Pistons
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 104
Likes: 26
From: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Pistons Getting my Trans Am rebuilt. It’s a 99 30th anniversary trans am so Im doing motor only go and Im wanting around 400ish to the wheels. We’re going with Texas Speed magic stick stage 3 cam, stock heads, headers, off road y pipe for now. What Pistons would you guys recommend. I will do a intake, throttle body, etc later at home.
This place is full of people who know a lot about the LS1. So what are some good piston recommendations. Thanks in advance for any help guys.
This place is full of people who know a lot about the LS1. So what are some good piston recommendations. Thanks in advance for any help guys.
Wiseco & Mahle make outstanding pistons. They are my two pet favorites. JE & Diamond are in the same league. I'd shoot for between 11.5 to 12 to 1 compression at least with a big fat MS3 cam assuming you have access to 93 octane gas and a good tuner.
Summit & WS6 Store also provide excellent pistons at reduced cost.
FWIW - With the motor apart I'd get a set of budget ported heads like TSP's Stage 2 5.3's. Or a stock set of LS6/243/799 heads with new high lift springs & hardware for that fat cam. Your stock heads should probably get a valve job etc so why sink money into them when much better options are around?
Likewise with ported heads or better heads you could ask TSP to suggest a better (ie smaller) around cam that will make excellent power. With a Fast 92 intake you should be able to hit ~450 whp with a stick driven with ease.
FWIW - The folks I've know in real life with the MS3 cam got sick of the MS3 cam very quickly if they drove their cars much.
Summit & WS6 Store also provide excellent pistons at reduced cost.
FWIW - With the motor apart I'd get a set of budget ported heads like TSP's Stage 2 5.3's. Or a stock set of LS6/243/799 heads with new high lift springs & hardware for that fat cam. Your stock heads should probably get a valve job etc so why sink money into them when much better options are around?
Likewise with ported heads or better heads you could ask TSP to suggest a better (ie smaller) around cam that will make excellent power. With a Fast 92 intake you should be able to hit ~450 whp with a stick driven with ease.
FWIW - The folks I've know in real life with the MS3 cam got sick of the MS3 cam very quickly if they drove their cars much.
Yes to Mahle. Their new line up of Mahle have 1.0,1.0, 2.0mm rings, coated skirts and a military type hard anodize coating everywhere, tend to be light. That small ring pack has less friction and could be worth power, how much? Who knows? Thin ring packs and low tension rings are favored by many max effort engine builders.
Last edited by 64post; Sep 26, 2020 at 12:54 PM.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 104
Likes: 26
From: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
I will be doing a full tune/dyno after build and another dyno/tune after 1000 miles break in. The shop building it also will tune so he will know exactly what’s in it.
Now I’m kinda questioning the Magic Stick stage 3 cam. I told them I wanted roughly 400+ to the wheel, it’s not a daily driver. Maybe once a weekend or to a car show. And if I wanted to jump in and drive 300 miles it wouldn’t be a nightmare, but of course I still want the good cam sound. But I don’t want to hear it so much up front as much as I do being behind it and hearing it more.
the more time goes on, I think I’m going to be driving it more and more. Not daily. But maybe a couple times a week. I still want the hp but it sounds like maybe the Magic Stick cam isn’t the one I should go with?
anyone have any good cam recommendations for what I’ve mentioned above? Don’t want to buy twice. Would love you guys input
Now I’m kinda questioning the Magic Stick stage 3 cam. I told them I wanted roughly 400+ to the wheel, it’s not a daily driver. Maybe once a weekend or to a car show. And if I wanted to jump in and drive 300 miles it wouldn’t be a nightmare, but of course I still want the good cam sound. But I don’t want to hear it so much up front as much as I do being behind it and hearing it more.
the more time goes on, I think I’m going to be driving it more and more. Not daily. But maybe a couple times a week. I still want the hp but it sounds like maybe the Magic Stick cam isn’t the one I should go with?
anyone have any good cam recommendations for what I’ve mentioned above? Don’t want to buy twice. Would love you guys input
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 22,290
Likes: 3,615
From: Central Cal.
The Magic Stick 3 is one rowdy cam. Streetable? Depends on your tastes. Some here would say "No problem". But as was said above, if you are going to be fighting stop and go traffic in it, it might not be that great a choice. It just might not be too big a joy to drive the day-to-day.
10 Second Club
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,317
Likes: 20
From: Hurley, VA
I tuned a stock headed 2000 Trans am with just a LS6 intake and bolt ons with 4.10s and I thought it drove really well. The only surge was at very light throttle in 1st gear below 13-1400. Any other gear it would lug down to 1100 without bucking. It was speed density tuned.
