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Ported heads with stock cam?

Old 07-05-2006, 11:40 PM
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Default Ported heads with stock cam?

For my next LS1 car was thinking of going the stock internal/weight reduction path which would probably put me at around 340~rwhp. I am wondering if it is worth it to get heads (something like Patriot stage 2 LS6). Do the heads need a cam to actually benefit the motor enough to justify doing it? Thanks, Tim.

Edit: I don't know if this is in the right section, sorry if it isn't.
Old 07-06-2006, 01:34 AM
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The stock cam is going to run out of steam long before the stock heads do, this is why people make 400rwhp with untouched heads.



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Old 07-06-2006, 01:40 AM
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ya if anything swap a cam in there before you do heads as your ported heads wouldn't benefit much from a stock cam
Old 07-06-2006, 02:35 AM
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What about a mild *** cam... you think it would put out decent #s ?
Old 07-06-2006, 08:05 AM
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Swapping to a good set of cylinder heads will give you 30-40 rwhp boost (depending on how much they're milled). Just think about it...you'd get better fuel economy than stock, keep perfect driveability, and would make as much power as many cam-only setups. I've done heads-only on an F-body and it's a huge kick in the pants. Better area under the curve than many cam-only setups.

Of course heads with a cam is even better, but I think heads-only is a smart move.
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2013 Corvette Grand Sport A6 LME forged 416, Greg Good ported TFS 255 LS3 heads, 222/242 .629"/.604" 121LSA Pat G blower cam, ARH 1 7/8" headers, ESC Novi 1500 Supercharger w/8 rib direct drive conversion, 747rwhp/709rwtq on 93 octane, 801rwhp/735rwtq on race fuel, 10.1 @ 147.25mph 1/4 mile, 174.7mph Half Mile.
2016 Corvette Z51 M7 Magnuson Heartbeat 2300 supercharger, TSP LT headers, Pat G tuned, 667rwhp, 662rwtq, 191mph TX Mile.
2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT 6.0L, A6, AFR 230v2 heads. 506rwhp/442rwtq. 11.413 @ 121.29mph 1/4 mile, 168.7mph TX Mile
2000 Pewter Ram Air Trans Am M6 heads/cam 508 rwhp/445 rwtq SAE, 183.092 TX Mile
2018 Cadillac Escalade 6.2L A10 Pat G tuned.
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Old 07-06-2006, 11:33 AM
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That's the answer I was hoping for, thanks alot Patrick G. Tim.
Old 07-06-2006, 12:28 PM
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i dont understand why u would just do heads? i guess its just me, i would put a stealth cam at least.
Old 07-06-2006, 12:45 PM
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To maintain a completely stock looking/sounding motor. Build a sleeper I guess, just an idea.
Old 07-06-2006, 12:57 PM
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Originally Posted by NoFive0
For my next LS1 car was thinking of going the stock internal/weight reduction path which would probably put me at around 340~rwhp. I am wondering if it is worth it to get heads (something like Patriot stage 2 LS6). Do the heads need a cam to actually benefit the motor enough to justify doing it? Thanks, Tim.

Edit: I don't know if this is in the right section, sorry if it isn't.


I was actually wondering the exact same thing. Good question.
Old 07-06-2006, 01:03 PM
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Originally Posted by NoFive0
To maintain a completely stock looking/sounding motor. Build a sleeper I guess, just an idea.
theres plenty of stealth cams out there and act and sound like a perfectly stock cam. The main benefit of heads is lost when you use a stock cam with only ~.500 lift. Increase that by 1/10th inch and keep a tightish LSA (116-118) and just increase the duration a tad 214-218 and it will make 400+rwhp and drive like it came off the showroom floor....with the exception of 400rwhp of course
Old 07-06-2006, 01:10 PM
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True, but I was just looking to go in a different direction. Don't ask why, I don't really know.
Old 07-06-2006, 03:05 PM
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Originally Posted by NoFive0
True, but I was just looking to go in a different direction. Don't ask why, I don't really know.
I just thought of what I said....and you could probably use some 1.8 rockers to cure the low lift of a stock cam
Old 07-06-2006, 04:27 PM
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Yeah, I was just thinking that. BTW, I really like your car.
Old 07-06-2006, 05:16 PM
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GMHTP magazine did an article a month or 2 ago with a red TA or formula and put ported edlebrocks on a stock cammed, exhaust manifold motor and gained around 50 horse and then showed the gains after adding headers and a cam.
Old 07-06-2006, 05:19 PM
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Cool, I think I have that one...must have missed it. Thanks.
Old 07-06-2006, 05:21 PM
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Vinci has done extensive testing with heads-only. Click on their website for some further examples and writeups.
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2013 Corvette Grand Sport A6 LME forged 416, Greg Good ported TFS 255 LS3 heads, 222/242 .629"/.604" 121LSA Pat G blower cam, ARH 1 7/8" headers, ESC Novi 1500 Supercharger w/8 rib direct drive conversion, 747rwhp/709rwtq on 93 octane, 801rwhp/735rwtq on race fuel, 10.1 @ 147.25mph 1/4 mile, 174.7mph Half Mile.
2016 Corvette Z51 M7 Magnuson Heartbeat 2300 supercharger, TSP LT headers, Pat G tuned, 667rwhp, 662rwtq, 191mph TX Mile.
2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT 6.0L, A6, AFR 230v2 heads. 506rwhp/442rwtq. 11.413 @ 121.29mph 1/4 mile, 168.7mph TX Mile
2000 Pewter Ram Air Trans Am M6 heads/cam 508 rwhp/445 rwtq SAE, 183.092 TX Mile
2018 Cadillac Escalade 6.2L A10 Pat G tuned.
LS1,LS2,LS3,LS7,LT1 Custom Camshaft Specialist For custom camshaft help press here.
Custom LSX tuning in person or via email press here.
Old 07-06-2006, 05:41 PM
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do heads and a baby cam and leave the stock exhaust on it. the exhaust will kill your HP but it will sound more stock ish.lol
Old 07-06-2006, 06:31 PM
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Originally Posted by RaNsOm
theres plenty of stealth cams out there and act and sound like a perfectly stock cam. The main benefit of heads is lost when you use a stock cam with only ~.500 lift. Increase that by 1/10th inch and keep a tightish LSA (116-118) and just increase the duration a tad 214-218 and it will make 400+rwhp and drive like it came off the showroom floor....with the exception of 400rwhp of course
while i would agree with you that you can add a "stealth" cam and pick up your power alot more, i would have to disagree that the main benefit of the heads are lost with a stock cam. just because you're not getting to the peak flow of the heads doesn't mean that they're not able to help make alot more power. with a set of aftermarket heads your flow is also increased at the lower lift values (.200+) and you're essentially able to fill the cylinders with air and fuel easier. so essentially the main benefit of the heads are still being used, just that they are not used at the peak flow.
Old 07-06-2006, 08:48 PM
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The green car in the sig has a 02 LS6 cam with three year old TEA Stage 2 5.7's milled .030 and a stock exhaust. I did it to pass smog, to which it passed the sniffer with flying colors.. it's still a kick to drive with the 3800 stall.
Old 07-06-2006, 10:10 PM
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With a good tune, high LSA and quiet exhaust a 224 can sound pretty tame. If you are going to pull the heads you might as well swap the cams out. 40hp difference or so, I guess it's up to you.

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