CORYSTA

iTrader: (2)

I've done some searching and read the technical threads. I'm a Mechanical Engineer and I'm not afraid to say I don't understand most of it well enough to make this decision on my own.

The car is my DD. So I'm just looking to open her up, keeping a smooth ride/idle not drastically dropping my mpg, while still having enough torque to have improve throttle response on the street and enough horsepower gain to improve the top end. If this combination is possible.

I'm thinking the goal is 500 rwhp +- 25 rwhp. (If I'm not going to get the ride I want at that power, please let me know.)

My Setup
02 Trans Am WS6 w/LS1 mostly stock
Kook 1 7/8" Long Tube Headers withOUT Cats and Y Pipe
Voolant Cold Air Intake
Stock LS6 Intake - Emissions crap has been removed

I intend to upgrade to the Fast 92mm within the next year.

I just picked a set of low mileage 243s off of a vet w/ new LS2 Valves
I still need to get them to the machine shop to be looked over, cleaned, milled, and maybe a light hand port. Any advise on milling and porting would be appreciated! (I understand most benefits of porting are at high RPMs. That's about it.)

Obviously I intend to change the cam and add the springs when I change the heads.

I'll be installing new LS7 lifters during this and intend to upgrade my stock lifters with the comp cam trunion upgrade.

I called comp and asked for their advise. I appreciate the advise the guy gave, while it was probably great advise it seemed like he was reading off of a sales sheet and had no experience with LS Engines. Which is why I'm here, I'd really like some advice from you guys who play with LS engines and/or have ran my setup.

This is what he suggested.
extreme 269
54-414-11
XFI™ RPM, XR269HR Great Mid-Range w/ Superior Top End Power, Needs Computer Modifications

With
valve springs
26915
GM LS Beehive™ Valve Spring Kit

CORYSTA

iTrader: (2)

Fair enough. So I can't afford to hit my HP goal. HAHA Let's say I'll be happy at 450 rwhp then.

American Psycho

If you truly want a strong setup without the radical sound of a cam, then your best bet would be to invest in a good set of heads and a "baby" cam. Advanced Induction and TEA do excellent work to stock GM castings.

Fry_

I'd make that the last time I ever call Comp Cams tech support, I know you want to keep things tame for better drive ability but that cam is tiny. Also how good of numbers your car makes and how it performs can sometimes be about the details and not so much the big parts like the best heads and intake. Thats not to say you don't need great heads ,a FAST 102, and a 23x/ 24x cam to hit 500 hp with a 5.7. But sometimes a car has all of those parts and still only makes ~450 hp on the same dyno that a car with budget CNC'd 243's, a 22x /23x cam and a LS6 intake put down 440 hp earlier that week. You already have good headers but unless that y pipe has a 3.5-4 inch merge to go with a matching i pipe and cut-out it's going to be holding you back. Also I'd consider getting rid of that Volant intake and putting on a lid and SSRA or Chris 1313 ram air on instead, along with either a 85mm MAF or no MAF and a SD tune. You still might only hit 425 hp but that really just depends on the dyno.

One more important thing is you car a A4 or M6.

poltergeist 02

iTrader: (65)

Is your car an auto or manual?

CORYSTA

iTrader: (2)

Crap didn't even think about that. It's an M6. Not poking at anyone, just a personal thing, I couldn't imagine having a muscle car that wasn't a manual.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

IMO for what you want a more realistic goal is in the 400-430 rwhp range since it sounds like you want to keep the engine very DD friendly and somewhat smooth running. First. I'd go with the best heads you can afford and not necessarily the most expensive, and get the SCR up into the 11:1 to 11.5:1 range. For cams you'll want to be a little conservative on cam size to keep it DD friendly, so I would definitely keep the intake duration on the cam under 230*(probably under 228*) and go with enough lift (.590"-.620" range) to make the most of the flow of the heads. I'd also run at least a FAST 92 intake, and at least 3.90 rear gears.

CORYSTA

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the advise! So it sounds like y'all don't think these 243 heads will give me much of an increase. Is there anything I can do to them?

Oh I also forgot to mention I've got a monster stage 3 clutch, billet flywheel installed. For me it was the perfect compromise from the factory drive to not getting to aggressive. Not the same thing here, but I thought it a good explanation of what I'm looking for here.

