Can I have some input on heads/cam selection...experts and vendors welcome
12-21-2012, 11:36 AM
#23
I agree going with a custom cam route. The technology really has progressed sinse the last build I did in 2002. Back then it was a Thunder Racing 224/224 on a 112 and some archaic tuning lolol. Things changed for the better. I remember using Mac mid length headers and cutting off the flanges to extend them for a full header with a 3" collector. Don't laugh it netted 2/10ths quicker times. Also made my own ssra out of sheet aluminum before they ever existed. Ruined 2 condensers before getting it right.
12-21-2012, 04:13 PM
#25
Heads:
Livernois Stage 3 LS6, Ai 226cc LS6, TEA Stage 2 LS6, or PRC Stage 2.5s. Not necessarily in that order. Of those, the Ai will have the best PtV clearance. And, if I'm being honest on the dynos I've seen, Ai simply makes power. Everywhere with every combo. TEA and Livernois are right there, though, but have larger valves to do it.
Livernois also has a Stage 2 with stock valves and TEA/PRC both have Stage 1s with stock valves. They would all provide ample room for a decent sized cam when milled and will make probably within 10HP of their bigger brothers.
So to me, all look like good choices, but if you want as much power/flow as possible with as much clearance as possible, Ai wins. Plus, you have more spring choices with Ai.
Cams:
Martin can set you up with something good. So can Phil @ Ai, Ed Curtis @ FTI, Allan Futral, or Pat G/Geoff @ EPS. I'd match the compression and VEs. Sometimes that means milling the heads down or running a much tighter LSA/ICL which eats into clearance. So it all has to be considered together. One thing both EPS and Ai provide is cam doctoring services, so if you are ordering your heads from somewhere else, you have the exact specs of your cam to provide to the head porter so you can get it setup for what you really have. Futral provides that as well since he uses Cam Motion cams and they automatically are doctored unlike Comp Cams.
Livernois Stage 3 LS6, Ai 226cc LS6, TEA Stage 2 LS6, or PRC Stage 2.5s. Not necessarily in that order. Of those, the Ai will have the best PtV clearance. And, if I'm being honest on the dynos I've seen, Ai simply makes power. Everywhere with every combo. TEA and Livernois are right there, though, but have larger valves to do it.
Livernois also has a Stage 2 with stock valves and TEA/PRC both have Stage 1s with stock valves. They would all provide ample room for a decent sized cam when milled and will make probably within 10HP of their bigger brothers.
So to me, all look like good choices, but if you want as much power/flow as possible with as much clearance as possible, Ai wins. Plus, you have more spring choices with Ai.
Cams:
Martin can set you up with something good. So can Phil @ Ai, Ed Curtis @ FTI, Allan Futral, or Pat G/Geoff @ EPS. I'd match the compression and VEs. Sometimes that means milling the heads down or running a much tighter LSA/ICL which eats into clearance. So it all has to be considered together. One thing both EPS and Ai provide is cam doctoring services, so if you are ordering your heads from somewhere else, you have the exact specs of your cam to provide to the head porter so you can get it setup for what you really have. Futral provides that as well since he uses Cam Motion cams and they automatically are doctored unlike Comp Cams.
12-21-2012, 04:28 PM
#26
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Budget is going to determine your parts of choice. I've done a few packages on LS1 cars that netted great results on the dyno and the race track. We normally use TEA's CNC programs on cylinder heads because we have never been let down with their product. I custom spec all camshafts per car so that I can take into consideration all the variables of the build and chassis. I use all Brian Tooley Racing valvetrain components with my packages. A FAST102 is almost a must have at that power level with a 346 and depending on what kind of money you are wanting to spend I'd recommend a nice set of 1-7/8 ARH longtubes to complete the package.
Dyno goals are going to depend on the type dyno as well... I've had cars make 450rwhp on a dynojet not make but 400rwhp on mine.
Dyno goals are going to depend on the type dyno as well... I've had cars make 450rwhp on a dynojet not make but 400rwhp on mine.
12-22-2012, 10:06 AM
#29
Budget is going to determine your parts of choice. I've done a few packages on LS1 cars that netted great results on the dyno and the race track. We normally use TEA's CNC programs on cylinder heads because we have never been let down with their product. I custom spec all camshafts per car so that I can take into consideration all the variables of the build and chassis. I use all Brian Tooley Racing valvetrain components with my packages. A FAST102 is almost a must have at that power level with a 346 and depending on what kind of money you are wanting to spend I'd recommend a nice set of 1-7/8 ARH longtubes to complete the package.
Dyno goals are going to depend on the type dyno as well... I've had cars make 450rwhp on a dynojet not make but 400rwhp on mine.
Dyno goals are going to depend on the type dyno as well... I've had cars make 450rwhp on a dynojet not make but 400rwhp on mine.
I'd say 6-7/10 times I will also custom spec the cam to tailor the events for the specific combination, but a lot of times when I have a similar combination that has made great power with one our Elite Series camshafts I will use it in the situation at hand again.
Also Comp Cams does cam doctor all of their cams before they go out the door, the difference is they have a 1.0-1.5* tolerance in either direction that determines pass or fail. I have talked to my rep about this and have addressed my concerns about this "tolerance" and how I did not like knowing, that I'm spending customers money, our profit etc. to have a cam custom specified and tailored to an EXACT set of events only to have you guys(Comp) allow there to be a 1.5* swing in either direction?!?! There wasn't any communcation after that email until I sent another one a week or so later basically asking if I had stepped on toes or what not by saying that and he assured me that he would take special care to ensure any cams we ordered were dead on the money. Now, will they actually honor that and do it...I honestly don't know without cam doctoring it myself at a local shop.
I would personally prefer to use Bullet 100% of the time but as of right now their price is 50 dollars higher than comp for a grind and of course that gets passed along to the customer. With that added 50 dollars though you get:
-Cam Doctoring services
-If they do not have a lobe that I like or want to use for a grind they will CUSTOM MAKE an intake and exhaust lobe just for the SPECIFIC set-up the cam is being ground for. That is pretty damn cool in my book that they will do that.
-More choices in lobes
-Smaller company with much tighter QC and although I've never been mistreated or spoken ill to by anyone at comp, the guys at Bullet are awesome and really form a relationship with you. Not to mention they are real racers that drive and work on some of the fastest radial tired heads up cars in the country and design cams for the fastest radial heads up cars in the country. They are constantly evolving to what the real racers are testing and that information and testing trickles down to the consumer on our level.
Bullet cams through me are 449.95 with shipping included.
Last edited by Sales@Tick; 12-22-2012 at 10:16 AM.
