5.3 or 5.7?
Thread Starter
9 Second Club NA
iTrader: (180)
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 1
From: Houston, TX
5.3 or 5.7? Im currently running all the bolt-ons and the C2 cam from MTI, (224/224 .581/.581 112), and was wondering which stage and which type of head that I should run. I wasnt recommended going with 6.0L or LS6 heads because theyre really not necessary unless youre running bigger cubes. So I guess that I have the 5.3L and LS1 heads to choose from. If I was to put on a set of stock 5.3L heads, would it affect my compression? If so, how much do you have to mill an LS1 head to achieve the same compression as the 5.3L head would on an LS1? Would a stock 5.3L head give me any gains whatsoever? Should I get some LS1 heads milled or use the 5.3L heads? Which stage should I go with too? Whats the difference between 1, 1.5, 2, and 3? What would be best for my application? I dont ever plan to go any further than just heads and cam as far as the engine goes. No forced induction or spray either. I want it be be driveable with no problems whatsover, but able to take down to the track and pull some awesome times. Im not sure if Im going to stick with this cam or not, but if I was to go bigger, would I run into the possibility of having clearance problems with milled heads? What would make more power, more compression with a smaller cam, or less compression with a bigger cam? Thanks
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 363
Likes: 0
From: tega cay, SC
Re: 5.3 or LS1 heads? 5.3 heads will give you basically a 10.7:1 ratio i think, its close to that. you can mill them .020 to acheive 11.1:1 cr. 93 octane is needed all the time though. the 5.7 heads are like 10.2:1cr and can are normally milled .030 to bring the ratio to 10.8:1. if you are not doing anything else to the car in terms of power adders, go with the 5.3 heads milled .020 i am purchasing a set of 5.7's soon because i'm going to be doing a 100 wet shot. in terms of stages, basically the stage stuff is bs. with your car you will basically want a head that flows around 300 @ .600 lift on the intake side and about 225 on the exhaust side. absolute stage 2 heads do that...mti heads stage 2 heads do that...tea i'm pretty sure do that...and patriot performance stage 2 heads hit 297 with the ferrea valves. out of those mti is the most expensive...around $2800 i think and patriot is the cheapest...less than $1300. hope that helped you out...email me if you want anymore info on heads, anything else i say will pry be deleted do to sponsorship stuff. thanks
Re: 5.3 or LS1 heads? scoggin dickey parts center
LS6 CNC Ported Assembled Aluminum Cylinder Heads Price: $985.00
Part # 88958622
flows 290 @ .500 intake
and 220 @ .500 exhaust
seems like the real deal to me. cheaper than 90% of the heads out there and you have all the room in the world to grow into them.
LS6 CNC Ported Assembled Aluminum Cylinder Heads Price: $985.00
Part # 88958622
flows 290 @ .500 intake
and 220 @ .500 exhaust
seems like the real deal to me. cheaper than 90% of the heads out there and you have all the room in the world to grow into them.
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 201
Likes: 0
From: Sachse, TX
Re: 5.3 or LS1 heads?
scoggin dickey parts center
LS6 CNC Ported Assembled Aluminum Cylinder Heads Price: $985.00
Part # 88958622
flows 290 @ .500 intake
and 220 @ .500 exhaust
seems like the real deal to me. cheaper than 90% of the heads out there and you have all the room in the world to grow into them.
LS6 CNC Ported Assembled Aluminum Cylinder Heads Price: $985.00
Part # 88958622
flows 290 @ .500 intake
and 220 @ .500 exhaust
seems like the real deal to me. cheaper than 90% of the heads out there and you have all the room in the world to grow into them.
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 294
Likes: 0
From: Dallas, TX
Re: 5.3 or LS1 heads?
scoggin dickey parts center
LS6 CNC Ported Assembled Aluminum Cylinder Heads Price: $985.00
Part # 88958622
flows 290 @ .500 intake
and 220 @ .500 exhaust
seems like the real deal to me. cheaper than 90% of the heads out there and you have all the room in the world to grow into them.
LS6 CNC Ported Assembled Aluminum Cylinder Heads Price: $985.00
Part # 88958622
flows 290 @ .500 intake
and 220 @ .500 exhaust
seems like the real deal to me. cheaper than 90% of the heads out there and you have all the room in the world to grow into them.
I think I remember seeing this somewhere, that stock LS6 heads will flow only about 20cfm less then the typical "stage I" LS1 head?
if that's true, then these proted LS6 heads for 2 grand should flow REAL well.....
Trending Topics
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
From: Leesburg, Va.
