Is this cam To big for a Driver in a 5.3?
600 at the wheels in an NA 5.3? Untuned? And what dyno would that be? The mushroom hallucination dyno?
A cam with 28 degrees of overlap in a 5.3L even with a Super Victor is going to drive like complete horseshit. Unless you have a TH400 and 4.56 gears and never go below 2500 RPM. And then with duals and bullets... yeah that's a pleasant driving experience.
I'd hate to drive that car in traffic to work. I had 17 degrees of overlap on my other cam. It drove fine. But it was a **** gobbler in traffic.
A cam with 28 degrees of overlap in a 5.3L even with a Super Victor is going to drive like complete horseshit. Unless you have a TH400 and 4.56 gears and never go below 2500 RPM. And then with duals and bullets... yeah that's a pleasant driving experience.
I'd hate to drive that car in traffic to work. I had 17 degrees of overlap on my other cam. It drove fine. But it was a **** gobbler in traffic.
TECH Addict
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,305
Likes: 126
From: Monroe,NY
waltsfastz
We have dyno'd about 12 different cams on the 5.3 recently. Everything from Lower duration lower lift to higher duration Higher lift and everything in between. There are very noticeable difference where the cams pick up power throughout the band.
If you give us a call we can shoot you a dyno graph on the cam you are looking at. That way you can see exactly what your getting. This way you don't have to guess at it.
We are lucky enough to be able to test the camshafts we sell, so we know exactly what they are going to do, instead of guessing at it.
We have dyno'd about 12 different cams on the 5.3 recently. Everything from Lower duration lower lift to higher duration Higher lift and everything in between. There are very noticeable difference where the cams pick up power throughout the band.
If you give us a call we can shoot you a dyno graph on the cam you are looking at. That way you can see exactly what your getting. This way you don't have to guess at it.
We are lucky enough to be able to test the camshafts we sell, so we know exactly what they are going to do, instead of guessing at it.
I am making 400ft lbs at 2k...hows that for low end torque?
My 6.0 with a small cam and ported heads didn't make that power at the wheels at 2000rpm...so don't even try to come in here and tell us that a tiny 5.3 with what is considered a donkey dick cam even for bigger motors is making more than that naturally aspirated, which is what this discussion is all about.
9 Second Club
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 143
Likes: 2
Building a Fox body with a 5.3. This car is going to be a driver.Car will have a 4l60e. Was talking to a Erson rep at PRI last month and he sugester either of these 2 cams
230/238 .578lift 114
or
234/242 .621 lift 114
he also reccomended bee hive springs for anything under .600 lift. I thought these were a little large for stock heads and very street friendly. If not what is everyone suggestions? I have a TR224 in my vert that makes good power and has good street manners. Catch is we are an erson dealer and I can get these at a good deal. Thanks for any input
230/238 .578lift 114
or
234/242 .621 lift 114
he also reccomended bee hive springs for anything under .600 lift. I thought these were a little large for stock heads and very street friendly. If not what is everyone suggestions? I have a TR224 in my vert that makes good power and has good street manners. Catch is we are an erson dealer and I can get these at a good deal. Thanks for any input
too big is relative around here. MY 5.3 cam is substantially larger and makes 600 at the wheels (untuned 
) With the right compression and gears anything will run. thats where the relative part comes in. I can drive a top fuel car on the street as long as it stops and idles, but for some a rough as hell cam is too much and not comfy. (wieners) 646 646 246 242 108* with around 12:1 on a stock bottom end and a 2.5 inch true duals with bullets....its violent at about 4k and pulls hard past 9k. My money is the valve train. I spent a lot of time getting the geometry right, and timing was a bit of a bitch, but not impossible. You want to turn heads and make power...go big or go home. these 5.3's love them some big cams.
) With the right compression and gears anything will run. thats where the relative part comes in. I can drive a top fuel car on the street as long as it stops and idles, but for some a rough as hell cam is too much and not comfy. (wieners) 646 646 246 242 108* with around 12:1 on a stock bottom end and a 2.5 inch true duals with bullets....its violent at about 4k and pulls hard past 9k. My money is the valve train. I spent a lot of time getting the geometry right, and timing was a bit of a bitch, but not impossible. You want to turn heads and make power...go big or go home. these 5.3's love them some big cams.
