Hotcam vs. 02 LS6 cam
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From: Chicago
Hotcam vs. 02 LS6 cam There has to be some debate about this but I couldn't find any info with the search function so here goes.
I'm looking into doing a decent cam on a budget that will also go easy on my engine. Looking at the hotcam specs vs. the 02 ls6 cam, the hotcam must put out more power, but how much are we talking here? Also, what is the difference in power bands for these cams? Is one more low-midrange and the other more topend?
The reason I ask is because I love the way the ls6 cam is completely a sleeper cam, so I want to know exactly how much power I'd be giving up for this. The car is an m6 with 4.10s going in within the next week or two, so if one of the cams is more top-end oriented would that be a better compliment to the massive low-end torque provided by the gearing?
If anyone can clue me in, or point me to a thread that contains some of the above info, I'd greatly appreciate it!
I'm looking into doing a decent cam on a budget that will also go easy on my engine. Looking at the hotcam specs vs. the 02 ls6 cam, the hotcam must put out more power, but how much are we talking here? Also, what is the difference in power bands for these cams? Is one more low-midrange and the other more topend?
The reason I ask is because I love the way the ls6 cam is completely a sleeper cam, so I want to know exactly how much power I'd be giving up for this. The car is an m6 with 4.10s going in within the next week or two, so if one of the cams is more top-end oriented would that be a better compliment to the massive low-end torque provided by the gearing?
If anyone can clue me in, or point me to a thread that contains some of the above info, I'd greatly appreciate it!
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From: Raleigh, NC
Re: Hotcam vs. 02 LS6 cam I dont think you would be giving up much if any with the Z06 cam over the Hotcam. I have seen full bolt on peak numbers around 380 RWHP with stock heads for both of these cams. It has been a long time since I have seen a dyno graph of the Hotcam but I would think that it would make a little more on the bottom end. Most of the gains for the Z cam are from 3500 up.
I hope you realize how different the driving manners of these two cams are though, you have to like either one or the other. The Hotcam idles ROUGH and the Z cam is stock smoothe. I would think that you would either want one or the other.
Can anyone post a Hotcam Dyno graph? TTT
-Nick
I hope you realize how different the driving manners of these two cams are though, you have to like either one or the other. The Hotcam idles ROUGH and the Z cam is stock smoothe. I would think that you would either want one or the other.
Can anyone post a Hotcam Dyno graph? TTT
-Nick
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From: Chicago
Re: Hotcam vs. 02 LS6 cam Well the idle doesn't really bother me, as I've driven choppy cars before. I'm doing the cam swap more for the power gains than for the lope or feel of the car, so that's more of a byproduct to me and I'm used to both setups. The reason I was looking at the ls6 cam was because the stock idle is more of a bonus to me in the sense that it picks up about the same power but still sounds like stock. I would prefer this, but if the hotcam picks up significantly more ponies then I'd have no problem with the choppy lope. I think the ls6 cam may be my best bet though because as I mentioned, with the 4.10s I'll be in the upper rpms real quick anyway and more lowend torque (ala hotcam) would probably 
my traction with my nittos.
Ideally with my electric exhaust cutout, ls6 cam, all bolt ons and n02 kit I will be able to achieve a car that looks and sounds completely stock (except for the nittos
) but can still step up to the plate and run 11's or even high tens. People won't know what hit 'em 
.
my traction with my nittos.Ideally with my electric exhaust cutout, ls6 cam, all bolt ons and n02 kit I will be able to achieve a car that looks and sounds completely stock (except for the nittos
) but can still step up to the plate and run 11's or even high tens. People won't know what hit 'em . TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Raleigh, NC
Re: Hotcam vs. 02 LS6 cam To get significantly more power than the Z cam you would have to go up to a TR-224 or bigger aftermarket cam. Even then you will probably only see about 10 more RWHP with the 224 over the Z cam on stock heads. Good luck!
Re: Hotcam vs. 02 LS6 cam If you want a sleeper then defenatly go with the 02 Z06 cam... the power difference is not going to be very significant at all!! Like said above both cams end up with about the same rwhp.
Re: Hotcam vs. 02 LS6 cam Have you considered a TR220 114 or MTI C1? I think those would address your goals better than the Z06 cam or the Hotcam. These cams will cost more money, but you could jump on that Thunder GP that's going on right now and get the best of both worlds with a TR220.
