Help! Low Power after Cam + Tune
Help! Low Power after Cam + Tune Over the weekend I installed a Futral Motorsports FM13 Cam (230/232 .595/.585 112LSA), Patriot Gold Dual Springs, retainers, seats, locks, seals, chromemoly pushrods, Rollmaster Double Roller Adjustable Timing Chain, ported LS6 Oil Pump, and ASP Crank Pulley.
Today I went to Vette Doctors to get a dyno tune hoping for 400+ to the wheels. Once Carmen was done with everything the car put down 354 hp and 354 tq, SAE corrected.
Shouldn't my car be making a lot more power? The cam is lopey and sounds great, but I'm very disappointed in my dyno numbers. Any help or suggestions on this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Here's a list of the rest of my mods: Pro 5.0 Shifter, Lou's short stick, !CAGS skip shift eliminator, SLP Air Lid w/ GREEN Filter, 1 3/4 inch Kooks ceramic coated Headers w/ catted y-pipe, SLP Loudmouth Exhaust System, NGK TR55 plugs, Taylor 10.4mm .409 Race Wires, BMR Strut Tower Brace, BMR Subframe Connectors, Harlan Shift Light, GM LS6 Intake Manifold, !EGR, !AIR, Jantzer Ported TB, Sure Stop Rotors, Hawke Pads, SLP Line Lock, Moser 12 bolt w/ 4.11s, Spohn Torque Arm w/ driveshaft loop
Today I went to Vette Doctors to get a dyno tune hoping for 400+ to the wheels. Once Carmen was done with everything the car put down 354 hp and 354 tq, SAE corrected.
Shouldn't my car be making a lot more power? The cam is lopey and sounds great, but I'm very disappointed in my dyno numbers. Any help or suggestions on this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Here's a list of the rest of my mods: Pro 5.0 Shifter, Lou's short stick, !CAGS skip shift eliminator, SLP Air Lid w/ GREEN Filter, 1 3/4 inch Kooks ceramic coated Headers w/ catted y-pipe, SLP Loudmouth Exhaust System, NGK TR55 plugs, Taylor 10.4mm .409 Race Wires, BMR Strut Tower Brace, BMR Subframe Connectors, Harlan Shift Light, GM LS6 Intake Manifold, !EGR, !AIR, Jantzer Ported TB, Sure Stop Rotors, Hawke Pads, SLP Line Lock, Moser 12 bolt w/ 4.11s, Spohn Torque Arm w/ driveshaft loop
The air/fuel ratio was a flat line. I don't know what's going on but I'm not happy with the results. My old 99 trans am which had the SAME EXACT mods (the parts on this car were actually taken off the 99 and put on my 00). That car made 348.8 hp and 349.9 tq with just bolt ons.
I have the same problem. I went from a TR220 114 to the F13 114 and got the what looks to be like identical power and torque curves. I gonna have the tune looked over. It was done by a very reputable tuner here in DFW. Let me know if anything changes.
You have an A4, 3.73s and a 4000 stall. I would think that would eat a lot more power than my M6 and 12 bolt w/ 4.11s. I really don't know though. Likewise, let me know if you figure anything out. I appreciate it.
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TECH Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 14,620
Likes: 17
From: BFE
It appears the cam seem advanced, maybe 1 tooth off.
Did you degree the cam?
Because by doing so you can find out real quick, or you can even find out if you got the right cam. I had a cam from "Lunatic" that was all out of whack one time. It had advance in the grind when it should have been straight up, some intake lobes smaller than others etc...
Did you degree the cam?
Because by doing so you can find out real quick, or you can even find out if you got the right cam. I had a cam from "Lunatic" that was all out of whack one time. It had advance in the grind when it should have been straight up, some intake lobes smaller than others etc...
Last edited by PREDATOR-Z; Jun 6, 2005 at 02:17 PM.
I didn't degree the cam. What do I need to do so?
If it was one tooth off, would the car still run really good? Because it idles great and runs really good so I don't know.
Also how would I check if it is the right cam?
If it was one tooth off, would the car still run really good? Because it idles great and runs really good so I don't know.
Also how would I check if it is the right cam?
Yes I can pretty much guarantee that it is not degreed. The car will run fine however by not installing straight up you have shifted you peak power further down the rpm scale. If you have big enough cam being off like that could cause valvetrain issues (piston to valve).
my reply from ls2.com
well the 12 bolt and 4.11's are sucking up some power but not nearly enough to account for the low numbers.
what ICL was the cam installed on, whats the A/F ratio look like, what length PR, ect.
also do you have any previous dyno's?
i agree with gettinthere that HP isnt everything in the 1/4, however, these dyno numbers blow. especially since you have all the bolt ons.
tq curve starts off great, hitting 350rwhp @ 3200 rpm but by 3800rpm the tq curve is already starting to decline. peak tq should be around 4600 rpm.
well the 12 bolt and 4.11's are sucking up some power but not nearly enough to account for the low numbers.
what ICL was the cam installed on, whats the A/F ratio look like, what length PR, ect.
also do you have any previous dyno's?
i agree with gettinthere that HP isnt everything in the 1/4, however, these dyno numbers blow. especially since you have all the bolt ons.
tq curve starts off great, hitting 350rwhp @ 3200 rpm but by 3800rpm the tq curve is already starting to decline. peak tq should be around 4600 rpm.
Did you purchase the correct pushrod? Does the valvetrain sound like a sewing machine? If you have the incorrect pushrod length/preload it will hurt power, greatly. I have seen a swing of 20-40 hp/tq from improper length.
Originally Posted by P Mack
Did you install it a tooth off? Torque shouldn't peak that low.
That cam is either ground wrong or installed wrong. The torque should peak right around 4800. 
Well this is interesting because the FM13 is one of the cams I was looking closely at. What is interesting the most is that this is not the 1st Futral cam I have seen put down less than stellar power and peak early. I have always taken for granted things like the cam being ground right and not degreed it to find out. Looks like I might be buying me a degree wheel and checking when I go into the LS1 because I would be pissed to have to tear it back down because the cam was ground wrong.
On The Tree
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
From: Suffolk, VA
Degree the cam. I have been there done that with that exact same cam. I will bet money you have smacked intake valves on the pistons. Mine was installed 1 tooth off and made almost exactly the same power. It ran fine just the valve train seemed a little noisey. Took it to get it tuned and it was way down on power. 350 something just like yours. Brought it home to take it apart and degree it and I said what the hell, and pulled the heads. Every piston had a smiley from the intake valve. Bought a degree kit, degreed the cam, cleaned up my new "valve reliefs" put it all back together and got it tuned and it made 395hp/383tq through 4.10s with stock heads. I'm happy.