Re: 5.3 or LS1 heads? The 6.0L heads are the best flowing overall, better low-mid lift numbers than the LS6 by about 15-20cfm. But they will drop your compression so they're best suited for a forced induction application.
The LS6 heads are the best street/strip if you're running NA. A bit more expensive, but will flow better than LS1/5.3 heads AND will increase compression. They flow 300+ very easily at .600 once ported. Right out of the box they flow around 270-275@.600, LS1's typically flow 240, and 6.0's 250 stock.
The 5.3's are the best budget street/strip head because the ports are the same as the LS1 and will flow the same when ported, but will increase compression very easily. Plus you can run a bigger cam because they don't need milled as much.
That being said, I don't know which I'm going to run this year. To be honest I'm porting a set of 5.3's and LS6's with the intention of using them. So I'll pick when I'm done.
If you want a killer budget head drop me an email. I'll let you know what you need and what you don't and where your money is best spent.
The LS6 heads are the best street/strip if you're running NA. A bit more expensive, but will flow better than LS1/5.3 heads AND will increase compression. They flow 300+ very easily at .600 once ported. Right out of the box they flow around 270-275@.600, LS1's typically flow 240, and 6.0's 250 stock.
The 5.3's are the best budget street/strip head because the ports are the same as the LS1 and will flow the same when ported, but will increase compression very easily. Plus you can run a bigger cam because they don't need milled as much.
That being said, I don't know which I'm going to run this year. To be honest I'm porting a set of 5.3's and LS6's with the intention of using them. So I'll pick when I'm done.
If you want a killer budget head drop me an email. I'll let you know what you need and what you don't and where your money is best spent.
Thread Starter
9 Second Club NA
iTrader: (180)
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 1
From: Houston, TX
Re: 5.3 or LS1 heads? About the 5.3Ls on TEA's website, it just says LS1 heads. How does that show if theyre 4.8, 5.3, 5.7, etc.? I dont plan to have force induction, spray, or bump up the cubes, so I take it from what I have been told that the 5.3s will be my best choice? If so, should I get them milled or leave them the way they are and get them ported? If so how much? What stage should I get? Lastly, where would be the best place to get them from that arent too pricey. As I said before, MTI and GTP are the best head, but are too expensive for me. Thanks
Thread Starter
9 Second Club NA
iTrader: (180)
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 1
From: Houston, TX
Re: 5.3 or LS1 heads? I know that TEA and Absoute arent as expensive as MTI or GTP, but how far are they off from them as far as flow and power? What are some common gains with either one of these heads? Thanks
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 363
Likes: 0
From: tega cay, SC
Re: 5.3 or LS1 heads? oh about $1000...back in the day when mti was the only way to go...310cfm for 3k wasn't really an option...now you can get 305cfm for $1700. so there is an option. MTI is a great company...i've bought many things from them. there heads are awesome and fully race proven and i'd buy them if i had 3k to spend on heads.
Thread Starter
9 Second Club NA
iTrader: (180)
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 1
From: Houston, TX
Re: 5.3 or LS1 heads? What were you referring to about the $1000? I was wanting to know how far off are A.S. and T.E.A. from MTI and GTP as far as flow numbers, gains, and track times? Thanks
Re: 5.3 or LS1 heads? lol dude your going to have to spend some money face it....you can save some here and there and get great deals but you can't be cheap on certain things....
Re: 5.3 or LS1 heads? Keep in mind... you said that you may not stick with the cam that you have. If you go with something around 230 and around or over .600 lift then you should probably go with the 5.3's so that you can get good compression without milling the heads. If you are going to stay with that cam...then you could really go either way.
Chech out Absolute Speed. They have great prices and make great power out of a hand ported head.
Chech out Absolute Speed. They have great prices and make great power out of a hand ported head.
Thread Starter
9 Second Club NA
iTrader: (180)
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 1
From: Houston, TX
Re: 5.3 or LS1 heads? The cam that Im running now works great for stock heads but isnt going to be enough for me if I decide to get some heads. Doesnt the 5.3 heads already bump up the compression without milling them? If so, why would you want to mill them more? The more you mill, the less lift cam you can run, right? Thats just a guess, but is that correct? Thanks
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 363
Likes: 0
From: tega cay, SC
Re: 5.3 or LS1 heads? actually no...if you don't mill the 5.3 heads, you will still have the same piston to valve clearance as the 5.7's. the reason they have more compression is only because the combustion chamber is smaller. you can mill them to make more compression if you want. and like i said in my post above the difference...unless you goto ls6 heads is only like 10cfm.