Re: Hotcam vs. 02 LS6 cam I would go with one of the smaller TR cams or soemthing to that affect. I compared a bunch of charts today to the 02 LS6 cam. The LS6 makes as good or a little better hp than the smaller comp cams like the 212/218 114lsa and the 216/220 114lsa. But it lacks in the low end tq that the other cams make by a pretty good margin. As much as 27ft/lbs around 3300. All the cars I compared had FLP's and Borla or FLP's and Corsa. They were also 02 cars. There isn't anyone around here with a hot cam so I couldn't compare the charts. My guess is it would make more tq down low as well. Good luck.
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Re: Hotcam vs. 02 LS6 cam Dyno graph with the Hotcam...
http://www.brevardstreetracing.org/f...83213_dyno.JPG
http://www.brevardstreetracing.org/f...83213_dyno.JPG
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Re: Hotcam vs. 02 LS6 cam I think if you compare the area under the dyno curves you might see that the hot cam makes more power than the Z06 cam across the board...while peak numbers may be similar its the whole curve you want to look at.
Thread Starter
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Re: Hotcam vs. 02 LS6 cam My main concern is if I can actually use that low-end power with the 4.10s. I may have huge traction issues since I don't really have too many plans to go to the track except for once or twice a year and won't run anything with more bite than a drag radial.
Re: Hotcam vs. 02 LS6 cam Just had first hand experience that bears directly on this:
A friend just had an 02 LS6 cam and LS6 springs installed in his 02 SS. With stock heads, he picked up 29 RWHP over the stock cam. I was there for the install, so I know that's all that was done.
I studied his dyno chart. Below 4400 rpm he was losing a few HP and TQ with the LS6 cam, but nothing very significant. From 4400 to 6300 he was gaining HP and TQ over the stock cam all the way up to the 29 RWHP gain. Looks to be a good gain. On the track he's not going to be below hmmm... 3500-ish on gear shifts, so for the most part, he will be in the rpm band where the cam added HP and TQ. On the street, the slight losses below 4400 will be barely noticable.
This is in a 6400 mile 02 SS with stock heads and exhaust manifolds (but gutted cats and Borla)
A friend just had an 02 LS6 cam and LS6 springs installed in his 02 SS. With stock heads, he picked up 29 RWHP over the stock cam. I was there for the install, so I know that's all that was done.
I studied his dyno chart. Below 4400 rpm he was losing a few HP and TQ with the LS6 cam, but nothing very significant. From 4400 to 6300 he was gaining HP and TQ over the stock cam all the way up to the 29 RWHP gain. Looks to be a good gain. On the track he's not going to be below hmmm... 3500-ish on gear shifts, so for the most part, he will be in the rpm band where the cam added HP and TQ. On the street, the slight losses below 4400 will be barely noticable.
This is in a 6400 mile 02 SS with stock heads and exhaust manifolds (but gutted cats and Borla)
Re: Hotcam vs. 02 LS6 cam Forgot to add, the exhaust note supports what was said earlier. Unless you "know" the LS6 cam is in there, you really can't hear it. The engine seems to sound "healthier" in a vague way, but there is absolutely no "chop" "thump" or degradation of idle quality.
Oh, and he went from 356 RWHP with bolt-ons, to 385 with the LS6 cam.
Oh, and he went from 356 RWHP with bolt-ons, to 385 with the LS6 cam.
Re: Hotcam vs. 02 LS6 cam
Forgot to add, the exhaust note supports what was said earlier. Unless you "know" the LS6 cam is in there, you really can't hear it. The engine seems to sound "healthier" in a vague way, but there is absolutely no "chop" "thump" or degradation of idle quality.
Oh, and he went from 356 RWHP with bolt-ons, to 385 with the LS6 cam.
Oh, and he went from 356 RWHP with bolt-ons, to 385 with the LS6 cam.
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From: ft worth tx
Re: Hotcam vs. 02 LS6 cam
Forgot to add, the exhaust note supports what was said earlier. Unless you "know" the LS6 cam is in there, you really can't hear it. The engine seems to sound "healthier" in a vague way, but there is absolutely no "chop" "thump" or degradation of idle quality.
Oh, and he went from 356 RWHP with bolt-ons, to 385 with the LS6 cam.
Oh, and he went from 356 RWHP with bolt-ons, to 385 with the LS6 cam.
