I have a 97 C5 that I'm looking to do a cam swap on. It's a 6 sp with LT headers, no cats, 243 heads milled .030, LS6 intake.

I want good bottom end torque and I'm not looking for a dyno queen. I found this cam at BTR but can't get any answers about street manners. I was told "they don't provide rpm range on their cams" . That was from Jarod at BTR, not sure if Brian is still around there. I find it hard to believe they can't tell me the power band. Anywho , the Cam specs are 223/230 .610"/.573" 115+2 . It's listed as their Stage 1 for LS1 motors, and the mildest cam they offer. I'm sure it would fit the bill , but would feel better If I knew more about it.

How does it idle ? Will I lose power at 1400 rpm ? Does it spin to 7k rpm (I don't need it to)?

Basically just want the same info all the other cam companies supply.

Thanks for any help.

 

Any cam under 230 duration go drive real nicely after the tune is dialed in.
I'm sure Brian can answer all the questions about the cam as far as the details go.

 

I asked for a cam recommendation for a m6/LS1 in a RX7 that would make decent power but be able to cruise in 6th at 1000 rpm. Member here named Predator-Z gave me a spec and the more I've learned about cams, the more I want to follow his suggestion.
The wild card for you is the 243s milled .030 , that's a lot of compression. It means you want a big exhaust lobe. The power stroke burns faster so you don't need to keep it around as long, it's done it's work sooner and you lose no torque by letting it go early. You do get a engine that will carry RPM farther up the tach than a engine with un-milled 243.
You want good idle and low rpm torque. The engine is not making use of the long tube headers scavenging ability or cam overlap at these low speeds so the way to get it is with a small intake lobe. Your Ls6 intake (mine too) tends to cut off the peak HP at 6200 rpm . That is a intake valve close point of 42* IVC so you want the smallest lobe that can meet that degree. A 224 works well.
223/230 115+2 has these events @.050" : IVO -1.5 IVC 44.5 EVO 52 EVC -2 overlap -3.5 The BTR cam would have low end torque. It would work well with your increased compression. It would idle like stock, quiet. I do think you would be leaving some power on the table with such a low overlap.
224/234 113+3 has these events @ .050" : IVO 2 IVC 42 EVO 53 EVC 1 overlap 3. It would idle with a very mild lope, depending on the tune. If your after what I'm after it would be a step in the right direction for you.
If you call Brian and give him these two specs and talk more about your combo and the characteristics your after, he can spec a custom cam that would work way better than the specs I threw out.

 

Thanks for the reply !
The heads aren't milled yet but I heard that would yield 11:1 compression , still be street friendly and bump up low end torque. I also considered the 224R . It's been around for over a decade so I was thinking maybe some new school cam would perform better.

Any recommendations are welcome!

 

Brian is usually always there unless business takes him elsewhere. The stage I is pretty mild though the durations are up there. But new profiles now-a-days are leaps and bounds from the cams 5+ years ago. A stage II is a nice DD. I swapped a stage III into a kids TA that had a Stg II. And being a M6 is a plus.

 

Imo, you'll lose some power with any cam swap at 1400rpm., unless it's a really small cam. I'd consider a very similarly sized can but with a narrower LSA.
Contact Brian at BTR about possibly a custom cam grind.

 

This. I have that exact cam but ground on a 112+2 and while I did notice some loss of power under 2000rpm it really comes on pretty hard at just around 25-2600. If you get that cam as is, it will probably push those numbers up a bit with the higher LSA and ICL.

It does idle and drive very nicely though, can't even really tell there's an aftermarket cam in there (especially if you get the 115 LSA version).

 

I thought the added overlap would make the bottom softer, I learn something new every day, thanx.
This guy has a 224/230 111+1 . It's cut on a XFI intake and XE-R exhaust. This is the cam Predator-Z recommended for me with 241 heads.

 

The tighter LSA and more advance will bring in the power sooner (as will the added overlap). So that cam ground on a 115LSA with 113ICL will peak higher and start making power later in the power band. So it won't have the same punch at 2500 for example as the 112+2 (especially since mine is installed in a slightly bigger engine).

Yup that's pretty much the same thing, although on more aggressive lobes than the LSL/LXL the BTR (and mine) are on. Not that it would make that much of a difference in power just be more valvetrain friendly.

 

So redtan, what do you think of speed750's plan to mill .030 ? I think he would be better off milling .010 (or just a clean-up cut) and running the Cometic C5475-040 head gasket.

 

More compression is always better, unless you're pushing the boundaries of PTV or deck thickness (none of which should happen with just a 30 thou mill).

So I would say 30 would be a good amount to do and will surely help with the low low RPM power as compression benefits everywhere in the range.

 

I have a set of .030 milled 243s, with stock valves, stock GM MLS .051 head gaskets and BTR's stage II camshaft on a SBE LS1 and it clears with around .075 on the intake and around .080 on the exhaust FYI. I figure that cam with the early intake closing and higher compression should make for a really nice torque curve for a DD. Call Brian and talk to him, really friendly guy who will be happy to answer all your questions. GL

 

I think I've decided on this cam 222/226 | .60x"/.60x" | LSA111+2 . It's one of Tick's new grinds designed by Martin Smallwood. I think it will work nicely with my milled 243 heads, ls6 intake, kooks long tube headers.
Yes I realize I'm leaving HP on the table by not going with longer duration and spinning it to 6800. I just think this will be a fun torque'e combo! I do have a NX wet kit off my old car waiting in the wings just incase.

 

That'll be a excellent DD cam, with plenty of low rpm torque, and a nice cam sound to boot!

 

Your not leaving that much on the table...that is a nice cam and will drive sweet! The extra 10-15 you can make with a donkey dick can be made up in other areas of the build.

 

Such as a ported intake and good flowing heads!!