To mill or not to mill. That is the question.
Thread Starter
TECH Addict
iTrader: (17)
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 38
From: Westchester, NY
To mill or not to mill. That is the question. A fellow tech member is putting an engine together for me currently. LS1 block, crank, rods with aftermarket hyper-T flat top pistons. Z06/LS6 243 heads all stock. LS6 cam. This will be going in my 4wd Silverado in my signature. We're building it because the parts are on hand so just going for it. Should I mill the heads? The gaskets are 051 thick. I run premium of course, minimum of 91 octane, many times 93 in my area.
I'm curious as to what my compression will be as is, and how much I can mill without worrying about detonation and PTV clearance. He's headed to a machine shop tomorrow so I'd like to be able to tell him yes or no and how much by tonight. If I can mill these things and get a nice, safe bump I'd like to do it now and touch this engine once. I am NOT looking for any max effort, max cutting number. Just a good, reasonable amount. Milling is relatively cheap so I don't want to leave power and drive-ability on the table because the cost isn't an issue. I'm not looking to change any other parts of the build because it's all there and nearing completion. Anyone have input? Would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I'm curious as to what my compression will be as is, and how much I can mill without worrying about detonation and PTV clearance. He's headed to a machine shop tomorrow so I'd like to be able to tell him yes or no and how much by tonight. If I can mill these things and get a nice, safe bump I'd like to do it now and touch this engine once. I am NOT looking for any max effort, max cutting number. Just a good, reasonable amount. Milling is relatively cheap so I don't want to leave power and drive-ability on the table because the cost isn't an issue. I'm not looking to change any other parts of the build because it's all there and nearing completion. Anyone have input? Would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Last edited by AnotherWs6; Mar 4, 2017 at 12:32 PM.
Thread Starter
TECH Addict
iTrader: (17)
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 38
From: Westchester, NY
I'm googling my *** of and not coming up with much. Seems like this should be an easy question for - some - people to answer. And a common question to have been asked. Most threads talk about milling 243's on 6.0 or 5.3 or 4.8 motors. Odd.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,292
Likes: 436
From: St. Louis
If you are going to all this trouble you should really consider a different camshaft. You'll be leaving a lot of low end tourqe on the table with the LS6 cam. Remember that cam was designed for a light weight manual transmission car, not a big heavy truck. There are plenty of mild options out there that will still drive and idle nice, but will move out a lot better than the LS6.
Trending Topics
Originally Posted by stockA4
If you are going to all this trouble you should really consider a different camshaft. You'll be leaving a lot of low end tourqe on the table with the LS6 cam. Remember that cam was designed for a light weight manual transmission car, not a big heavy truck. There are plenty of mild options out there that will still drive and idle nice, but will move out a lot better than the LS6.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0
Brett Foote
10 Reasons the LS7 Is GM's Most Extreme Naturally Aspirated V8 Engine Ever
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
TECH Addict
iTrader: (17)
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 38
From: Westchester, NY
Gonna cut them 20. As far as the cam goes, I'm doing this on the cheap and the parts are on hand. If I want a cam later fine, but I'm sticking with it for now. It matches the springs already in the heads. Keeping it simple. Also, my truck has 4.88's and a 3,200 rpm converter so I think it will be OK. If not well then I learned a lesson first hand. In the mean time I'm still knocking 100 lbs off the truck while adding easily over 100 horsepower. I'll just see how I like it.
You're going to hate that cam in a truck. Just saying. Keep your eye out for a 220/220 range cam on a narrow lsa, and lifts below .600". Get pushrods, and springs, and be happy. Or waste your time to save a buck, and regret it. It's your call.
Thread Starter
TECH Addict
iTrader: (17)
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 38
From: Westchester, NY
Oh it's only 1 buck for a cam, pushrods and springs? Well S, why didn't you say so earlier? I highly doubt I will hate the cam. What I do hate is the **** 5.3 that doesn't make any power until 2,800 rpm. Hence the 3,200 stall. With my stall I assure you that I am not going to "hate" anything. Have you ever driven a vehicle with a high stall converter? Doesn't matter, you're clearly an internet expert. I'd tell you to blow me but I'm not into that sort of thing. Learn how to talk to people tough guy. Nice lights BTW. You're cool because of them.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,292
Likes: 436
From: St. Louis
It's just simply a whole lot easier to put a proper cam in the engine now while it's being built, get all the clearances right once and then get it tuned once.
Thread Starter
TECH Addict
iTrader: (17)
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 38
From: Westchester, NY
Thanks, that's why I'm keeping the milling conservative, that seems to be the consensus. Again, with my stall anytime I give even moderate/light throttle I'm at 3 grand right away. Pretty sure an LS6 with bumped compression, headers and true duals is going to be just fine above 3 grand. Thanks though.
Oh it's only 1 buck for a cam, pushrods and springs? Well S, why didn't you say so earlier? I highly doubt I will hate the cam. What I do hate is the **** 5.3 that doesn't make any power until 2,800 rpm. Hence the 3,200 stall. With my stall I assure you that I am not going to "hate" anything. Have you ever driven a vehicle with a high stall converter? Doesn't matter, you're clearly an internet expert. I'd tell you to blow me but I'm not into that sort of thing. Learn how to talk to people tough guy. Nice lights BTW. You're cool because of them.
Edit - I'm not talking about the S10 in my sig. That thing is light enough that the LS2/LS6 cam is fine
And those are just stock lights. I guess I am pretty cool because of my kick *** stock lights. But if you look closely you'll see why the lights are on dick hole.
Thread Starter
TECH Addict
iTrader: (17)
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 38
From: Westchester, NY
I'm not the internet expert, hence me asking questions about milling. Why would I bend a valve or pushrod on a basically stock motor?
This isn't for the motor in my truck. It's a separate, build. Top to bottom. Cam is already in the motor. I set a budget for this thing and I'm sticking to it. Can't be worse than my 312K mile stock 5.3. Bigger, lighter, up 100hp and change. I'm gonna be just fine. My current motor runs strong, I'm changing it because I have access to CHEAP PARTS. Not shitty parts, cheap parts. Otherwise I wouldn't even be talking about a new motor until my current one blew.
I'll report back my dismal results when it's all done.
This isn't for the motor in my truck. It's a separate, build. Top to bottom. Cam is already in the motor. I set a budget for this thing and I'm sticking to it. Can't be worse than my 312K mile stock 5.3. Bigger, lighter, up 100hp and change. I'm gonna be just fine. My current motor runs strong, I'm changing it because I have access to CHEAP PARTS. Not shitty parts, cheap parts. Otherwise I wouldn't even be talking about a new motor until my current one blew.
I'll report back my dismal results when it's all done.