I need some help in choosing a good h/c package for my car.

My Car:
1997 C5 Corvette LS1
A4

Mods:
LS6 Intake
1-3/4” Longtubes, X-pipe, Borla off-road exhaust
150 wet shot

My goal is to make as much power as I can. I’m thinking a cam in the area of 23X/23X. This will be a daily driver and track car but I would be happy with the 23x cam duration range. I’m not worried about making it a sleeper. I have the capability to go to E85 also. I do not want to do any fly cutting. Being I still have stock rod bolts I am limited to 6500 rpm. I plan on using a 3200-3400 stall.

That said my question is would it be better to go with a larger cam and lower compression or higher compression and a smaller cam? Keeping in mind clearances and possibility of e85 for high compression.

I am trying to choose btwn the tsp stage 1.0 heads (stock valve size) and the tsp stage 2.5 5.3L heads( I would consider other budget heads under$1400). I have been guided towards a few cams already, Torquer II(.598/.595) and el torro cam (.6xx/.59x). The duration is fine on those but which head/cam combo would net the most power up to 6500?


I found this in my reading and thought it was interesting and a good combo:

A good off-the-shelf grind would be the Torquer 2 (Comp XE-R 232/234 113+0). It'd be ragged edge close ~ .060" P-t-V clearance with .040" gaskets and 59cc chambers and 2.00" intake valve, so you'd have to measure. But, the stats would be 11.8:1 SCR, 8.7:1 DCR, and a late intake valve closing of 49 (perfect for a 7k RPM 346 with a FAST Manifold). It'd make for a real top end screamer that has power throughout the range due to the early intake valve opening and high dynamic compression. Plus, it has relatively mild overlap, so it'd idle and behave pretty good on the street.

 

for a budget head I vote for the TSP 2.5 5.3's I have experiance with them and the TSP 233/239. it made great power/torque. my buddy had the same heads with the torquer2 and made close to the same power as i did. both combos will get the job done

 

there are many sponsers here that could help you out but i would call texas speed or thunder racing
they would have the best answer for you

 

Keeping the driveability in mind since the car is going to be daily driven, I probably would go with the Torquer V.2 on a 112 LSA. (Assuming the car is a M6.) Match the cam up with a set of PRC 2.5 5.3L heads and it should make for a stout heads/cam combo that will still drive well. The heads will bump the compression up to 10.7:1 and with some additional milling we can get you close to 11:1. The nitrous will like the compression as well. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns and we'll get you fixed up asap!

Jon

 

The car is an Automatic (A4)


Is there more power to be gained by going even higher than 11:1 compression?

 

any other recommendations? chime in please

 

Does the car have a converter in it?

 

I plan on using a 3200-3400 stall on it, right now its stock

 

As long as you are putting the converter in before or with the cam you will be fine with a 23x duration cam. Without the converter, the driveability will be terrible, IMO.

Jon

 

Wow, dont people read the posts anymore....

I see from your ORIGINAL post that you have an auto and will have a stall for this setup.

I am not sure on the size of the tsp 5.3L valves, but they seem like gread heads with the recessed valve option. I would say maximizing compression to a certain extent would be good 11-11.8. If you can get above 11 with the 5.3L heads id probably say go for it but if you can't and need to go with a head like the tsp stage 1.0 ls6 heads with stock valve sizes and up your compression to max to allow some PTV clearance that would be optimal. From what i have heard, higher compression gains you power everywhere esp torque.
I also see you have a 150shot, i believe n20 benfits from higher compression as well.
I would say go E85 and max compression with a cam in the 23x/23x range with about .59x lift...

Good luck with your choices.

 

What is better? running bigger chamber or higher compression?

PRC 5.3 + cometic 0.040 = CR???

Thanks and sorry to hijack the thread

 

That is what im trying to get an answer too so i dont mind the hijack