Cam selection for lm7 5.3
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 4
Likes: 2
Cam selection for lm7 5.3 Hey! I'm going to start this off by saying that I'm only 17 and not exactly the most experienced at building engines, so before I say anything stupid, that's why. I currently have a 5.3 from my dad's old 05 Yukon that he wrecked, and I've heard that the cheapest power increase is going to be from a cam swap or some form of boost. I don't want to go boost yet because frankly I don't think I could trust myself making 450-500 hp to not slam on the throttle at every stop light, so I'm thinking a cam swap would be a better idea to start off and maybe later I'll look into boost. I've looked through probably twenty videos by now suggesting all types of cams and looked at all types of dyno sheets over the last few weeks saying all types of different things, and I've come to the conclusion that I should probably just ask someone that knows a bit more than I do and see what I can learn.
Engine is going into a new edge mustang so pretty light car
Hoping not to move the powerband past 6500 but if you think I could go higher reliably then please let me know
I know I will have to do springs as well
Will not be my daily so I'm not too worried about daily drivability
I'm really just trying to get some advice about where I should go from here, or if I'm even going in the right direction at all. Everyone on this website seems very knowledgeable and I appreciate anyone that could help me out. Thanks.
Engine is going into a new edge mustang so pretty light car
Hoping not to move the powerband past 6500 but if you think I could go higher reliably then please let me know
I know I will have to do springs as well
Will not be my daily so I'm not too worried about daily drivability
I'm really just trying to get some advice about where I should go from here, or if I'm even going in the right direction at all. Everyone on this website seems very knowledgeable and I appreciate anyone that could help me out. Thanks.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 645
Likes: 578
From: Carnation, WA
Is the engine in good shape? If it has any issues that need addressed, do that before the cam. I would use a pretty mild cam ... something like https://www.summitracing.com/parts/c...make/chevrolet ... I presume this is your primary vehicle, and will be driven mostly on the street. Too much cam will get old really fast.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,471
Likes: 268
From: Bossier City, Louisiana
Hello,
I will be happy to help any seventeen year old gear head that spells his sentences correctly, uses proper grammar and paragraphs. Run-on sentences of more than 40-45 words also get a little tedious for a reader. You have committed none of these mortal sins and I thank you. These things matter.
That said and as Grubinski mentions, think about preventively replacing things like the engine sensors - cam position, crank position and the knock sensors plus their wiring harness. You might also do the fuel injectors and the engine coolant temperature sensor but these are easy to swap later, if necessary. These are all the typical fair wear and tear items on a high mileage LS engine. Its do them now with the engine out of a vehicle or do them later . . . it is SO MUCH easier to do them now.
At least invest in a good OBD2 reader / writer such as an OBDX Pro VT on a USB connection so that you can monitor things such as the Long and Short Term Fuel Trims in the OBD2 data stream. When you finally get around to doing that cam swap, you will need something like this.
https://obdxpro.com/product/obdx-pro...cs-and-tuning/
And hey!! Welcome to the group around here.
Rick
I will be happy to help any seventeen year old gear head that spells his sentences correctly, uses proper grammar and paragraphs. Run-on sentences of more than 40-45 words also get a little tedious for a reader. You have committed none of these mortal sins and I thank you. These things matter.
That said and as Grubinski mentions, think about preventively replacing things like the engine sensors - cam position, crank position and the knock sensors plus their wiring harness. You might also do the fuel injectors and the engine coolant temperature sensor but these are easy to swap later, if necessary. These are all the typical fair wear and tear items on a high mileage LS engine. Its do them now with the engine out of a vehicle or do them later . . . it is SO MUCH easier to do them now.
At least invest in a good OBD2 reader / writer such as an OBDX Pro VT on a USB connection so that you can monitor things such as the Long and Short Term Fuel Trims in the OBD2 data stream. When you finally get around to doing that cam swap, you will need something like this.
https://obdxpro.com/product/obdx-pro...cs-and-tuning/
And hey!! Welcome to the group around here.
Rick
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 4
Likes: 2
Is the engine in good shape? If it has any issues that need addressed, do that before the cam. I would use a pretty mild cam ... something like https://www.summitracing.com/parts/c...make/chevrolet ... I presume this is your primary vehicle, and will be driven mostly on the street. Too much cam will get old really fast.
