Ported heads with stock cam?
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Launching!
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 228
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From: Lakeland, Fl.
Ported heads with stock cam? For my next LS1 car was thinking of going the stock internal/weight reduction path which would probably put me at around 340~rwhp. I am wondering if it is worth it to get heads (something like Patriot stage 2 LS6). Do the heads need a cam to actually benefit the motor enough to justify doing it? Thanks, Tim.
Edit: I don't know if this is in the right section, sorry if it isn't.
Edit: I don't know if this is in the right section, sorry if it isn't.
Swapping to a good set of cylinder heads will give you 30-40 rwhp boost (depending on how much they're milled). Just think about it...you'd get better fuel economy than stock, keep perfect driveability, and would make as much power as many cam-only setups. I've done heads-only on an F-body and it's a huge kick in the pants. Better area under the curve than many cam-only setups.
Of course heads with a cam is even better, but I think heads-only is a smart move.
Of course heads with a cam is even better, but I think heads-only is a smart move.
__________________
2013 Corvette Grand Sport A6 LME forged 416, Greg Good ported TFS 255 LS3 heads, 222/242 .629"/.604" 121LSA Pat G blower cam, ARH 1 7/8" headers, ESC Novi 1500 Supercharger w/8 rib direct drive conversion, 747rwhp/709rwtq on 93 octane, 801rwhp/735rwtq on race fuel, 10.1 @ 147.25mph 1/4 mile, 174.7mph Half Mile.
2016 Corvette Z51 M7 Magnuson Heartbeat 2300 supercharger, TSP LT headers, Pat G tuned, 667rwhp, 662rwtq, 191mph TX Mile.
2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT 6.0L, A6, AFR 230v2 heads. 506rwhp/442rwtq. 11.413 @ 121.29mph 1/4 mile, 168.7mph TX Mile
2000 Pewter Ram Air Trans Am M6 heads/cam 508 rwhp/445 rwtq SAE, 183.092 TX Mile
2022 Cadillac Escalade 6.2L A10 S&B CAI, Corsa catback.
2023 Corvette 3LT Z51 soon to be modified.
Custom LSX tuning in person or via email press here.
2013 Corvette Grand Sport A6 LME forged 416, Greg Good ported TFS 255 LS3 heads, 222/242 .629"/.604" 121LSA Pat G blower cam, ARH 1 7/8" headers, ESC Novi 1500 Supercharger w/8 rib direct drive conversion, 747rwhp/709rwtq on 93 octane, 801rwhp/735rwtq on race fuel, 10.1 @ 147.25mph 1/4 mile, 174.7mph Half Mile.
2016 Corvette Z51 M7 Magnuson Heartbeat 2300 supercharger, TSP LT headers, Pat G tuned, 667rwhp, 662rwtq, 191mph TX Mile.
2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT 6.0L, A6, AFR 230v2 heads. 506rwhp/442rwtq. 11.413 @ 121.29mph 1/4 mile, 168.7mph TX Mile
2000 Pewter Ram Air Trans Am M6 heads/cam 508 rwhp/445 rwtq SAE, 183.092 TX Mile
2022 Cadillac Escalade 6.2L A10 S&B CAI, Corsa catback.
2023 Corvette 3LT Z51 soon to be modified.
Custom LSX tuning in person or via email press here.
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Originally Posted by NoFive0
For my next LS1 car was thinking of going the stock internal/weight reduction path which would probably put me at around 340~rwhp. I am wondering if it is worth it to get heads (something like Patriot stage 2 LS6). Do the heads need a cam to actually benefit the motor enough to justify doing it? Thanks, Tim.
Edit: I don't know if this is in the right section, sorry if it isn't.
Edit: I don't know if this is in the right section, sorry if it isn't.
I was actually wondering the exact same thing. Good question.
Originally Posted by NoFive0
To maintain a completely stock looking/sounding motor. Build a sleeper I guess, just an idea.
Originally Posted by NoFive0
True, but I was just looking to go in a different direction. Don't ask why, I don't really know.
GMHTP magazine did an article a month or 2 ago with a red TA or formula and put ported edlebrocks on a stock cammed, exhaust manifold motor and gained around 50 horse and then showed the gains after adding headers and a cam.
Vinci has done extensive testing with heads-only. Click on their website for some further examples and writeups.
__________________
2013 Corvette Grand Sport A6 LME forged 416, Greg Good ported TFS 255 LS3 heads, 222/242 .629"/.604" 121LSA Pat G blower cam, ARH 1 7/8" headers, ESC Novi 1500 Supercharger w/8 rib direct drive conversion, 747rwhp/709rwtq on 93 octane, 801rwhp/735rwtq on race fuel, 10.1 @ 147.25mph 1/4 mile, 174.7mph Half Mile.
2016 Corvette Z51 M7 Magnuson Heartbeat 2300 supercharger, TSP LT headers, Pat G tuned, 667rwhp, 662rwtq, 191mph TX Mile.
2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT 6.0L, A6, AFR 230v2 heads. 506rwhp/442rwtq. 11.413 @ 121.29mph 1/4 mile, 168.7mph TX Mile
2000 Pewter Ram Air Trans Am M6 heads/cam 508 rwhp/445 rwtq SAE, 183.092 TX Mile
2022 Cadillac Escalade 6.2L A10 S&B CAI, Corsa catback.
2023 Corvette 3LT Z51 soon to be modified.
Custom LSX tuning in person or via email press here.
2013 Corvette Grand Sport A6 LME forged 416, Greg Good ported TFS 255 LS3 heads, 222/242 .629"/.604" 121LSA Pat G blower cam, ARH 1 7/8" headers, ESC Novi 1500 Supercharger w/8 rib direct drive conversion, 747rwhp/709rwtq on 93 octane, 801rwhp/735rwtq on race fuel, 10.1 @ 147.25mph 1/4 mile, 174.7mph Half Mile.
2016 Corvette Z51 M7 Magnuson Heartbeat 2300 supercharger, TSP LT headers, Pat G tuned, 667rwhp, 662rwtq, 191mph TX Mile.
2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT 6.0L, A6, AFR 230v2 heads. 506rwhp/442rwtq. 11.413 @ 121.29mph 1/4 mile, 168.7mph TX Mile
2000 Pewter Ram Air Trans Am M6 heads/cam 508 rwhp/445 rwtq SAE, 183.092 TX Mile
2022 Cadillac Escalade 6.2L A10 S&B CAI, Corsa catback.
2023 Corvette 3LT Z51 soon to be modified.
Custom LSX tuning in person or via email press here.
Originally Posted by RaNsOm
theres plenty of stealth cams out there and act and sound like a perfectly stock cam. The main benefit of heads is lost when you use a stock cam with only ~.500 lift. Increase that by 1/10th inch and keep a tightish LSA (116-118) and just increase the duration a tad 214-218 and it will make 400+rwhp and drive like it came off the showroom floor....with the exception of 400rwhp of course
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Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Norcal
The green car in the sig has a 02 LS6 cam with three year old TEA Stage 2 5.7's milled .030 and a stock exhaust. I did it to pass smog, to which it passed the sniffer with flying colors.. it's still a kick to drive with the 3800 stall.
With a good tune, high LSA and quiet exhaust a 224 can sound pretty tame. If you are going to pull the heads you might as well swap the cams out. 40hp difference or so, I guess it's up to you.