10 sec NA 5.3l build suggestions
#21
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Thanks guys for the responses. The DA was right around 4069', assuming that what is meant by DA is the equivelant altitude for that day, and was running a 235/45/17 up front.Temp that time was 71* and 51% humidity if that helps. Our track sits at 3000' actual altitude approx. I'm sure as it sits, I've probably got an 11.6 or so in it, especially with a slightly different tune. As far as intakes go, I think if I can find a used FAST 90, I'll probably try to scoop that up. I was also on the phone with TFS today asking about their new 205's they have and also their 215's. I'm almost leaning more towards the 205 heads right now, as the combustion chamber is a compression bumping 58cc. That would get my compression almost exactly where I want it, without sacrificing ptv clearance and head deck thickness. I was told the cam I have now was very similar to their "stage 5" cam, but that I should also call back on monday or tuesday and we could talk with the dyno guys at TFS and see what they would recomend. I'm almost thinking I would like to revamp this setup over the winter, which leaves a bit of time yet to play at the track with the current combo, and time to organize what I want to do next. What do you guys think of the TFS 205's as compared to the 215's? I think the 215's would need a little work to get them where I want compression wise, but think it might sacrifice a little low end for the top end. I'm also thinking that the 205's may help out down low, yet still give me some good results up top as velocity would increase, yet still retain some drivability, even with a more aggressive cam. What are your thoughts? I know the 205's are still relatively new, but am told on a 5.3l, would work prety good. Also, the L33, for those that don't know, has a flat top piston in it already, same as the 4.8l piston from what I'm told. Hopefully it's not too much comp, but I'm thinking it's gona be a bit over 11.1:1, if my iPhone app is correct.
Thanks again guys for the responses.
Thanks again guys for the responses.
#23
FormerVendor
iTrader: (15)
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Very nice times considering the DA, bet it'd be real close to 10s at sea level. Put some skinnies off to knock off a mph/tenth. I'd go with the 205 heads as you have a smaller bore
and your cam is pretty healthy for a 5.3, though you could run slightly more lift to take better advantage of the aftermarket heads. The compression bump will be a nice addition and would allow for a slightly larger cam, but how high are you willing to shift it? Cause even if it makes more peak power, avg power(power under the curve through shift extensions) is what gets you down the track the fastest...
![Winky](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_wink.gif)
#24
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
I'll shift it once it stops making power, right now that's right around 7k. I was talking to my tuner today and we figure there's probably an 11.50 left in it as it sits, but I still think a 10 sec run will be in the works. Anyone know if there's a world/internet record for fastest NA 5.3l?
#26
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
That's about 400 lbs lighter than I. Wow. Which brackets are you talking about? My bro knows a guy and was telling be that he prety much cut out all the metal from the doors back, no trunk floor, etc. I know it can be done, but I think that's a little extreme, lol. A car that light would get me prety close to the 10's without even changing anything.
#27
Teching In
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Rhinelander WI 54501
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
all the structure that holds the back seats, the extra tabs and such under the dash, we took all the heater/ A/C box out, here in January or Febuary the sound deadening on the floor shatters during a 30-40 below zero night, so we took all the sound deadening out. still have the floor intact, but the spare tire well may get attacked some day. we have a fiber glass hood also.
#28
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Which head do you think would perform the best, or do you think it'd be a close match between the TFS Gen X 205 and the AFR 205? The TFS heads do have a smaller chamber, and therfore get my compression that I want, but AFR is an excelent head as well but don't want to mill to get my compression up and sacrafice any flow. What would you guys do?
#29
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Here are a some things to consider that might help get you a little closer to 10's.
Less unsprung weight and rotating mass. Don't know what wheels your running or what they weigh but going with lighter wheels will help. Car will weigh less and engine will have less mass to rotate. Same thing goes for other items such as Aluminum driveshaft, flywheel, rotors, valve train, etc.
Accessories.....underdrive pulleys, electric fans, lower amperage alternator or an alternator cut out switch. Maybe even an electric water pump drive. Anything that gets rid of parasitic losses is good.
You say your using stock rockers. You can take a page from the oldschool "blueprinting" or stock eliminator book and go thru a pile of rockers and any other stock items like pushrods to make up a set with the best, most consistent specs. I don't know how consistent the manufacturing of factory parts are today but in the Gen. I engines this was common practice for getting the most out of an engine.
Another old school idea is the use of a "cool can". It can help at the track on hot days, but not to useful on the street. Also anything you can do to get the intake charge temp down.
Even just a little basic work on the heads, maybe port matching, installing larger valves. Maybe 4.8L pistons, or a set of total seal zero gap rings. A crankcase evap system can also help with cylinder sealing. On most engines a decent amount of power is lost due to less than optimal ring sealing.
Depending on just how serious you are about losing weight there are many places on the car that weight can be lost. More old school tricks here....back in the day many racers would take a hole saw and drill bits to any part of the car that give up some weight without being structurally necessary. Some kept it out of sight while some just went crazy cutting holes in the door jambs, etc. I've even known people that used a grinder to remove casting flash on the whole drivetrain. It is time consuming but if you are serious about losing as much weight as possible this will help. Lexan to replace glass where possible. Many racers and even the factories used to acid dip the steel to save weight, remove all sound deadening material and even go so far as to remove the window mechanisms from the doors and leave the windows up permanently.