Actually, this is just a project of mine to see if I can actually do it, and my daily is a 1999 Camry lol. Will probably only be driven to the track and on the strip.
Is there any benefit to using a milder cam over a bigger cam that may produce more power other than daily drivability? I understand with trucks and heavier vehicles that they need the torque lower in the power band but with a pretty light vehicle it makes sense to think I’d be able to sacrifice a bit more low rpm torque for higher rpm power. If I’m wrong then please let me know.
Thanks for the help.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 4
Likes: 2
Hello,
I will be happy to help any seventeen year old gear head that spells his sentences correctly, uses proper grammar and paragraphs. Run-on sentences of more than 40-45 words also get a little tedious for a reader. You have committed none of these mortal sins and I thank you. These things matter.
That said and as Grubinski mentions, think about preventively replacing things like the engine sensors - cam position, crank position and the knock sensors plus their wiring harness. You might also do the fuel injectors and the engine coolant temperature sensor but these are easy to swap later, if necessary. These are all the typical fair wear and tear items on a high mileage LS engine. Its do them now with the engine out of a vehicle or do them later . . . it is SO MUCH easier to do them now.
At least invest in a good OBD2 reader / writer such as an OBDX Pro VT on a USB connection so that you can monitor things such as the Long and Short Term Fuel Trims in the OBD2 data stream. When you finally get around to doing that cam swap, you will need something like this.
https://obdxpro.com/product/obdx-pro...cs-and-tuning/
And hey!! Welcome to the group around here.
Rick
I will be happy to help any seventeen year old gear head that spells his sentences correctly, uses proper grammar and paragraphs. Run-on sentences of more than 40-45 words also get a little tedious for a reader. You have committed none of these mortal sins and I thank you. These things matter.
That said and as Grubinski mentions, think about preventively replacing things like the engine sensors - cam position, crank position and the knock sensors plus their wiring harness. You might also do the fuel injectors and the engine coolant temperature sensor but these are easy to swap later, if necessary. These are all the typical fair wear and tear items on a high mileage LS engine. Its do them now with the engine out of a vehicle or do them later . . . it is SO MUCH easier to do them now.
At least invest in a good OBD2 reader / writer such as an OBDX Pro VT on a USB connection so that you can monitor things such as the Long and Short Term Fuel Trims in the OBD2 data stream. When you finally get around to doing that cam swap, you will need something like this.
https://obdxpro.com/product/obdx-pro...cs-and-tuning/
And hey!! Welcome to the group around here.
Rick
I’ve been looking into better injectors as well, but it looks like the stock injectors are good up until 380 hp or so. The 5.3 from my dad’s old Yukon was rated at 295 hp, and I don’t think I’ll be making above 380 hp with just a cam swap. It is definitely a good idea to swap them out in the future though if I ever decide to boost it or do a full n/a build and make more than that. Thanks!
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 36
Likes: 13
There’s no reason to replace all those sensors just for fun. If one of those sensors takes a dive, you’ll get a CEL to warn you. Most aren’t bad to do besides the crank sensor. If it’s a strip/track car, you can live with more cam. I drive one that has 11 degrees positive overlap a few times a week. As mentioned, it would get old in a daily, but is fine as infrequently as I drive it. Don’t waste money on a handheld scanner. If you’re serious about building/tuning, then buy HPTuners and don’t look back. It has a built in scanner plus the ability to tune your own car when you’re ready. Many people go down the road of taking it to a local tooner, just to find out they spent an hour only looking at WOT and messed up half of what they did. No one cares more than you do about how your car runs. There’s a ton of resources on this site and HPTuners forum to learn.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,292
Likes: 436
From: St. Louis
Just leave the engine stock for now and get it in the vehicle and get it running the way that it is. You're going to have enough headaches just getting the swap rolling driving and safe enough to pass a road inspection. The camshaft will only add drivability problems that will need to be tuned out. Those will be even more annoying to you because you've got all kinds of other problems with getting everything else working right as you will because you are 17 and you're swapping an engine in a vehicle and this hobby is not as easy as you want to believe that it is Just get it running smooth first and get rid of all the squeaks and rattles before you further modify the engine, you're going to have to spend a lot more money than you think to do to get it in there anyways
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Just leave the engine stock for now and get it in the vehicle and get it running the way that it is. You're going to have enough headaches just getting the swap rolling driving and safe enough to pass a road inspection. The camshaft will only add drivability problems that will need to be tuned out. Those will be even more annoying to you because you've got all kinds of other problems with getting everything else working right as you will because you are 17 and you're swapping an engine in a vehicle and this hobby is not as easy as you want to believe that it is Just get it running smooth first and get rid of all the squeaks and rattles before you further modify the engine, you're going to have to spend a lot more money than you think to do to get it in there anyways
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TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 394
From: Alaska
I have an LQ9, low mile pull from a wrecked Escalade.
