Valve Clearance
03-06-2019, 07:47 PM
#1
Teching In
Thread Starter
Valve Clearance I have an LY6 with a stock bottom end and I put 823 heads and an ls3 intake on it too. I’m about to put a btr ls3 3-bolt stage 4 Cam into it but I’m worried about my compression ratio. Currently I’ve read it’s supposed to be at 9.5-9.6, which is garbage because I’m NA for now. I wanted to know if anyone who did a simular build, how much could I mill the heads so I can gain compression at least to 10.5 or more.
03-06-2019, 08:35 PM
#2
The only way to know for sure is to measure PTV clearance with the cam you intend to use before milling. It's easy to shave the heads....much harder to put it back on if you guess and get it wrong.
PS The LY6 came from the factory with LS3 style heads, 821,823, If you know your heads haven't been milled before you got them then you might be able to find out what other LY6 owners have found clearance wise. If they have been milled then you'd just be guessing on how much further you can mill them.
PS The LY6 came from the factory with LS3 style heads, 821,823, If you know your heads haven't been milled before you got them then you might be able to find out what other LY6 owners have found clearance wise. If they have been milled then you'd just be guessing on how much further you can mill them.
03-06-2019, 08:40 PM
#3
Teching In
Thread Starter
yeah I know but before I go through the time because Im porting the heads and gotta measure for the pushrod length and once I mill the pushrods might be too small and all that stuff.
03-06-2019, 08:46 PM
#5
If you don’t have pushrods yet just buy 1 or 2 loose 7.400 pushrods or bum some old ones from a buddy so you can measure PTV clearance now. Then you can mill the heads accordingly. Then once final assembly is almost done, use a checker pushrod to measure preload and buy a full set of correct length pushrods.
03-06-2019, 08:47 PM
#6
If it's not worth doing right then why bother? How much time and money do you think you'll waste if you get it wrong? You could get install the cam and trying using the stock pushrods to check PTV clearance. If that doesn't work get a pair of the correct length pushrods or even buy a second adjustable pushrod (you should already have one right?)
03-06-2019, 09:50 PM
#7
Teching In
Thread Starter
If it's not worth doing right then why bother? How much time and money do you think you'll waste if you get it wrong? You could get install the cam and trying using the stock pushrods to check PTV clearance. If that doesn't work get a pair of the correct length pushrods or even buy a second adjustable pushrod (you should already have one right?)
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03-06-2019, 09:56 PM
#10
Teching In
Thread Starter
03-06-2019, 10:12 PM
#11
TECH Junkie
I already knew what pushrods I needed but had not ordered them yet. I had my heads/cam/ head gasket and it was just a matter of if I needed to cut valve reliefs or not.
Last edited by 98CayenneT/A; 03-06-2019 at 11:57 PM.
03-07-2019, 07:18 AM
#13
Teching In
Thread Starter
to see if my buddy has one and if not I’ll probably just have to rent it from the local auto parts store
03-07-2019, 10:51 AM
#14
LY6 should have had 823 "type" rectangle port heads on it to begin with (maybe 5364's, or....). Also LY6 is a VVT motor, so I'm guessing you should have (intake) valve reliefs already cut into the stock pistons? I'm only speaking from my L92 experience, but same engine family. Does the cam you want specify 10.5:1 target compression ratio? There should be a ton of info available for compression points gained per amount of milling. You can tweak head gasket thickness as well, but keep quench in mind if you want the best out of it.
For me, I'd put the cam in you want, assemble one head side with a light valve spring for checking, and spin the engine over with a dial indicator on the valve, and hand push the valve open further each few degrees to check and measure clearance. Then you would know your allowances. Maybe a dinosaur method, but should work. Also ask the cam maker, they should have knowledge and experience of guidance level advice, but it always ends up as final check on your end.
For me, I'd put the cam in you want, assemble one head side with a light valve spring for checking, and spin the engine over with a dial indicator on the valve, and hand push the valve open further each few degrees to check and measure clearance. Then you would know your allowances. Maybe a dinosaur method, but should work. Also ask the cam maker, they should have knowledge and experience of guidance level advice, but it always ends up as final check on your end.
03-07-2019, 12:42 PM
#15
Teching In
Thread Starter
LY6 should have had 823 "type" rectangle port heads on it to begin with (maybe 5364's, or....). Also LY6 is a VVT motor, so I'm guessing you should have (intake) valve reliefs already cut into the stock pistons? I'm only speaking from my L92 experience, but same engine family. Does the cam you want specify 10.5:1 target compression ratio? There should be a ton of info available for compression points gained per amount of milling. You can tweak head gasket thickness as well, but keep quench in mind if you want the best out of it.
For me, I'd put the cam in you want, assemble one head side with a light valve spring for checking, and spin the engine over with a dial indicator on the valve, and hand push the valve open further each few degrees to check and measure clearance. Then you would know your allowances. Maybe a dinosaur method, but should work. Also ask the cam maker, they should have knowledge and experience of guidance level advice, but it always ends up as final check on your end.
For me, I'd put the cam in you want, assemble one head side with a light valve spring for checking, and spin the engine over with a dial indicator on the valve, and hand push the valve open further each few degrees to check and measure clearance. Then you would know your allowances. Maybe a dinosaur method, but should work. Also ask the cam maker, they should have knowledge and experience of guidance level advice, but it always ends up as final check on your end.
be thin.
03-09-2019, 04:37 PM
#16
11 Second Club
iTrader: (3)
I have an LY6 with a stock bottom end and I put 823 heads and an ls3 intake on it too. I’m about to put a btr ls3 3-bolt stage 4 Cam into it but I’m worried about my compression ratio. Currently I’ve read it’s supposed to be at 9.5-9.6, which is garbage because I’m NA for now. I wanted to know if anyone who did a simular build, how much could I mill the heads so I can gain compression at least to 10.5 or more.