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Is .060 intake .080 exhaust safe piston to valve clearance?

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Old 05-27-2017 | 04:45 PM
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Default Is .060 intake .080 exhaust safe piston to valve clearance?

Im about to officially pull the trigger on purchasing my cam. As a rule of thumb I've always been told .080 intake .100 exhaust is safe. I was told by the vendor that manufacturers this cam will have around .060 intake and .080 of clearance in a stock LS3 with stock heads. Are these good safe #'s to be comfortable enough without any concerns?
Old 05-27-2017 | 06:26 PM
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Like you mentiomed a safe rule of thumb is 0.080" intake and 0.100" exhaust, Especially on an aluminum block due to thermal expansion.

I have heard people running 0.060" intake and 0.080" exhaust and getting away with it, though if it matters they do not exceed 6,500 rpm.

What are the cam specs and engine specs?

Last edited by 07NBSChevy; 05-27-2017 at 06:38 PM.
Old 05-27-2017 | 06:46 PM
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Originally Posted by 07NBSChevy
Like you mentiomed a safe rule of thumb is 0.080" intake and 0.100" exhaust, Especially on an aluminum block due to thermal expansion.

I have heard people running 0.060" intake and 0.080" exhaust and getting away with it, though if it matters they do not exceed 6,500 rpm.

What are the cam specs and engine specs?
Engine is stock other than headers and whatever cam I go with
Old 05-27-2017 | 07:45 PM
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What will be your intended shift RPM and Max RPM?

If Cam Motion stated 0.060" and 0.080" will work, I would run it. Since the clearances will be closer than normal, it would be best to check after cam is installed.

Lets see what others say when they chime in.
Old 05-28-2017 | 06:18 AM
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Originally Posted by 07NBSChevy
What will be your intended shift RPM and Max RPM?

If Cam Motion stated 0.060" and 0.080" will work, I would run it. Since the clearances will be closer than normal, it would be best to check after cam is installed.

Lets see what others say when they chime in.
Car is an 01 Z28 with brand new LS3 crate motor. Auto with a yank 3600ss converter. Plan on having max rpms around 6500-6700
Old 05-28-2017 | 07:32 AM
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Seems a little tight what happens if your heads have been or will be shaved in the future? Or you have an outlier pushrod valve that is like .010 off or so from the others. Since you have no margin for error you will need to keep an eye on the valve springs.
Old 05-28-2017 | 08:10 AM
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Andy , I just had a cam speced by PAt G and the intake was at 47 . Pat said was a little tight but doable . Mine has already had all the mods its going to have unless I fly cut which I am not doing at this time . This is on stock ls2 alum block . Tell me if I am wrong . The alum block will grow with heat so the the piston to valve should gain a little more clearance. I would like to know if this is correct .

I have already ordered my cam but not put in yet . As long as the valve train is stable I would say I will be ok based off of what Pat G has said . I do plan to turn mine to 6800
Old 05-28-2017 | 12:14 PM
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Originally Posted by homemade87
Andy , I just had a cam speced by PAt G and the intake was at 47 . Pat said was a little tight but doable . Mine has already had all the mods its going to have unless I fly cut which I am not doing at this time . This is on stock ls2 alum block . Tell me if I am wrong . The alum block will grow with heat so the the piston to valve should gain a little more clearance. I would like to know if this is correct .

I have already ordered my cam but not put in yet . As long as the valve train is stable I would say I will be ok based off of what Pat G has said . I do plan to turn mine to 6800
i haven't ordered mine yet still looking at all the options. I'm also considering the Brian Tooley stage 3 which is a 229/244 113+4. I talked to someone from BTR not Brian himself and they said that one had an estimated clearance of .055 intake and .090 exhaust. I'm assuming going by this all the LS3 cams are going to be a little tight on the intake side. Just something I'm not used to I guess. This is my first rectangular port headed motor so it's new to me
Old 05-28-2017 | 12:26 PM
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Not a Ls3 but on my Ls1 I had .040" intake .065" exhaust and decided to cut valve reliefs. If you are going to have the heads off it is pretty straight forward. I cut .030" reliefs with a 239/244

Old 05-28-2017 | 01:54 PM
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I'm not planning on having the heads milled or cutting valve reliefs. Heads will be stock unless I decide to go aftermarket in the future
Old 05-28-2017 | 03:35 PM
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Originally Posted by 98CayenneT/A
Not a Ls3 but on my Ls1 I had .040" intake .065" exhaust and decided to cut valve reliefs. If you are going to have the heads off it is pretty straight forward. I cut .030" reliefs with a 239/244

Nice job on flycutting. Did you use a Lindy Tool? That is what I used on mine. Very easy to do. My LS3 heads were milled .030" and used .040" head gaskets with a Cam Motion cam 230/238 .626 113+3 spec'd by Pat G. He suggested flycutting .050". Came up with 11.27 compression and pulled 480/434 on the dyno. SAE corrected.
Old 05-28-2017 | 07:12 PM
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Originally Posted by JimmyGTO
Nice job on flycutting. Did you use a Lindy Tool? That is what I used on mine. Very easy to do. My LS3 heads were milled .030" and used .040" head gaskets with a Cam Motion cam 230/238 .626 113+3 spec'd by Pat G. He suggested flycutting .050". Came up with 11.27 compression and pulled 480/434 on the dyno. SAE corrected.
Yes it was the Lindy tool. Definitely not a bad job at all.
PRC 243's milled .030" and a .040" gasket here also.

I had my doubts as I cut into the first piston top but after pulling the head off and seeing the results, It was smooth sailing
Old 05-29-2017 | 07:20 AM
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I would do that fly cut the piston with that tool. The extra .030 is a nice extra cushion to have and really does nothing much to affect the compression.
Old 05-29-2017 | 08:40 AM
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Has anyone used the BTR stage 3 or Tick stage 2 with any clearance #s? They're both a 229/244. Tick is on a112+4 and the BTR is on a 113+5 I believe
Old 05-29-2017 | 08:50 AM
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This is again in a Ls1 but my buddy just installed a tick sns stg 3 235/243 .630"/.610"

Ported 243's milled but I don't remember how much. Valves sunk about .015"

If I remember correct intake .070" exhaust .090"

If that's of any help I can find out exactly
Old 05-29-2017 | 09:04 AM
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The cathedrals are a little more forgiving on the clearance though than the rectangular port heads. I don't plan on having mine milled. There's plenty of guys that run the BTR stage 4 on the LS3 so I would think I would be ok
Old 05-29-2017 | 09:07 AM
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Originally Posted by 98CayenneT/A
This is again in a Ls1 but my buddy just installed a tick sns stg 3 235/243 .630"/.610"

Ported 243's milled but I don't remember how much. Valves sunk about .015"

If I remember correct intake .070" exhaust .090"

If that's of any help I can find out exactly
Im trying to decide between the Cam Motion cam mentioned earlier or the Tick stage 2 just seeing if anyone has any real world experience #s with either before I pull the trigger and order either one
Old 05-29-2017 | 07:45 PM
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Has anyone used the BTR stage 3 or Tick stage 2?
Old 09-02-2019 | 03:22 AM
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Originally Posted by andy-lswon
Has anyone used the BTR stage 3 or Tick stage 2?
What cam did you end up going with? Im running a 235/243 on stock LS3 , runs great!
Old 09-03-2019 | 03:10 PM
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I used the SS4 (236/254 .646/.637 111+4) fly cut version from gpi. Cut .120 valve reliefs and spin it to 7650. They have a no fly cut version (235/250 .646/.637 112+3) and have had great success with it.


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