First thing I did was pull the stock cam OUT, stuck in Texas Speed 212/218 .550" Low-Lift and BTR springs.
It is very happy in wife's Tahoe, good manners, quiet smooth idle around 750rpm, runs strong through 6200.
16 miles per gallon highway.
13 mpg around town.
.
Only reason I can see for using a stock LQ9 cam is poverty.
First thing I did was pull the stock cam OUT, stuck in Texas Speed 212/218 .550" Low-Lift and BTR springs.
It is very happy in wife's Tahoe, good manners, quiet smooth idle around 750rpm, runs strong through 6200.
16 miles per gallon highway.
13 mpg around town.
.
Only reason I can see for using a stock LQ9 cam is poverty.
Haha thanks for the welcome. I completely forgot about replacing the sensors, so thats more money down the drain now lol.
I’ve been looking into better injectors as well, but it looks like the stock injectors are good up until 380 hp or so. The 5.3 from my dad’s old Yukon was rated at 295 hp, and I don’t think I’ll be making above 380 hp with just a cam swap. It is definitely a good idea to swap them out in the future though if I ever decide to boost it or do a full n/a build and make more than that. Thanks!
I’ve been looking into better injectors as well, but it looks like the stock injectors are good up until 380 hp or so. The 5.3 from my dad’s old Yukon was rated at 295 hp, and I don’t think I’ll be making above 380 hp with just a cam swap. It is definitely a good idea to swap them out in the future though if I ever decide to boost it or do a full n/a build and make more than that. Thanks!
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,191
Likes: 978
The factory tune is TERRIBLE even for a stock cam. It's compromised so that it can work in fleet situations (zero maintenance and abusive users), on construction sites, towing, heavy loads, the worst fuel it might ever encounter, every climate, every altitude, etc. etc. etc. While that's all well and good for a mass-produced vehicle being sent out into an unknown world, it's VERY conservative, and leaves ALOT of performance on the table.
In fact I'd argue that you'd get more out of a tune than out of a cam swap. Next biggest bang for the buck would be a torque converter. Next, headers; GOOD QUALITY ones, made of stainless steel, and ceramic coated, with a good-quality exhaust system. THEN a cam. Without those other things a cam swap can't do its job properly anyway.
In fact I'd argue that you'd get more out of a tune than out of a cam swap. Next biggest bang for the buck would be a torque converter. Next, headers; GOOD QUALITY ones, made of stainless steel, and ceramic coated, with a good-quality exhaust system. THEN a cam. Without those other things a cam swap can't do its job properly anyway.
The factory tune is TERRIBLE even for a stock cam. It's compromised so that it can work in fleet situations (zero maintenance and abusive users), on construction sites, towing, heavy loads, the worst fuel it might ever encounter, every climate, every altitude, etc. etc. etc. While that's all well and good for a mass-produced vehicle being sent out into an unknown world, it's VERY conservative, and leaves ALOT of performance on the table.
In fact I'd argue that you'd get more out of a tune than out of a cam swap. Next biggest bang for the buck would be a torque converter. Next, headers; GOOD QUALITY ones, made of stainless steel, and ceramic coated, with a good-quality exhaust system. THEN a cam. Without those other things a cam swap can't do its job properly anyway.
In fact I'd argue that you'd get more out of a tune than out of a cam swap. Next biggest bang for the buck would be a torque converter. Next, headers; GOOD QUALITY ones, made of stainless steel, and ceramic coated, with a good-quality exhaust system. THEN a cam. Without those other things a cam swap can't do its job properly anyway.