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I recently bought a 2015 Z/28 with 13,000 miles on it that already had some stuff done to it. It feels pretty good right now, but more is always my motto. Currently, the car is heads, cam, intake, exhaust.. Not listed on the photos is 2" headers, cat back exhaust, MSD atomic intake, some manner of cold air intake deal and nick williams 103mm throttle body. It's making 559hp/512tq at the wheel right now. What would you change (excluding boost) to break the 600 wheel cap? I don't want to loose a ton of tq, but I understand something must be exchanged. Is it just the cam? Do I need to change up the intake? I'm not sure. I have read a few build ups of other LS7 cars that are making around 600 wheel that have basically done what this car has already. Maybe a slightly bigger cam, but not much. The short block is stock, I'm not sure how much cam these things can handle without VTP issues. Any constructive help appreciated.
on first glance i think your power should certainly carry a little bit more, even with a cam that size. I also think that torque number is light, again its a dyno so take my comment lightly. I also would maybe experiment with a standard TR6 plug, but thats heavily debatable on here with no right or wrong answer.
i would start by getting a reputable tune of your choice to take a look at it/redyno it and go from there. not saying anything poorly about whoever did the tune before, its just what i would do.....but i also have a tuner close by that in my opinion is decent so thats why i would have no issue taking it to him right away.
Cam isn't small but certain not a super high HP cam. Should drive quite nice. It might make 575 on another dyno. Dynos are just a tool and read differently from one to another. I wouldn't put too much stock in the numbers if it runs well.
As mentioned, I’d start with a reputable tuner and a dyno visit, just to get another baseline. Have him make sure tune is up to par. After that, porting that MSD is worth some power, and you can definitely throw more camshaft at it, with the correct spring package, to see nice gains. You could easily add 10 degrees of duration on both sides, and still have a nice driving car, with a competent tuner involved. Of course more duration will take away from “around town” driveability, and honestly, the next 40 hp your chasing will only get noticed at big rpm, which is hard to do these days as our roads get more and more crowded. Power under the curve is always more fun in a street car, than peak hp at 7k rpm. Really just boils down to what your after, and if your motto is always more, then you’ll enjoy more camshaft. Do you know what compression this engine ended up at by chance? What fuels are readily available in your area?
Do you know what compression this engine ended up at by chance? What fuels are readily available in your area?
Im not sure what the compression is exactly, but assuming the heads were left as they were delivered from TSP, it should be 10.93:1. I have up to 93 and E85 in my area. Im not comfortable using E85 unless I completely redo the fuel system though. Id like to have at least 80lb injectors and a 255lph pump for that.
Im also going to check the pushrod length today or tomorrow, as I have noticed some noise from it. Nothing crazy, but I have a length checker somewhere I can use to make sure they have the right ones in there. I do have a trusted tuner, but he lives in CA now... Im not sure how much better he can do with my data logs and me flashing it with hptuners. I have noticed the car has a pretty subpar cold start, very rich smelling and it kinda stumbles for 5 seconds or so after the intial high idle. Everything else seems fine. Ill try to find a good tuner near me to start. Ill also start looking into the fuel system upgrades. Changing the pump is a bitch....
LME ported and milled heads/ ported MSD/ NW 103 TB ( if it fits😬.
My cam is a touch smaller, but the dyno I was on did 562/509. Adding the above and going back will tell me gains over cam only.
The heads are not milled, and Im having the intake ported now. The throttle body is already a 103mm, not sure I need more than that. Seems like we pretty much had the same results. I have ordered a BTR LS7 stg 4 V2 and Im getting new pushrods. I may get different springs as well, and roller rockers. The cam I got has .662 lift and my springs are only good for .660, thats kinda the safe limit of stock rocker tips.
The heads are not milled, and Im having the intake ported now. The throttle body is already a 103mm, not sure I need more than that. Seems like we pretty much had the same results. I have ordered a BTR LS7 stg 4 V2 and Im getting new pushrods. I may get different springs as well, and roller rockers. The cam I got has .662 lift and my springs are only good for .660, thats kinda the safe limit of stock rocker tips.
Mine is supposed to go in tomorrow for install of the Ported MSD/ 103mm TB, Brodix Heads, Oil Pump and Johnson 2110R lifters.
I am hoping the TB fits my setup. I have a Wet sump LS7 in a 2010 Camaro. There was some mention, that the 103MM might create issues with the LS3 Belt drive that I have.
If that all works, I am hoping for some decent gains with the existing cam which is pretty low lift. only .591/.590. I am going to keep oem Rockers with added CHE trunnions.
Interested to see what I will pickup. It's going back to the same dyno and tuner as when it was installed last year.
No point in touching the intake or TB until MAP is logged. That'll tell you if you need more induction. Could easily add a half point to 3/4 point of compression along with the bigger cam.
I have contacted a company in Delaware called Race Proven Motorsports about tuning and suggesting a way forward with my goals. They have multiple LS7 cars on youtube making over 600hp with similar mods as my car. I'm only 2.5hrs from them, so *** it.
I have contacted a company in Delaware called Race Proven Motorsports about tuning and suggesting a way forward with my goals. They have multiple LS7 cars on youtube making over 600hp with similar mods as my car. I'm only 2.5hrs from them, so *** it.
I have contacted a company in Delaware called Race Proven Motorsports about tuning and suggesting a way forward with my goals. They have multiple LS7 cars on youtube making over 600hp with similar mods as my car. I'm only 2.5hrs from them, so *** it.
i would 100% get it tuned as is without opening it back up first. unless for some reason you are ready for the big cam but......
I like what Che70velle said about cams. Same with big port heads. I had AFR 225 CNCd heads on a 427 Darton engine, because in 2005 that's as big as they got. FFW to 2014, LS7 block and heads. 232° intake cam on both blocks, but the AFR heads only needed a 236° exhaust, while LS7 heads got 14° more exhaust duration, now@250°. The old engine was down 40hp at peak, but felt like it was up 100hp!! Tires felt like they were oiled!! Broke loose at 75mph in 2nd gear of my 4L60E. Smaller cam and heads aren't always a bad thing on the street.....
Smaller cam and heads aren't always a bad thing on the street.....
It feels great on the street, and from Ive seen from BTR their LS7 stg4 V2 cam doesnt loose too much if any from what Im making now down low. So Im probably going in that direction with some johnson lifters and roller rocker with a heavier spring rate. I dont drive the car too much, maybe 2-3 days a week at most.
It feels great on the street, and from Ive seen from BTR their LS7 stg4 V2 cam doesnt loose too much if any from what Im making now down low. So Im probably going in that direction with some johnson lifters and roller rocker with a heavier spring rate. I dont drive the car too much, maybe 2-3 days a week at most.
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LS7 NA Effort 
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