I'm currently in the market for a new cam for my 99 vette...it seems my current cam is a little to small for the boost level I'm running....I can't really remember the specs of my current cam but I'm thinking it in the 23?/low 24? 59?/60? Range and on a 114 or 115 if I remember correctly ...I do recall my tuner saying something about xer lobes ....anyways....I'll describe the setup
99 vette
Auto
Forged 383 compression around 9.5 compression
Trick flow 225 heads ls6 intake 1.7 roller rockers
2800 coan stall
Ysi making 18- 20psi alky meth dual nozzle m10+m5 using 85%meth 15%water
Ls7 lifters
2 bar sd tune
When I did a compression test I got 170 .....my new engine builder insists its way too high for the boost I'm running and tells me we need to bring that number down by using a better suited cam and a maybe thicker head gasket..he would like to see around 140....he wants to create a bigger tuning window ...I also find the car is very sensitive to timing . The most I've run is about 14 at the top... I really don't know to much of how all this comes together and are mostly repeating what he tells me but I do know I want the car to go flat 9's be as safe as possible (risk understood) and I want to have good vacuum and a nice chop......with that said...theses are some of the cams I've looked at
Martin at tick performance suggested
231/251 .631"/.632" 115+5
Bulletcams suggested this one
241 257 625 625 on a 115 111 center line
Some of my planned upgrades are 1 7/8 ARH headers or 2 inch ARH with a 3 inch mid pipe ,clean up the tune cause it's way rich and gonna try and run a velocity stack at the track along with some porting on the exhaust side of the head
What do you guys think....again my knowledge is limited so looking for input
Just an FYI ...Car has gone 9.6@142 at least 3700lbs
Thx for any advice and happy new year to all
__________________
99 a4 2800 coan ,forged 383,rpm level 5, 225 tfs heads, blower cam,ysi ,flip drive ,3.42,tsp headers 1 3/4 9.6@142

 

Whats up with the 115*+5 ? Is that a 115lsa cam with 5* advance already in it or they want you to install it 5* advanced?
Whats the cost of the bullet cam if ya dont mind sayin???

 

Not sure but I'm guessing 400-450$ ..

 

I'd be questioning your engine builder personally... Tuning window? WTF is he talking about? LOL...

Mine is a 9.9-10.0:1 comp, 402", 180-185 cranking psi cold. 226/238 cam, ls6 intake, mast 245s. Made 900 rwhp SAE on 21 psi, 93/meth. At 840rwhp it trapped 149 mph with the stick at 3535lbs. Now with the auto+roll bar, it trapped 145.4 driving thru the converter at 11.5% with the same 840hp tune. That was a 9.35 with a 1.36 60'. Still has plenty of room for improvement with some more passes/tuning...most importantly a tighter converter.

Basically drives like a stock car other then the converter slip.

I'm also looking for 9.0-9.teens with my aggressive tune, velocity stack and a tighter converter.. Maybe an 8.99 if I'm lucky and get some -DA.


My point is, your current cam is plenty big, you're compression is plenty low enough and your cranking psi is fine. Tuning will not be an issue with a competent tuner..

Good luck on your new build. I hope it hauls for ya.

 

^^^^^Good post above


im with him, sounds like your builder is timid and doesnt have enough ls knowledge to have confidence.find another person to help tune it.i tune and build my own stuff so i know it as well as a person can.stock bottom end 5.3 turning 6900 on 19lbs boost from a s480 80mm turbo no intercooler on pumpgas 93 & 17gph worth of meth injection(5,5,7 nozzles). My impellor chart shows 900ish hp at the crank and goin on 3rd season in my dragboat.9.5:1 compression 150psi cold cranking compression.a tuning window on gasoline is always gna be small, if your builder was a experienced turbo tuner he'd recommend intercooling or good fuel if he needs a bigger window.listen to the experience of guys here who have been there and done that.most are man enough to admit failures and what caused it which i appreciate alot cuz what knowledge they have paid to learn sure has saved me a buck or two! personally i like 9-9.5 to 1 for pumpgas 10:1 for racefuel/e85/methanol

 

Thx.....car is intercooled and at the track I'm always running full c16 or c16/94 pump gas also air temps have never been an issue

 

my builder is a very capable engine builder but tunning efi cars is not something he does not because he doesn't understand them more like been too busy with the carbed and blow through carb setups to take the time to learn the efi software.......he was been very sucsessfull tuning carb setups in race application and is also called in to consult in some really high hp setups... he personally built and tunes his own 7 sec car and runs a team of really fast carbed race cars. I'm i plan to use dr phil aka road rebel to tune my setup if i can a hold of him
thx again