I recently purchased my first Camaro. It is a 2002 SS. I'm still pretty new to the whole LSX community and was wondering if I could get a little advice from you guys. I want to take the LS1 that is in there and make it an LS6. Is that possible? I purchased a set of 243 heads when I first bought the car on the advice from a friend. My question to you guys is this. What do I need to make this happen? My goal is a mild mannered 400 HP car.

Here is more info on the car:
2002 Camaro SS
Stock drive train
A4
Stock 3.42 gears

 

Just need an LS6 cam with those 243s. Most will tell you if your gonna go through the trouble of doing a cam swap, might as well get a cam that will give you a decent gain in HP like a 224 or 228 cam. Get them 243s ported & make even more. A4s didnt come with 3.42s so someone mustve changed the rear end or gears.

 

Piece of cake. Just melt the block, build a mold, and re-cast it into an LS6 block w/ the extra crankcase windows and whatnot. The rest is bolt-ons.

 

how much money do you have to spend? a really good P&P job on those heads will cost $1500 and unless your planning on swapping the heads and cam your lookin at another $1500 for H/C install, don't forget the stall you'll need and the tune you'll have to have. if your tight on money don't P&P them, they flow really good in stock form and get at least a LS6 cam to throw in there, you'll still need a stall and that size depends on the cam profile . . . best to call Chris at Circle D and talk to him about it. remember more air in more air out get's you the most power, so get some long tubes also

 

Apart from the crank case windows the blocks have the same displacement. What makes the real difference is the valve-train and exhaust after 02. The 243 heads with the lighter valves give the ability for greater valve-train stability over 6K rpm to 6500 and the manifold where less restrictive.

If you are going to go through all the hassle of doing the cam, heads and exhaust me you I would go a little further and get a better cam than a ZO6 cam and drop it in there.

 

^^^^x1

 

Thanks guys. I'm trying to educate myself on everything LSX, but it's not going to happen over night. So is there a huge difference in the blocks performance wise? The heads I have came off of an LS2, but they do not have the sodium valves. They do have the yellow springs though. I am looking to get them ported, but I'm not quite sure that the gain is worth the money. I bought a Vig 3600 stall used and had Chris at Circle D restall it for me. I'm going to attempt to do the cam and heads install myself. I've also got long tubes. So I guess I'm just looking for advice on the build. Most of what I have so far is from the advice of great guys like yourselves. I just want to build this ride the right way, the first time. So at this point I'm hearing that a bigger cam will be best for what I'm looking to accomplish. At what size will I start to lose street ability? I can see from what I've read around here and other places that a larger cam can really mess with the way the car runs I.E. A/C problems, stalling out... etc. I'm thinking of going the 228 route, but I'd like to hear some more great ideas I can look into.

 

get a ls6 long block from scoggin dickey for 3200. comes with the zo6 243's w/ the light weight valves, ls6 cam and block. Hell of a deal if u ask me. swap ur ls6 intake over, port your stock tb, get some headers, used slp 1.85 rockers, beehive springs and a tune... your lookin at 380-390whp bolton only ls6. Maybe a tad over 400 w/ a underdrive pulley and electric water pump. Then you can sell your ls1 and recoupe some $ and the build will end up not costing much more than doin h/c swap on your ls1. This is the what im thinkin about doin plus a 100shot.

 

Put the heads you got on there with a nice valve job, and a cam in the 224ish (.570) range if you want to use the z06 springs. You've got the long tubes, intake and springs to get where you want power wise. The blocks are only a little bit different. Don't sweat that part.

 

Thanks guys. I don't want to put that kind of money into a completely new engine and still have to install. The heads and cam I can do myself with the help of a buddy. So I plan to save quite a bit there. I like the idea of a larger cam, but just not sure what to go with. When it comes to mechanical I can figure stuff out, but when it comes to engineering I get confused. I know that a set of head has to have springs that can withstand the cam and that's about as far as I can get. I'm still looking into it and doing my research, but I know I want something reliable. This is not going to be a 1/4 mile car. Once I'm done with the power upgrades I am moving on to suspension. I just want to build a good engine that can get me to 400 RWHP with out being FI or Nitrous.

 

you said your goal is 400ish? with the 243's you wont need a huge cam to do that, the 228R should get you there . . . depending on the dyno and the temp

 

Remember this if you use the ls6 newer cam 2002 up , the base circle of this cam is smaller than your stock ls1 cam so you will have to use longer push rods than the stock ls1, ls6 length assuming you use stock thickness of head gasket , the ls6 valves were longer by .050in to compensate for this , so technically you would need 7.050in, verify the .050 but i am pretty sure , i will check Eric

 

I don't know anything when it comes to heads and the internals. When it comes to mixing and matching heads and cams I don't want to make the wrong choice. I've seen guys running heads and cam packages that just don't sound right. Sewing machine is the best I can describe it.

 

I'd say you're definitely on the right track with what you have already. Those 243's will definitely support the 400 rwhp you're looking to get. And as far as cam choice, I think you'd be very happy with the 228, for performance and reliability.

 

Another point in regards to the block: About 25% of 2002 F-bodies got the LS6 block. So, you might already have it. Look for the casting number on the upper driver-side pad. I don't know the block number off the top of my head, but do a search and you'll find it.