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Cam for 5.3 on 87 octane? (L33)

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Old Mar 11, 2017 | 05:55 PM
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Question Cam for 5.3 on 87 octane? (L33)

This is a daily driver that has an 80 mile round trip commute, I will not be feeding this car hi-test simply to **** it all out the tail pipes on my way to work. SO, if a cam will require it, I won't bother. I just figure seeing as the engine is still on a stand right now, why not throw a cam in it, even if it only nets me an extra 20hp or so? Has an LS6 intake, 1-5/8" long tubes and dual 2-1/4" exhaust.
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Old Mar 11, 2017 | 07:17 PM
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Maybe look at some of the factory camshafts from other engines like the ls². Plenty factory cams that will make you have 20hp or a little more on a 5.3
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Old Mar 11, 2017 | 07:43 PM
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Try the LQ9 cam. In a comparison test of factory cams it gained 40 HP over the stock LM7 cam, which is slightly weaker than the cam in the L33. My .02.
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Old Mar 11, 2017 | 07:46 PM
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If you want an aftermarket camshaft that will idle well, drive well, and give a nice little 30+HP or so gain, then I'd look at this from Lingenfelter:

http://www.lingenfelter.com/product/L210085297.html

Last edited by JakeFusion; Mar 11, 2017 at 10:16 PM.
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Old Mar 11, 2017 | 08:04 PM
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Originally Posted by G Atsma
Try the LQ9 cam. In a comparison test of factory cams it gained 40 HP over the stock LM7 cam, which is slightly weaker than the cam in the L33. My .02.
The cam in the L33 is already bigger than the LQ cam. That would be a downgrade.

-edit- I just found something that says the LQ cam has 5deg more duration so it may not be a downgrade. I'll look into it more.

Last edited by 8.Lug; Mar 11, 2017 at 08:31 PM. Reason: breaking news
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Old Mar 11, 2017 | 08:26 PM
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Originally Posted by JakeFusion
If you want an aftermarket camshaft that will idle well, drive well, and give a nice little 40+HP or so gain, then I'd look at this from Lingenfelter:

http://www.lingenfelter.com/product/L210085297.html
For 87 octane?
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Old Mar 11, 2017 | 10:16 PM
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Yeah. Look at the cam card. You can run GM springs with it too (LS9 would be preferred or Beehives). Also, the valve events @ .006 mean the IVC is 66.5 degrees. Now use that figure with the L33's 10.1:1 CR and the DCR is around 7.9:1 which works with 87 octane.

http://www.lingenfelter.com/PDFdownloads/L210085297.pdf

Also, the low overlap would make it drive like stock. You're just using more aggressive lobes and a better profile to make more power overall. Like I said, you'd probably see about 30HP more with this cam. Which is a nice little bump considering it'd drive exactly like stock. It'd pick up over any of the GM cams I think. And if your stock springs can do 90lbs seat pressure, you can reuse them it looks like.
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Old Mar 11, 2017 | 10:37 PM
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Originally Posted by 8.Lug
The cam in the L33 is already bigger than the LQ cam. That would be a downgrade.

-edit- I just found something that says the LQ cam has 5deg more duration so it may not be a downgrade. I'll look into it more.
IIRC, the comparison showed the LQ9 made more power than the L33 in the LM7 used for the test, and noted the LQ9 would be a good upgrade for the LM7. Likely not so much a boost for the L33.
Edit- L33 cam specs- 193/193 @.050, lift unknown
LQ9 cam specs- 196/201 @.050, lift .467/.479
One more edit- just for comparison, LM7 cam is 191/190, .466/.479, so L33 gains 2 and 3 degrees, not much, but enough to make a slight difference.

