427 LS7 cam suggestions
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Tallahassee FL/ Fort Stewart, GA
427 LS7 cam suggestions It's about that time to start looking into a cam. So far I have a 6.0 shortblock sleeved to 4.125, rotating assembly is being balanced now with diamond flattops, and with the CNC LS7 heads (26928 springs) I plan on getting next month should give me about 11.3:1. For now I'm going to run a ported stock LS7 intake, but eventually I am going to go sheetmetal. 100mm MAF and TB, 60# injectors and all the other supporting mods. I will also be upgrading my 1 3/4 kooks LT's to 1 7/8 LS7 C5 headers.
What I am looking for is a rather stockish cam that wont leave any power on the table, yet wont give me an overabundance of lowend torque with an M12 and 3.42's. I want to err on the mild side though. There are alot of guys who seem to be getting over 600rwhp and over 520ft/lbs with the stock ported LS7 intake and CNC heads, some with large cams and some with small. Seems like the biggest difference is in the cam. Any suggestions? Keep in mind I want to eventually go sheetmetal and be able to at least pick up a decent amount of power...with the difference in flow capability of the heads and intake, that shouldnt be a problem!
Someone hook me up!
What I am looking for is a rather stockish cam that wont leave any power on the table, yet wont give me an overabundance of lowend torque with an M12 and 3.42's. I want to err on the mild side though. There are alot of guys who seem to be getting over 600rwhp and over 520ft/lbs with the stock ported LS7 intake and CNC heads, some with large cams and some with small. Seems like the biggest difference is in the cam. Any suggestions? Keep in mind I want to eventually go sheetmetal and be able to at least pick up a decent amount of power...with the difference in flow capability of the heads and intake, that shouldnt be a problem!
Someone hook me up!
If you change to a sheetmetal intake I would change the cam at the same time too. If you try to compromise a cam for both, you will end up with a cam that doesn't work well with either. With the $$$ that a S.M. intake costs, a cam change is small potatoes...
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Tallahassee FL/ Fort Stewart, GA
Are they THAT drastic? I figured that would optimize the intake for sure like a single plane on an LT1 kinda deal, but I didnt think there was there significant of a difference. I dunno kinda new to the LSx...
So what do you suggest?
So what do you suggest?
the sheetmetal intakes usually have shorter runners ,and an optimal cam for one of them would be different than an ls7 setup.the corvette forums might be a good spot to see what those guys are running. the qm600 is pretty popular but it is pretty big.
Contact a professional. Tell them about what you want out of the car, not just out of the dyno.
FWIW, unless you plan on living over 7K rpm, I wouldn't change out the ls7 intake, as it is a very nice piece and very efficient at 7200 rpm and under.
FWIW, unless you plan on living over 7K rpm, I wouldn't change out the ls7 intake, as it is a very nice piece and very efficient at 7200 rpm and under.
The QM600 is a great cam an it works well, but I have new cam that acually did more over it from 3500 rpms up and this is with NO compromise to driveability in fact it has very little surge and after I got done tuning it in has a killer idle and no bucking. It s a bit bigger than the QM but seems to have the same kinda mannerisms. It is a custom design to work with everything I have done. If I were you contact a good cam designer like Patrick G, louis at LG, carlos at QM or someone along those lines and discuss what you want, what your willing to put up with as far as drivability is concerned, and see what they come up with.
Recommend going with a dual spring over the 928 beehive
lot of the lobes you would use for that camshaft in an LS7 application would have around .365" lobe lift, I have a few lobes from comp I use for LS7 stuff.
larger valves, heavier valves.
let me know if need anything
lot of the lobes you would use for that camshaft in an LS7 application would have around .365" lobe lift, I have a few lobes from comp I use for LS7 stuff.
larger valves, heavier valves.
let me know if need anything
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Tallahassee FL/ Fort Stewart, GA
Sounds good. I think on payday I'm going to call and order a custom grind cam...something rather mild, no/minimal cam surge...but something to take advantage of the heads and something that will pull up rather high (6500-6800 RPM peak). Not an off idle stumppuller. I will call LG I suppose. No experience with any of the cam designers on here however.
I wanted to go with a double spring but apparently there are a few guys around that have broken the stock rocker arms with too much of a double spring so there is a narrow margin of error. I'm thinking of using lighter intake valves, LS7 lifters and titanium retainers to help with this, I keep hearing different stories on how to successfully set up the valvetrain, but usually the same nightmares.
I suppose the best thing to do on springs is go with the reccomendation of the grinder. Depends on alot of factors, some of which I dont know yet (cam design).
So any input/reccomendations for a cam designer?
I wanted to go with a double spring but apparently there are a few guys around that have broken the stock rocker arms with too much of a double spring so there is a narrow margin of error. I'm thinking of using lighter intake valves, LS7 lifters and titanium retainers to help with this, I keep hearing different stories on how to successfully set up the valvetrain, but usually the same nightmares.
I suppose the best thing to do on springs is go with the reccomendation of the grinder. Depends on alot of factors, some of which I dont know yet (cam design).
So any input/reccomendations for a cam designer?
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
I'm not going to pretend to be a pro when it comes to cams. However, I was looking at your setup and that you're looking at changing the headers later. Let me suggest that you call Kooks when it's time to get new headers. They have a flange to match up to the LS7 heads so you won't have a round hole meeting the D-port of the LS7s. I just got mine. They cost me about $1150.
Food for thought.
Food for thought.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,979
Likes: 3
From: Upstate NY
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Tallahassee FL/ Fort Stewart, GA
I'm not going to pretend to be a pro when it comes to cams. However, I was looking at your setup and that you're looking at changing the headers later. Let me suggest that you call Kooks when it's time to get new headers. They have a flange to match up to the LS7 heads so you won't have a round hole meeting the D-port of the LS7s. I just got mine. They cost me about $1150.
Food for thought.
Food for thought.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Tallahassee FL/ Fort Stewart, GA