I don't mind a more aggressive drive. I just worry about it in heavy traffic and my gf being able to drive the car. She's a good driver in an automatic and does fairly well working the clutch and stick for very little experience, but somehow the fundamentals of driving go completely out the window when she drives the trans am. Anyone else seen this problem? haha

Fry_

Yes you can either sell them to buy better heads or have them CNC ported. Which you do would depend on your budget.

02CamZ28

iTrader: (30)

Contact martin from tick performance.

I'd go with an sns stage 2 or 3 cam, CNC ported heads with BTR springs. Also maybe an under drive pulley and a good tune. Should fetch 425+

CORYSTA

iTrader: (2)

The budget isn't very high. So I guess I need to find a good machine shop to work on these heads. How much do I need to get milled off in order to get to the 11.1 to 11.5 compression range.

Fry_

Define not very high, just doing a head and cam swap the right way cost around $1400. Then you still need to spend ~$500 on a tune and will likely need to spend $2-300 on bigger injectors. It all adds up pretty fast.

squalor

iTrader: (3)

That's not a problem, it's a solution to a issue as old as hot rodding itself, WAF. Also known as Wife Approval Factor. When my car is on jack stands in the back yard for months at a time the wife starts nagging me to sell it. When I finish whatever I was doing and it's drive-able again, I get her to take it down the road. She gets that big grin, same as we get, and the nag turns to nuzzle !

Kingc8r

iTrader: (21)

I traded the nagging model in for the motivational and praising model. Nice to have a woman who is supportive instead of pessimistic about modding lol.

CORYSTA

iTrader: (2)

Well I'm into a set of heads/valves, arp studs, new LS7 lifters and gm gaskets at $650. I'd like to be into the rest of the heads/cam mod for less than another $1k.

I'm a pretty patient. If I have to spend more and keep collecting the parts until the end of next summer, that's what I'll do. However, I'm not willing to be $3k into this mod. That cuts to far into my guns and ammo budget. haha

I was thinking about replacing the injectors with FAST when I added the intake. However, my mechanic was telling me that my stock injectors where fine for my moderate goals.

CORYSTA

iTrader: (2)

So I think I'm beginning to understand the spanish.

So when y'all talk Cam size, y'all are talking "Duration @ .050", not advertised, correct?

What I don't understand is the correlation to x/y. There's x=y, x>y, and x<y. Which do I want for my goals?

Thanks!

CORYSTA

iTrader: (2)

Thanks Kinglt-1. So I didn't include the intake setup in the budget I was talking. I don't plan to do that until after the heads and cam have been done. That and I'm hoping to find a used 92mm Fast, to save some money. With the ability to replace the runners on the Fast, I see no reason not to buy a used one.

I don't intend to run Ti retainers. As an engineer I have an inherent distrust for Ti, in any system that takes repeated "impacts". With Steel you get bend before break. There's very little to no bend before the break with Ti.

I've contacted TEA for a quote.

Fry_

I know Brian Tooley has commented on the durability of his Ti retainers and has never had one brake. I'd trust any part he puts his name on he's been in the game sense the early 90's.

If you have those heads ported you're going to be $3k into it no way around it unless you start cutting corners, then you start risking reliability and run the risk of ruining the whole motor. Your also very likely to need bigger injectors, it's around 400 rwhp that stock ones max out and your going to be pushing that number. In the long run it would be cheaper to put a FAST 92 on with the heads and cam so you don't have to pay for 2 tunes. Upgrading injectors right away is the same way, if you max out the injectors and have to go back for a second tune you're going to be paying twice. It's always cheaper to do it right the first time.
One more thing ARP head studs are over priced and over kill for any NA application, and also distort the bores in a different way than head bolts possibly affecting ring seal. Stick to either GM of ARP head bolts, leave the studs for the FI and big n2o guys.

CORYSTA

iTrader: (2)

I didn't mean to infer that I thought the Ti retainers would break. I'm sure they've been engineered well. However, for my peace of mind I'm going to opt out of it.

This is beginning to look like an expensive long drawn out project.

Injectors what do I need?

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

IMO, for injectors, I'd go with at least a set 36 lbs up to 42 lbs injectors.

BTW, nothing wrong with using the gm 243 heads, just have then professionally CNC ported and milled .
IMO, A.I. or TEA would be a good choice.