View Poll Results: Better street heads for 224 cam
5.3 heads
51
60.00%
5.7 ls6 heads
34
40.00%
Voters: 85. You may not vote on this poll
224 cam...5.3 or 5.7 heads?
#5
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (8)
Just had to make this decision myself....I went with the 5.3 heads because I'm building a street car and wanted to keep the head swap on a bit of a budget. If my car was a track car and I was looking for the ABSOLUTE best performance out of the stock cubed LS1, I would've went with the AFR 205's or the TFS 215's (5.7 castings).
#7
LSxGuy widda 9sec Mustang
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I recently installed a set of PRC CNC 5.3L 2.5 heads and a 228R|114lsa on a 98 Camaro with a LS6 Intake, TCI 3500 converter and Pacesetters. This was for one of my brothers coworkers at his workplace. It picked up approximately 90rwhp through a stalled automatic.
Before the heads and cam the car was running consistent 12.7-12.8's in 4500-5000DA of air. After the H/C install and tuning the car immediately went to running 11.7 @ 116mph with the same air. I drove this car around for a week before I delivered it and it was one of the nicest driving F-body setups I've ever driven. You could barely tell it was modded during regular commute type driving.
Before the heads and cam the car was running consistent 12.7-12.8's in 4500-5000DA of air. After the H/C install and tuning the car immediately went to running 11.7 @ 116mph with the same air. I drove this car around for a week before I delivered it and it was one of the nicest driving F-body setups I've ever driven. You could barely tell it was modded during regular commute type driving.
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#9
LS1Tech Premium Sponsor
iTrader: (5)
Also remember, our heads are on special as well I agree that the 5.3L heads would be a great addition to your vehicle currently. The slight boost in compression along with THE shortest CNC'd 5.3L intake runner available today make for a fun street/strip cruiser!
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#12
Staging Lane
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I got a question, Im new to this site and I am hoping someone can help me.
I have a 5.3 LM7 (1999), and I want to run this stock LS2 cam (.500in, .500exh, @.050 dur)..does anyone know what type of valve springs I may need, or if anyone has ran this application? Im also runnin an LS2 intake.
thanks in advance.
I have a 5.3 LM7 (1999), and I want to run this stock LS2 cam (.500in, .500exh, @.050 dur)..does anyone know what type of valve springs I may need, or if anyone has ran this application? Im also runnin an LS2 intake.
thanks in advance.
#13
12 Second Club
iTrader: (116)
Why not?? These 224 cams have carried many full weight street cars into the 11's just fine. You don't need a big cam to turn a good ET. Peak power doesn't mean anything to me. I'd much rather see a smooth power/torque curve climbing all the way to my shift point. These cams do exactly that.
#14
I got a question, Im new to this site and I am hoping someone can help me.
I have a 5.3 LM7 (1999), and I want to run this stock LS2 cam (.500in, .500exh, @.050 dur)..does anyone know what type of valve springs I may need, or if anyone has ran this application? Im also runnin an LS2 intake.
thanks in advance.
I have a 5.3 LM7 (1999), and I want to run this stock LS2 cam (.500in, .500exh, @.050 dur)..does anyone know what type of valve springs I may need, or if anyone has ran this application? Im also runnin an LS2 intake.
thanks in advance.
#16
12 Second Club
iTrader: (116)
It's also about you goals. The LS6 casting will flow higher at higher RPM's, but the 5.3 will bump your compression & make more torque.
If you like dyno numbers & spend most your cars life on the track, then the 243 cast heads are the route to go. But if your a every now & again track car while the rest of the time it's street driven then 5.3's are the better route.
If you like dyno numbers & spend most your cars life on the track, then the 243 cast heads are the route to go. But if your a every now & again track car while the rest of the time it's street driven then 5.3's are the better route.
#17
On The Tree
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I'd say 5.3's; its what I have and my cam is 232/234...
That cam, being a pretty mild one, has some smaller lift #s...Probably wouldn't be very beneficial to go with the better-flowing ls6 castings...the bigger compression from the 5.3's would outweigh the better flow from the LS6 heads in my opinion, though I would think the difference would only be about 10 rwhp... LS6 heads are slightly more expensive I believe.
That cam, being a pretty mild one, has some smaller lift #s...Probably wouldn't be very beneficial to go with the better-flowing ls6 castings...the bigger compression from the 5.3's would outweigh the better flow from the LS6 heads in my opinion, though I would think the difference would only be about 10 rwhp... LS6 heads are slightly more expensive I believe.
#19
I can tell you exactly how that combo works. I have the 224 112LSA cam with TSP 5.3 heads. I had the heads milled a little extra for ~11.25 compression. On the dyno it put down 415rwhp/402rwt, those are SAE corrected #'s. Torque is the best part. Makes over 300 lb/ft at the wheels from 2k all the way through redline. Makes over 350 from 3k-6k. GREAT street setup. My car is a 6-speed by the way.
#20
So if i go to the 5.3's i have to replace my brand new pushrods?
I was tossing around the idea of just going with stock ls6 zo6 heads if they would get me auther 20rwhp compaired to 35 for anuther 700 bucks
Or am i thinking like a moron about the stock ls6 heads?
I was tossing around the idea of just going with stock ls6 zo6 heads if they would get me auther 20rwhp compaired to 35 for anuther 700 bucks
Or am i thinking like a moron about the stock ls6 heads?