" vs. "the g5x3 should shave about x tenths MORE" so I know exactly what my money is getting me. It's hard to make this decision without seeing the cam specs, so i'm trying to go on whatever I can find beyond just dyno numbers (since we all know that's only half the story ).

Thanks a bunch so far everyone, sorry i'm being so picky but it's a lot of cash for a college kid to consider spending!

jrp

iTrader: (16)

what tranny and other bolt ons do you have and what are your current track times? you cant say brand X cam will knock off a certain et. and brand Y will knock off a certain et. plus you have to compare cars similar to yours; mods, race weight. you cant compare a cam only g5x3 with a 3k race weight, 4800 TC, and 4.50 gearing that runs 10's to your full weight daily driver.

just do your research on the x3 as there is are plenty of dyno's and track times availible.

Blk98Bird

98 t/a m6 with lid, cutout, 4.10s, ripper shifter, subframes, nittos (16"), ported throttle body, free ram air, !spare/jack, !rear seats. I'd say I run around mid 12s with a decent launch.

I would have longtubes on the car by the time of the cam install, and I would be !egr and !air at that point for a little more weight savings. I may eventually spray after the n/a setup comes together depending on what I want. Car is mainly for street use though and as such would be limited by traction.

Sorry I didn't explain myself better, what I meant is that most cams seem to have an accepted "range" as to how they'll effect your track times amd general performance based on different levels of mods. I'm just trying to find something like that as my search for track times in similarly modded cars hasn't turned much up yet (i'm exhausted though so maybe i'm just not thinking straight to search for the right things). Right now i'm finding bolt-on cars like mine, but different gearing...or i'll find cars with my setup, but with heads, etc.

In a nutshell, I want to know if i'm going 3x as fast for 3x the price (and then tune) .

Thanks for putting up with me so far, lol.

AZ Power & Sound

iTrader: (2)

Ive had both... I went from a bone stock 2002 LS6 crate engine to a G5X2, then to an X3... the X2 made approx 50 ft lbs of torque more at 2600 rpm and stayed consistently 40-50 rwtq higher, while hp was about 30-40 more throughout the curve, also being 40 rwhp higher at 3000 rpm

Blk98Bird

Pretty impressive stuff, you wouldn't happen to have any track times from before and after would you?

Thanks!

JZ'sTA

iTrader: (23)

Lets say you had a real tire on that car for the track and cut a 1.6 60 ft time right now and ran 12.7. By adding the LT's and maybe a LS6 intake you ran 12.4.
When adding the LS6 cam you would most defentially still be in the 12's while you might see a 11.6 or 11.7 with the X3.
In a guess from my experience of reading and cars I have seen at the track I would say the performance would be about 2x better.
You would probally shave .3-.4 with the Z06 and .5-.8 with the X3.

8banger

iTrader: (16)

Does the G5X3 (or even G5X2) still need all the new springs/pushrods/etc. with it if you install new heads at the same time (Patriot Stage II 5.3's)? I'm doing an H/C package soon and want to know if I need these. Sorry if it seems like I'm hijacking the thread...not my intention. Thanks.
--Adam