I've got an 04 sierra with a 5.3 with 241 heads shaved .050. Right now I'm running a 224/224 cam but I want to change to give myself more towing power. Everybody has told me to get a 212/218 cam to tow. So I been reading and I decided to spec my own cam. I came up with 212XE/220XER, .558/.581, 112 LSA, 108 ICL. I went with the XER on the exhaust for the agressiveness because I only have shorty headers. My question is, do you guys think that the exhaust duration is too much? Should I stick with 218 or will I be good with 220? Thanks in advance.

 

to be honest 2* isn't going to affect anything...you are probably talking 2-5hp/tq difference...

 

IMO, the 220* xer should be fine on the exhaust side, but a 210* xfi(.595") on the intake side would be a better choice than the 212 xe lobes.

 

Thanks for the replies. I thought about the XFI lobe but unless I can get that lobe in less than .590 lift I really can't use it. My valve clearance will only clear .590, as far as I know.

 

I have this "Torque Monster" (per article) cam available if you are interested...Crane 1449551. It has zero miles/time on it. (Cam is sold)
http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/e...camshafts.html

 

Well my friend and I are gonna try to go together and get a couple cams, maybe at a discount we hope. But, what would be the advantage to the XFI lobe? Would a 206* .585 XFI work, or would that be getting too small?

 

Imo, if you want prolong the life of the valve train, and have it quieter then you could get the 220* with the xe lobes also.

Yeah I looked at the xfi 206, but I think it's to small. You'll be better off with the 212*xe lobe.

 

I see. Yeah my current cam has XER lobes both sides. Its quiet, but I also have LS7 lifters, so that may be helping the noise factor.

 

The 210* xfi will offer more duration at .200" lift than the 212* will, so you'd get a little more hp/tq with a slightly low powerband.

 

Well that's what I'm lookin for but I'm worried about valve clearance. My heads are stock 241's shaved .050. I have dish pistons. Would .595 lift clear you think?

 

I would think you'd be perfectly fine with the .595" lift with running a lot less intake duration, but there's only one way to know for sure, that's to check.

 

duration is much more of a factor than lift is for ptvc

 

So then, what I need to calculate is at what point the intake would be at maximum lift. I know that if it isn't at greater than .590 I'm good

 

Anyone else running that 1449551 cam? Looks like a good option for those running stock lq4... Shorter duration should help maintain DCR with the relatively low SCR