Ok, I'm the kinda guy who like to get as much information as possible before I start buying parts. After being on this site for years I have learned thru my own experience & others mistakes that rushing into a build is never a good idea. My goal for a while now has been to build a budget 347 that would still run hard enough to keep people from sayin "oh, it's just a 347". I thought about goin to a 408 stroker, but I love driving my car on a daily basis year round. And with a family along with shitty economy it's just not in the cards right now, maybe later down the road.

I have attempted to build this thing 3 times now & b/c of personal reasons & the kiddos I have sold everything off to try & get our family in a better finicial position. Now I'm all caught up on all past debts & only have cost of living to pay for so it's time to get serious.

Here is what I have aquired so far:

stock LS1 block
stock LS1 crank
stock main caps
ARP main stud kit
front timing cover
rear cover
LS6 valley cover
Edlebrock fuel rails w/braided lines
catch can w/braided lines
LS2portworks ported LS2 intake
90mm Bluemaxx TB
Lunati Pro Mod rods w/ARP 2000 bolts
Melling high volume oil pump
(got the engine covers so I can leave my stock short block as complete as possible in my garage after the swap just incase something unexpected happens to the built motor)

I'm now to the very important decisions & would like all the expert advise I can get. I have talked some with Ron@Vengence, Patirck G & Jon@TSP about my goals. I figured I'd start this thread to compile my info into one place.

Pistons - I'm thinking about goin with Weisco 3.905" bore -2.2cc pistons. I'm wanting to keep a decent comp. ratio since it's a street motor & running N/A 90% of the time. It will however see a 150 dry shot when I feel froggy, LOL.

Now, here is my serious delima. I currently have a set of Bo White worked over stock cast 5.3 heads that are milled .018". I also have access to my old set of stock 241 heads to be worked over if I so desire. My 5.3 heads flow: 219@.600(ex)/261@.500(int), have 220cc runners & 2.00 intake valves. Which heads would flow more in the end? Do the 241's have better flow capability when worked over vs the 5.3's? I know the 5.3's are bumping the comp. ratio more especially milled.

Here is also another consideration. I'm currently running a 224/224 .581/.581 114 cam with my 5.3 heads. I LOVE the way this cam drives but it leaves me wanting more power & a little meaner sound at stoplights still without getting radical. I have a modest goal of 430/400 thru my M6. So, would I be better off keeping the current cam or is there something else out there that will definetly get me to my goal or surpass my goal without having PTV issues?? I was lookin at a couple cams from Vengence, TSP & even thinking of having Patrick G spec me a cam.

This isn't a max effort build or a expensive build, but at the same time I want it to be strong enough to demand some respect around my area. My end goal is a fully forged 347 built on a budget with very little invested but I'd like to get the most possible out of this combo at the same time. Or for better choice of words optimize my budget build to it's full potiential.

I have read thru the stickys & still don't fully understand SCR/DCR & some of the valve events stuff, so that why I'm reaching out to you guys to help me. I highly appreciate the help & information. Sorry for the long post but I had alot to get in on this subject b/c I want everything to be 100% right the first time & not have any doubts upon begining assembly later this year.

 

wow, really suprised no one has chimed in with some info or advice yet.

 

here is some build a 408 lol jk buy a bigger cam and just GIVE that one to me

 

Forget the LS2 manifold, they don't make power.... LS6 intake or FAST. Forget the HV oil pump, just wasting HP. The 5.3 heads w/ a 2.00" intake valve AND a ported chamber to unshroud the intake valve are going to be identical to the 241's but with a little more compression. As for the cam, you'll be better off with something a little different.

 

Your dyno goal should not take too much more than what you've got presently. Since you already have the ported LS2, it would be interesting to compare to your current intake (I assume you have a stock LS1 on now since you're a '99).

Predator-Z has a cam that is becoming popular right now, and should meet your goals without being too large. It's a Comp XFI/XE-R grind: 230/230 .612/.592 111+4. Compared to your current cam, it has 8 degrees of overlap at .050" lift, so it should scavenge on the top end, where your current cam has -4 degrees overlap, and can't really scavenge.

230/230 cam with stock ported 241's?

Idle Video

 

I would think you would want a bigger cam to reach your modest goals. You don't have to get a huge radical cam to make great power that is fun to drive. The best thing I have ever heard is pick your cam last. Figure out the rest of your setup and then have a custom cam spec'd for you. It will make your engine run the way you intend to run it.

 

Correct, when I did my original H/C swap over a year ago I was goin to put a ported Weiand intake on but had the wrong fittings. So the stocker went back on with a Bo White ported stock TB & I never changed it again. And I have seen the LS2 manifolds make power especially after being ported. It'll outflow the LS6 in ported form & for the price I gave for it with the work already done, tb & being brand new I couldn't have even picked up a Fast 90 intake alone. So for my budget build it was a good option for a 90mm intake/TB combo.

It's starting to look like I need to just keep my 5.3 heads I already have & just get a custom cam to work with it then. I was just curious cause if there was a better combo for the 241 heads then I could get those done & leave my current motor a complete long block & store it in the garage incase something ever happened to this motor. But I don't mine keeping the 5.3 heads at all.

 

You could always have "Vengence, TSP & even thinking of having Patrick G ." get into a bidding contest.

Seriously, choose one cam guy whom you trust and go with his cam. Don't second guess him.

 

Never said I'm second guessing anyone. But it's very wise to get information from more than once source. Even if said information all sounds the same no two people will ever explain it exactly the same. I'd say if you only talk to one person & thats it your limiting yourself & the information you have a chance to learn. I know I'm not the only person who has spoken with numerous people known to be knowledgable in the LS community about a motor combo. I guess I don't see a problem with it since there is no LS performance shops in my area at all.

I know all those guys know their ****. But they do all offer different cams either off the shelf or custom. So how is compiling information a bad thing??? I fail to see the down side. I don't care to get them in a bidding war, thats not what it's about. It's about sourcing information & determining the best cam for this combo.

 

So who makes the decision on what is best for your combo from the multiple choices?

No offense, but if you make the decision, why not just do your own cam?

When my doctor recommends a drug or a procedure, I trust his judgement. That's why I chose him. I don't ask a number of docs then choose the drug or procedure that seems right to me. I think choosing the right doc is my best chance for survival/good health. IMO, that is a parallel to choosing cams. Not everyone agrees, but that's their choice.

Just my highly-opinionated $.02.

Jon

 

Jon is right here. I have purposely stayed out of this thread because the last thing I want to do is become involved in the "playing one expert or shop off the other game" I'm not accusing you of that and I can see your point about wanting to get as much information as you can before making choices but in the end, you will have to choose who to deal with. The most successfull builds will always come from a cohesive package usually designed and spec'd by one person or a most a small group of people all communicating about said project. I get on average 50-60 calls a day for tech help. It is impossible for me to answer them all but I do my best. I have people here who will try to help customers before they pass them on to me so my time will be most efficiently spent helping the customers with the greatest need.

Find someone who will shoot straight with you, someone you can trust, put your eggs in that basket and have fun.

I hope I don't sound preachy but I get calls from people all the time asking me questions they already "know" the answers to. I never understood why they called me.

I'm just here to help.

Thanks,
Shane

 

They may want affirmation that what they "know for sure" is correct. It might not be correct , but if you try to tell them the truth, they sometimes get all pi$$y about it.

That may not be your experience, Shane, but it happens all over internet forums from what I have observed.


Jon

 

I'm fine with the affirmation guys, its the argumentative ones that I wonder about.

I just wonder why they called me... I want to ask them if they couldn't find anyone else to argue with at home!

Shane