Rottluver

iTrader: (3)

A guy I know is really pushing 5.3 heads for my motor......anybody with an opinion as to whether that is a good idea or if LS1/LS6 heads are better........input is most appreciated.

If it matters, I am looking at either a 220/224 on a 114 or a 224/224 on a 114 as the cam.

WAHUSKER

iTrader: (4)

Depends on where you want to end up. What's been done to the heads? Typically, 5.3s offer a higher compressio raito because the chamber is smaller. Not sure about the port & valve sizes. Nick just had Ellis install a set on his car.

Rottluver

iTrader: (3)

It isn't a specific set of them that my friend wants me to get, just the 5.3's in general. I would want them to be worked over (don't know what is actually done to make them flow better) before hand, but I certainly don't wanna go with HIGHER compression.

He recommended worked over 5.3's instead of worked over LS1/LS6 heads.

VIKING

TEA 5.3s are very popular right now, and people are having good results with them.

(this is Mark....)

tjwong

I just tuned a members 99SS on my dyne a couple weeks ago. He had a set of Texas Speed 5.3 ported heads and a 224 cam. He made 400+ on my dyne with LT, dual cats, and a SLP exhaust. Nick made 414 on my dyne a couple weeks before that using a set of TEA Ported 5.3 heads as well. Nick has a Futural F13 cam installed in his engine with 230/232 specs.

TwoFast4Lv

iTrader: (8)

I must make sure every one knows to check piston to valve!

If you don't!

99blancoSS

iTrader: (115)

As far as the 5.3's go, TSP/PRC seem to produce better results than TEA. Side by side comparison. I out pulled a bigger cam( FM13 with TEA heads) all the way to 5800 (with a tr224)rpms with my PRC/TSP heads. Yes the TEA heads are nice but TSP offers them cheaper and with equal or better results. They will also work with you on pricing where TEA won't. I went the rounds with TEA and TSP and chose TSP for the better pricing and frankly better personality. TEA was like these are my heads and if you want them you'll pay what I tell you. TSP was like we want your business what do we have to do. They took basicaly 20 % off of everything (gaskets, lifters, etc.) As far as raising compression why are you worried about it? IF you going to be running a turbo then ok but otherwise higher compression equals more power. Thats just my experience. Honestly with the car running as good as it does now I dont know why I put nitrous on it. Had Wong been able to get his hand on it sooner I might have thouight differently about it. The tune made that much of a difference.

99blancoSS

iTrader: (115)

This is a very good point! I didnt actualy check the clearance myself with clay but I called the cam mfg and got their advice as well as talking to Texas Speed thoroughly about it too. Had the heads been shaved at all a check would have been mandatory, but with .563 of lift I really wasnt looking at trouble no matter what... maybe... hahaha... see you just dont completely know if you dont check...

slowpokez28

Darrin i believe the 5.3 heads come stock with smaller valves.you put the stock ls1 valves in it you have a ls1 head with higher compression.

You said you do not want higher compression i think you just answered your own question..

Food for thought do you plan on running N2o at all. 5.3 would not be a good choice IMHO

So lets Air this out WTF do yopu want out of your motor. A bad *** nos injected flame throwing sob or a nice over powered daily driver, or a hopped up on crack LS1.

sardog46

I agree. It all depends on what you want to do. Higher compression can be a very good thing, With what you gain with just the 5.3 heads you will still be very pump gas frendly. I have 52cc ls6 heads on mine and run pump gas very easily, just back the timming off a little bit. But like elis said you have to check piston to valve very closly if you go small chamber big valve like me

Cam selection is another thing with tuners as good as elis out there, you can go with a much bigger cam than you think. I would recomend the biggest cam you can get to match the flow of the heads. Once you decide on a set of heads get all the flow info on them and then talk to any of the cam companies out there and get them to grind a custom cam to the specs of the heads and the car, gear ratio, weight, trans, rpm range and shift points. In my opinion the only way to get a cam is to have it custom ground, it is the same price.

WS6freak

iTrader: (3)

Yes, and I am VERY happy with the combo. Easy to drive every day and it has some spice-on-demand now

99blancoSS

iTrader: (115)

I love the looks of your car too! that stripe is real nice.

TwoFast4Lv

iTrader: (8)

Actually Duration has as much to do with the P to V then lift. Nicks cam was not much bigger in lift then yours and there was not enough P to V. his heads were uncut. it only takes a few minutes out of your life to do it right the FIRST time not to do it right

Rottluver

iTrader: (3)

So is raising the compression the only "advantage" to using the 5.3's or is there more/less that I am missing?

WAHUSKER

iTrader: (4)

That is the main reason people use them. You get higher compression without having to mill the heads (like you do to get the same result with stock heads) but you do not usually have the P to V clearance issues (like you do with milled heads). And believe me, higher compression is a real advantage! Your motor will rpm a LOT faster. As long as you stay under say 11.5:1 you should be able to run pump gas.

And like Ellis said, duration plays as big a role as lift. The determines where your valves are open in relation to when the piston reaches the top of the bore....

WS6freak

iTrader: (3)

Mark you're right, the car revs faster indeed, it's amazing. And Ellis you're absolutely right too, I'm glad I had YOU and nobody else do the installs.

Rottluver

iTrader: (3)

Groovy, thanks amigos.

99blancoSS

iTrader: (115)

Installation is easy and I recommend it yourself to save money. Follow the step by step guide and you wont have any trouble at all. Cleaning is what takes the longest and its boring and tedious but its very important. If you ask some I dont know to much about what I'm doing but yet I've done headers, cam, heads, oil pump, valve springs, shocks and struts, brakes most everything on my car myself and my car is very stout. I had Wong do what I didnt want to do in my driveway.. fuel pump, (rear-end I couldnt do). If you have the money to spend on having someone else do it then Ellis is your man up there. You should spend money on a dyno tune its well worth it to get the car at its best. Or spend time on the road logging and doing it yourself. The 5.3 heads were cheap and everyone had them as well as they raise compression without shaving is why I went with them.