I put a LS6 cam in a 5.3 and have never really been happy with it. Now, its a suburban, and that cam has a 117 LSA with 2.5 degrees of retard in it. I've just never bothered to go back in and either pull the cam or retime it for more torques.

Point is this - LS6 cam is designed to help a stock 5.7L rev and still pass emissions. It's not designed to get torque out of a 5.3. It's a good cam as a stock cam, but installed as an upgrade, I was disappointed. If I had to do it over again, I'd get a drop in truck cam from cam motion.

For what you've been describing in this thread, I'd still get the BTR stage 2 or similar. I don't think Martins 223/227 was that far off from what will work well for you.

 

That sounds familiar

I think if it was installed on an early ICL, it would change the cam night and day, but definitely still leave power on the table. IMO, dollars and cents wise, nitrous with an LS6 cam he has laying around will get more HP per dollar than a different cam will. Plus, this way he can save for all that BEWST.

If you do decide to go with the stage 2, be sure to come back and let us know how it does for you. Either with a timeslip, or with a dyno graph!

 

Here is a 3rd gear pull up to 5800 with the afr's closer to perfect. Again I would not recommend this cam for a N/A 5.3 and I really don't want to have a pissing match about what cam is better. This is what was recommended to me for an off the shelf carb/nitrous cam. Peak WHP was 320 at 5800 where I let off. Torque is over 300 @ 4345 and peaks at 310 @ 4500

 

Why did you let out at 5,800? I think it would have continued to make power till at least 6,300 rpm's and then flat line past 6,500 rpm's.

 

Lets see a graph with that 300 shot. With so much exhaust duration, that might be when that cam really shines.

I'm not trying to get into a pissing match, that just flat out is not the best cam. Definitely not for the OP and probably not for you either. Again, ladle vs spoon. Both work, and both are WAY better than a fork (stock cam), but just because it works doesn't mean it's the best.

I hope you enjoy your car, and have some fun at the dragstip!

 

It makes power well past 5800. I have been adding fuel because it had a lean dip in the graph. So I stopped on this run at 5800.

 

I agree with you that the op should not use my cam. I am also not saying it is the best. I am surprised about how well it idles and drives for a huge cam. I can't wait to get working on the nitrous tune up.

 

You spec him a cam and send it to him... back to back dyno and track test... Loser pays the labor bill??

You game?

The quickest and fastest Nitrous 5.3 in the country uses basically that camshaft. actually.. the 3 fastest Nitrous 5.3's in the country use that camshaft.

Tell me again how wrong it is and how it won't work..

 

Im talking to op. he said he plans on a 100 shot, in which case this cam would be overkill. Also, considering uraloser2me only spins the thing to 5800, i think he's leaving alot out there. If he spins it high, and sprays the ***** off it, no doubt it's going to work. but for the op, definitely not the right cam.

Also, since uraloser2me doesn't appear to be going for the quickest and fastest nitrous car list, it might indeed not be the best for him either. It certainly is going to shine with a 300 shot (or larger) and when he takes it to the track. The fastest NA ls car probably uses a cam that's great for his setup, but wouldn't work in 99% of cars because 99% of cars arent in the same caliber, and arent doing the same things that guy is doing.

I don't run a shop or a business, I just have an engineering background and enjoy doing the math for what I think would work and what i've seen work. Other guys out there that have more inteligent conversations about cams at breakfast with their wife, so I'm not trying to play top dog here. I'm just sharing my opinion and helping the cause of the forum