I have a 2002 camaro with a set of tsp ls6 stg 2.5 heads and torquer v3 cam 231 234 duration 643 598 lift... For some reason the valves are hitting the piston just a little bit . The head have not been shaved . The head gaskets are cosm. .40 7.40 pushrods and ls7 lifters. Cam was just check and installed dot to dot .. SO SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE ! WHAT CAUSE THIS ? HOW MUCH CAN THE CAM BE OFF BEFORE IT DOES THIS ? WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO FIX THIS ? ANY HELP PLEASE

 

Maybe your head gaskets are the wrong compressed thickness. I know stadard gm mls head gaskets are like .52 compressed thickness. I know ten thousanths isnt much but, it might give you enough clearence depending on how much your hitting. Also what is the installed centerline on the cam? did you degree it?

 

I just don't think that combination will work.. those are bigger valves, and that's a thin gasket.

Just have the pistons flycut for proper clearance, it's not a big deal.

 

Jason At Texas Speed Told Me There Should Be Pleanty Of Room . The Cam Is 111

 

Well, Jason was obviously wrong wasn't he. If you have to ask, you should measure.

 

He said he sell these combos all day long. So what do i need to do?

 

Look at the numbers on the cam to make sure it is the correct one. If so, then you might need to degree the cam if its not. Try different head gaskets. If that still doesn't work then your going to need to fly cut but if you don't want to do that, you can get a new cam, or rebuild your bottom end and put pistons in there with valve reliefs.

Thats what you can do.

 

A different cam would be the easiest choice but If you want that cam or something close looks like you need to flycut. That's weird withougt milling I thought there would be no ptv issues at all

 

Get some thicker gaskets? Is it that minor of a clearance issue?

 

Well I discussed this with Jason as well and was told to either use the stage 2.5 5.3's, or the stage 1 ls6's. Not sure if he made the mistake when talking with you or if you mistook his stage 2.5 5.3 recomendation to mean the LS6 stage 2.5 would clear as well. From what Jason told me, when they developed the cnc program for the 5.3s they designed it with the valves sunk slightly but then developed the combustion chamber around that so that it did not shroud the valve and hinder flow. Basically he was claiming the 2.5 5.3's had the same valve clearance as the stg 1 LS6's, even though the LS6 had the smaller valve, as well as that they flowed better and had the smaller runner. The stg 2.5 LS6's would have less clearance than either the stg 1 LS6 or the stage 2.5 5.3's. Also, what valve did you get, the 2.04 or 2.02? Regardless at this point I would either consider sending the heads back and getting either the stage 1's or the 5.3's. Or if you want to keep the LS6 2.5's, then flycut. Do not run a thicker gasket (not that that would work anyway since you would only gain .015).
Come to think of it you have something else wrong as well. Did you follow LS1tech internet advice and soak the lifter for days, or pump them up prior to install, if so these may be pumped full of oil and having a hrd time bleeding down which could cause the lifter to be adding .060-.080 of lift. I was beginning to think the lifters in these cars did not have this issue since I have not seen it mentioned, but it was very common back in the early 90's with the ford roller lifters. Also you may want to check your cam timing as well. I am not saying your combo will work because I do not think it will, but you should not be hitting pistons just turning it over by hand. Think about it, without oil pressure, the lifters should be collapsed (unless you are using a modified solid lifter, which could also explain your problem if you are checking it with the regular pushrods), giving you an extra .060-.120 of clearance on the pushrod side of the rocker (that .100-.200 at the valve) in addition to the clearance you should have. Essentially unless you have left out some information here, you are saying you are between .180-.300 shy of the clearance you need, something is wrong here.

 

.643" is alot of lift for an aftermerket LS6 head

 

Stock head, just cnc ported...

 

with way larger valves..It wont clear with that much lift and the larger valves on a 111LSA...

 

max lift doesn't really have anything to do with ptv clearance.

 

I think TSP has different CNC programs for people running an MS3 with their LS6 or 5.3L heads. Something about sinking the valve farther in the head

 

dot to dot doesnt cut it.

buy a degree wheel and do it right.

some things to check, obviously, it the cam and the chain/sprockets.


how do you know they are hitting?

 

Trying to run a cam thats on the edge of clearing, coupled with a thinner gasket, is a recipe for a flycut. I'd flycut just for the assurance on the intake for shure. It isnt that hard to do with the pistons in the block. You just bring each piston to TDC, duct tape it, and flycut with a rented tool. The peace of mind is well worth it.

 

i cant believe no one on here is runnig this combo? I have talk to jason 20 times this week and he assures me that there is plenty of room for p to v clearance. Took the car all the way apart down to the cam everything is right on ? It ran so good for 20 miles then boom cam sensor code map code maf code and the ticking up top ? Jason is gonna take allook at the heads and see if something is wrong , but there is a machine shop next door and the guy there went threw them and said they where right on the money . Just kinda pissed now that i have no car to drive the cost of the mechanic and the dam tow . And i have to probably wait another week before i get the heads back . Costing me a ******* arm and leg.

Thinks its about time to put it back to stock and sell the damn thing.

 

Hey man we've all been there, the only thing you can do is chill and do some more homework before you put everything back together.

 

We'll After A Huge Fight With The Old Lady About Buying All This Stuff And Putting It Together And It Not Working Right For God Know What Reason. I Am Just Calling It Quites Its Gonna Cost Me Atleast A Grand In Labor To Put It Back Together At Pdr Shop And I Am Already Into Them For About 500 . So I Am Just Gonna Go Pick Up The Pieces And Take It Home. Income Tax Time I Will Just Put It Back To Stock.
Thanks For Your Guys Help And Input On The Whole Thing. Jason If You Happen To Pop In Thanks For Your Time To .