First off, as a new member, thank y'all so much - I've gotten a ton of useful info from this forum.


Goal: More usable torque in the low and mid range that I'll use as a daily driver, but with reliability and durability very important.
Currently: 2003 Suburban 2500 with a stock 6.0 LQ4, 317 heads, 150,000 miles

This is kind of "what cam do I need" but I think that before I ask that question I want to ensure I'm on a good track.

I've already bought a TBSS intake, eFans, and some 799 heads. I know that the intake and fans are pretty obvious, but I'm not sure if the heads are worth it. I think that's Question #1.
If I go with the heads, I'll have some light porting and a valve job done, plus replacing lifters, pushrods, springs, and rocker trunnions. I'd like to put all-new valvetrain components in, then leave it for good.

So,(Question #2) if I did the 799's, what cam makes sense?
Cam choice will of course drive spring/pushrod choice. (Anything that requires a converter would bust the budget.)

I'm not sure that anything other than long-tube headers and deleting the cats will help the exhaust much more, as it's a pretty good stock setup, but that's out of DIY territory for me.

What else am I missing?
Many thanks for any advice!

 

My suggestion: Call/Speak with Cam Motion.
Great People,Products, & Service.

That said their 6.0 Stage 2 High Lift looks a good fit for your goals with stock converter.
210*/216* 116*+5*

 

heads are good. TSP can port them for 800 bucks and is well worth it.

https://cammotion.com/camshafts/6-0-...210-216-116-5/

https://www.texas-speed.com/p-1172-p...-castings.aspx

I'd leave trunnions alone, get new ls7 lifters and 5/16 pushrods. They offer two versions of that cam, one that uses stock springs and a high lift that requires aftermarket springs.

 

Well let's talk about head choice the 799 will give small bump in compression and slight tick in flow gain but that's about it .If money not a problem I go with one of better aftermarket 205 heads .but if we are limited to oem casting I would go with 862/706 have them ported and atleast 2" intake valves . As for the intake I'd probably just stay with the old style truck , off idle down low , you may be going backwards going to the TBSS.

 

Interesting, thanks.

 

the 799 heads are very good heads no need to swap them. The intake is also one of the best factory cathedral intakes on the market so it will he an excellent choice. No need to spend money to swap any of these. A good valve job and a small cam will really wake the truck up. Put a decent exhaust on it while you are at it and it will be a lot of fun to drive.

 

I would definitely use the 799's, and "de-shroud" the valves if possible. That would give you more flow at lower lifts, which is what you use the most of anyway. I don't think porting the 799 heads will add much benefit to your application. In stock form, they are good up to .550" lift. After that, they need porting. I wouldn't go past .550" lift on the cam. It wouldn't hurt, but that is getting into "race mode" territory. Being that this is a daily driver in a heavy SUV, I'd stick with a more conservative build. One of the truck cams (stage-2) in about a .550" lift would be great, and not need a higher stall converter.

 

Here is an interesting test on stock heads. Good argument to be made for 706 heads in a truck application.

 

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it, but one of the biggest improvements on these stock trucks is a decent tune...after you decide on what mods your going to do and implement them, make sure you know someone that can help you with that.

 

Richard Holdener is a national treasure.

 

did all 02+ have 317 heads?

any merit to porting the stockers?

everything I have read says tbss intake is way to go.

(looking to go down this route sooner than later)

 

1. No ...... also 035
2. Yes port them minimum get a good vj back cuts help low mid flow ideal TQ tow app
3. You haven't read everything start with this thread !

 

See post #4 in this thread. Just read the WHOLE thread....

 

I was more talking about all the articles I read on the matter.

 

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I posted the same on another forum and got a lot of good advice, but that one resolved into "Just bolt on a blower and call it good", which I do admit is attractive, but I'm unconvinced that it's as affordable as the discussion indicated.

Have a great week, y'all.

 

a LSA would be perfect and give you WAY more power through the whole RPM range

 

You mentioned leaving the exhaust stock, because it's pretty good... The piping may be but the stock mufflers are terrible. I've had a few different exhaust setups on my current truck, two of them using stock mufflers. Both times I got rid of the stock muffler for a straight through magnaflow I saw a big increase in performance and MPG.

At minimum do a straight through muffler if you leave the exhaust stock.