LS9 Cam
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 86
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From: College Station, Tx.
LS9 Cam Is the LS9 cam a good/cheap route to go for a boost build? Going in my LQ4 that will have a Procharger eventually. Wondering if it's a good cam to throw in for a fourth of the cost of a custom grind cam.
The general consensus is that it is a turd in the lower rpm range. This is an interesting article http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...n/viewall.html
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: College Station, Tx.
Yeah I scanned that article for numbers.. I've heard it takes some low end power away but the LQ4 doesn't have too muchlower-end power to begin with. Especially not at 7,000 pounds, that's why I want to go with a Procharger to make up for the lack of lower-end.
I liked mine. I think it would have been even better on a blower car. The areas its down on power from the stock cam is usually below the stall speed of an aftermarket converter. I launched my car well above the "low end" power loss that folks complain about losing with this cam. It had a nice bump in power around 6 k on my 5.3.
If you want a cam that idles at 700rpm and drives like stock with a healthy bump in power over 6k id go for it.
If you want a cam that idles at 700rpm and drives like stock with a healthy bump in power over 6k id go for it.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: College Station, Tx.
I liked mine. I think it would have been even better on a blower car. The areas its down on power from the stock cam is usually below the stall speed of an aftermarket converter. I launched my car well above the "low end" power loss that folks complain about losing with this cam. It had a nice bump in power around 6 k on my 5.3.
If you want a cam that idles at 700rpm and drives like stock with a healthy bump in power over 6k id go for it.
If you want a cam that idles at 700rpm and drives like stock with a healthy bump in power over 6k id go for it.
My stall was rated at 3200, but I would see well over 4k on the trans-brake. So I was never really in the 3500rpm range.
What year 6.0? Are you already running a cam pickup on the front cover? If not the LS9 cam ends up ends up costing quite a bit more by the time you get the correct timing set/cam cover/ and sensors. (Assuming you’re on the factory ECU.)
I’d look into the aftermarket “truck” cams. Think my isky cam was $369 shipped. By the time I paid shipping/handling and bought the parts needed to run the ls9 cam I think I was around $220. For the extra $150 I’d just go with aftermarket stuff.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: College Station, Tx.
Look at the stock ZR1 dyno graphs for an idea on the power band. Probably not the best cam if you want it to come online at 3500. Your peak torque will most likely be where peak boost ends up. I doubt that will be at 3500 with a procharger. They need decent RPM to build boost.
My stall was rated at 3200, but I would see well over 4k on the trans-brake. So I was never really in the 3500rpm range.
What year 6.0? Are you already running a cam pickup on the front cover? If not the LS9 cam ends up ends up costing quite a bit more by the time you get the correct timing set/cam cover/ and sensors. (Assuming you’re on the factory ECU.)
I’d look into the aftermarket “truck” cams. Think my isky cam was $369 shipped. By the time I paid shipping/handling and bought the parts needed to run the ls9 cam I think I was around $220. For the extra $150 I’d just go with aftermarket stuff.
My stall was rated at 3200, but I would see well over 4k on the trans-brake. So I was never really in the 3500rpm range.
What year 6.0? Are you already running a cam pickup on the front cover? If not the LS9 cam ends up ends up costing quite a bit more by the time you get the correct timing set/cam cover/ and sensors. (Assuming you’re on the factory ECU.)
I’d look into the aftermarket “truck” cams. Think my isky cam was $369 shipped. By the time I paid shipping/handling and bought the parts needed to run the ls9 cam I think I was around $220. For the extra $150 I’d just go with aftermarket stuff.
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Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 86
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From: College Station, Tx.
If you look at that magazine article they said that the LS2,3 and LS6 cams were pretty equal in power up top (apprx 80-90+hp) up top where the LS9 was up 112 hp but down as much as 40ftlbs down low. Seems like you might as well stick to an LS6 cam.
However, look at the Crane cams at the bottom of the test. The 210/218 was up apprx 100hp at 6500 with only a -10ftlb loss down low below 3500.
PS - that article botched the LS6's #'s - they had truck cam #s in that report. They did say however that the LS6 matched the LS2/3 up top for the most part.
However, look at the Crane cams at the bottom of the test. The 210/218 was up apprx 100hp at 6500 with only a -10ftlb loss down low below 3500.
PS - that article botched the LS6's #'s - they had truck cam #s in that report. They did say however that the LS6 matched the LS2/3 up top for the most part.
Last edited by 69-chvl; Feb 14, 2016 at 11:47 AM.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 536
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From: Vancouver, BC
is a ls9 cam good for n/a drivability or no? if not i guess ill have to get a different one until i get a supercharger, i just would prefer everything be broken in before i bolt on the pure fun.
fyi im getting a gt9 lingenfelter, its a zl1 based cam.
fyi im getting a gt9 lingenfelter, its a zl1 based cam.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: College Station, Tx.
Martin from Tick told me I'd be better off with the OEM truck cam than the LS9 cam. And that the LS1/LS6 cams blew it out of the water performance wise. I found that hard to believe, but I had nothing to compare it to since it was my first build....
no...price wise its cheap and the best bang for the buck...but if you can find a used ls6-z06 cam for $100 buck use that too...
ls6 cam....3.42 gears 10.69 @ 10 psi
ls9 cam 3.23 gears 10.53 @ 12 psi
sure it was more boost, but it was also with higher rear gears....
ls6 cam....3.42 gears 10.69 @ 10 psi
ls9 cam 3.23 gears 10.53 @ 12 psi
sure it was more boost, but it was also with higher rear gears....
Thanks... have the trap speeds handy?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: College Station, Tx.
Yeah the only thing making me go the LS9 route is working with a college budget. I really want some real world numbers with the cam (found one post where a guy made 326 to the rear wheels on a DynoJet with an LQ4 and T56, sounds extremely fishy to me) and not just the Carcraft article but I'm pretty set on it either way.