Last edited by G Atsma; Mar 12, 2017 at 05:49 PM. Reason: add cam specs
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Old Mar 12, 2017 | 06:37 AM
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I found a test on Hot Rod that says it has a bit less duration than what I found before but still shows a 20hp bump over the L33 cam at the top end. I'm liking that LQ idea. I'm finding them used for super cheap, I guess I just have to decide if that Ligenfelter cam is worth 4x as much for only 10-15hp.
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Old Mar 12, 2017 | 09:32 AM
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Well you can look at these as well from Cam Motion or BTR - they are truck cams and designed to drop in (but similar price to Lingenfelter):

https://www.briantooleyracing.com/tr...age-i-cam.html

https://www.briantooleyracing.com/tr...ge-ii-cam.html

And here is a Cam Motion cam... picked up 41/22:

http://store.cammotion.com/53-l-325ci-95-compression-2

https://ls1tech.com/forums/dynamomet...hp-22rwtq.html
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Old Mar 12, 2017 | 05:53 PM
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TSP has similar cams, but with more lift, either .550 or .600, the latter of which needs GOOD springs and decent pushrods. Just depends what you want to do.
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Old Mar 12, 2017 | 10:33 PM
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The 210/218 cam was the " milk and cookies" of the cam test. Not only did it make great peak horsepower but it made great torque all through the power band. I would personally run this cam on a 550 lift. A 600 lift vs 550 lift isn't worth 10hp.... and the higher dollar valvesprings that'll be need to run a 600 lift plus camshaft.
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Old Mar 13, 2017 | 12:01 AM
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Originally Posted by Tuskyz28
The 210/218 cam was the " milk and cookies" of the cam test. Not only did it make great peak horsepower but it made great torque all through the power band. I would personally run this cam on a 550 lift. A 600 lift vs 550 lift isn't worth 10hp.... and the higher dollar valvesprings that'll be need to run a 600 lift plus camshaft.
If I remember correctly that was a Crane cam. Is it available with .550 lift? I agree .600 is too stressful for long-term rocker arm life.
That was a good comparison of factory cams, but also proved that the aftermarket is still the source for the best performance cams.
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Old Mar 13, 2017 | 12:10 AM
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Originally Posted by G Atsma
If I remember correctly that was a Crane cam. Is it available with .550 lift? I agree .600 is too stressful for long-term rocker arm life.
That was a good comparison of factory cams, but also proved that the aftermarket is still the source for the best performance cams.
Yes the cam tested was around 550 lift... but they also offer a "high lift" version of the cam (same exact specs but different lifts) which isn't worth the extra stress on the vavletrain/wallet. Less maintenance in the long run is awesome.
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Old Mar 13, 2017 | 12:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Tuskyz28
Yes the cam tested was around 550 lift... but they also offer a "high lift" version of the cam (same exact specs but different lifts) which isn't worth the extra stress on the vavletrain/wallet. Less maintenance in the long run is awesome.
I stand corrected! Thanks! 10-4 on the maintenance aspect. Get that last 10HP somewhere else....
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Old Mar 13, 2017 | 12:19 AM
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Originally Posted by G Atsma
I stand corrected! Thanks! 10-4 on the maintenance aspect. Get that last 10HP somewhere else....
10 hp is just a intake swap away.... if the op has hood clearance a tbss intake would be the choice of intake. Its the best cathedral intake GM ever made and cost pennies compared to Fast or MSD etc...
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Old Mar 13, 2017 | 12:53 AM
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Originally Posted by Tuskyz28
10 hp is just a intake swap away.... if the op has hood clearance a tbss intake would be the choice of intake. Its the best cathedral intake GM ever made and cost pennies compared to Fast or MSD etc...
Or use the Dorman LS2 or LS6 to improve on the LS1. The TBSS is good if you have the vertical clearance.
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Old Mar 13, 2017 | 04:32 PM
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Originally Posted by 8.Lug
This is a daily driver that has an 80 mile round trip commute, I will not be feeding this car hi-test simply to **** it all out the tail pipes on my way to work. SO, if a cam will require it, I won't bother. I just figure seeing as the engine is still on a stand right now, why not throw a cam in it, even if it only nets me an extra 20hp or so? Has an LS6 intake, 1-5/8" long tubes and dual 2-1/4" exhaust.
Here you go. This unit will work great for you:
http://store.cammotion.com/53-l-325ci-101-compression-4
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