There's just so much more than the engine. Most people don't think of the car as a whole system.
One last thing here is the fact that you're slipping the clutch. Without knowing how badly you're slipping the clutch all I can say is the obvious......clutch slippage hurts performance by turning hp/tq into nothing more than heat. If the slippage is much at all, eliminate it as much as possible. This alone could put you into the 10's if you're slipping bad enough.
Anyway, sorry this is sooo long but just some things to think about. Hope something here helps.
Less unsprung weight and rotating mass. Don't know what wheels your running or what they weigh but going with lighter wheels will help. Car will weigh less and engine will have less mass to rotate. Same thing goes for other items such as Aluminum driveshaft, flywheel, rotors, valve train, etc.
Accessories.....underdrive pulleys, electric fans, lower amperage alternator or an alternator cut out switch. Maybe even an electric water pump drive. Anything that gets rid of parasitic losses is good.
You say your using stock rockers. You can take a page from the oldschool "blueprinting" or stock eliminator book and go thru a pile of rockers and any other stock items like pushrods to make up a set with the best, most consistent specs. I don't know how consistent the manufacturing of factory parts are today but in the Gen. I engines this was common practice for getting the most out of an engine.
Another old school idea is the use of a "cool can". It can help at the track on hot days, but not to useful on the street. Also anything you can do to get the intake charge temp down.
Even just a little basic work on the heads, maybe port matching, installing larger valves. Maybe 4.8L pistons, or a set of total seal zero gap rings. A crankcase evap system can also help with cylinder sealing. On most engines a decent amount of power is lost due to less than optimal ring sealing.
Depending on just how serious you are about losing weight there are many places on the car that weight can be lost. More old school tricks here....back in the day many racers would take a hole saw and drill bits to any part of the car that give up some weight without being structurally necessary. Some kept it out of sight while some just went crazy cutting holes in the door jambs, etc. I've even known people that used a grinder to remove casting flash on the whole drivetrain. It is time consuming but if you are serious about losing as much weight as possible this will help. Lexan to replace glass where possible. Many racers and even the factories used to acid dip the steel to save weight, remove all sound deadening material and even go so far as to remove the window mechanisms from the doors and leave the windows up permanently.
There's just so much more than the engine. Most people don't think of the car as a whole system.
One last thing here is the fact that you're slipping the clutch. Without knowing how badly you're slipping the clutch all I can say is the obvious......clutch slippage hurts performance by turning hp/tq into nothing more than heat. If the slippage is much at all, eliminate it as much as possible. This alone could put you into the 10's if you're slipping bad enough.
Anyway, sorry this is sooo long but just some things to think about. Hope something here helps.
#30
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Almost forgot....there's a guy over on performancetrucks.net under the title of "will a cam only 5.3l run 10's....???" that is running a 5.3 in a '67 or '68 camaro drag car. The car weighs a little over 2600# and runs low to mid 10's.
The engine is a junkyard pull out with the only changes being a cam, valve springs, intake & carb, and MSD ignition controller. It started out running on gas but is now on alcohol I believe. First pass on the setup was something like an 11.40 lifting early, the 60 ft. was a 1.45. They're pushing for 9's and thinking about spraying it to get there. The cam is a Thunder Racing T-Rex. The car is running a Powerglide with about a 5,800 stall.
Not exactly everyone's idea of a daily driver, but would make an awesome weekend street toy on the cheap.
Basically this makes it clear that a stock 5.3 with only a cam and spring change can make enough power to get 2600# down the strip solidly in the tens. With a basic 125-150 HP nitrous setup low 10's maybe high 9's.
The engine is a junkyard pull out with the only changes being a cam, valve springs, intake & carb, and MSD ignition controller. It started out running on gas but is now on alcohol I believe. First pass on the setup was something like an 11.40 lifting early, the 60 ft. was a 1.45. They're pushing for 9's and thinking about spraying it to get there. The cam is a Thunder Racing T-Rex. The car is running a Powerglide with about a 5,800 stall.
Not exactly everyone's idea of a daily driver, but would make an awesome weekend street toy on the cheap.
Basically this makes it clear that a stock 5.3 with only a cam and spring change can make enough power to get 2600# down the strip solidly in the tens. With a basic 125-150 HP nitrous setup low 10's maybe high 9's.
#31
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
you can send your heads to TEA for some good flow or look at the trick flow heads.Geoff at EPS can help guild you in the right direction with your build,when it comes to heads and cam .
#33
TECH Resident
iTrader: (7)
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
i see a couple places you can make improvement.
1. lighter wheels, as stated above less rotating mass will help you quite a bit.
2. ram air, ive seen cars gain 1-3mph at the track with it.
3. remove the sound deadening and replace it with some Dynamat and light weight carpet. (it wont get all the weight out but it will get alot and block the noise.)
1. lighter wheels, as stated above less rotating mass will help you quite a bit.
2. ram air, ive seen cars gain 1-3mph at the track with it.
3. remove the sound deadening and replace it with some Dynamat and light weight carpet. (it wont get all the weight out but it will get alot and block the noise.)