Mgpeagle

iTrader: (6)

Personally, I would throw the headers on first before totaly dis-assembling anything. I see at least 30 to 40 hp gain with the headers on along with the rest of what you did. Just a personal opinion.

-Mike

Sittingmongoose

iTrader: (1)

Well i am sending my stock hedas back to be rebuilt and i am returning the stage 2 heads. I am than using the money i get back to buy headers.

Mgpeagle

iTrader: (6)

Smart move dude. Headers and ported intake is all I have left for my mods on this car. Not doing anything else... With that, I think I should at least be close to 350 - 360 crank hp range. Who knows though...???

Is your car a dog now down low? I heard some people thought so when they switched to the LS6 cam. But it was a beast on the top-end.

-Mike

JDMC5

iTrader: (3)

I wonder why I waste my time.

Sittingmongoose

iTrader: (1)

dude jdmc5 i get it, our intakes and headers suck. I know they are the limiting factor but you should STILL see some gains with other mods. Granted headers and an intake would show the most improvement but they arent available yet and the few options that are available are very very pricy. So please i am tired of seeing you post on every post of mine saying i need headers and an intake. Quit it or your buying me a new intake.

JDMC5

iTrader: (3)

dude all you gave us was peak hp numbers, no dyno sheet no torque numbers, no average numbers. How the hell can we tell if something else is going on if you don't provide any other information? And no, you WON'T necessarily see gains if your engine can't breathe. I asked you if you had a dyno chart and you didn't even respond, geez.

Sittingmongoose

iTrader: (1)

I do not have a dyno chart but it looks exactly like mine did before the mods, just a little higher through out. I still have the same low end and it just went up proportionally 18 higher.

SidewaysV8

At what RPM do HP and TQ curves cross?

TiredGXP

iTrader: (2)

They always cross at 5252 rpm

SidewaysV8

I'm thinking he doesn't know that, but thanks for letting the cat out of the bag.

JDMC5

iTrader: (3)

ok now we're getting somewhere. Gains like that are typical of a cylinder head swap, not a cam swap. It sounds like most of your gains did come from the heads and 18 hp isn't bad at all considering what heads they are and your level of mods. What rpm did you run the test up to? Where did the engine make peak hp?

Sittingmongoose

iTrader: (1)

we ran it up to 6800k but my peak power came at about 5850 rpm so i shift at 6k

JDMC5

iTrader: (3)

have you ever seen the power curve differences between the LS1 and LS6? The LS6 makes less power below 4500rpm, after that the LS6 makes 35 more hp. Check this graph out. Yes, I realize the 02 LS6 makes more power but I want to compare apples to apples, just the cam and heads.

http://www.web-cars.com/images/vette...rve_pg-9_a.jpg

I know your gonna hate me but I think that as soon as that cam starts to breathe you intake/ exhaust start to shut it down negating any gains that cam has to offer. Your setup has a lot of potential and I would be surprised if your car didn't make over 330 fwhp with a set of headers and a better intake. You should leave your setup alone, get those headers and then all you have left is to figure out is the intake. I hope you don't take this the wrong way and I apologize if this is just more of what you don't want to hear.

bumpin96monte

I disagree, I think your problem is too many random parts not setup to work in the same rpm range.

The heads you bought should've matched your cam and manifold choice. It should all work as a package.

lol, and you called me retarded....

should've just stuck a turbo on there.


You're probably the only person I've heard say that about an LS engine.

Sittingmongoose

iTrader: (1)

i talked to patriot and they seemed to feel that the problem was too big heads, so i am sending my stock heads back, getting them mildly worked, than returning the stage 2 heads and getting some money back. That money i get back will than be used to buy headers, otherwise i cant afford another 600$. Is this a good plan or do you think i will end up losing power from dropping the heads down a little.

ps, the turbo kit isnt 5500, its more like 8-10 depending on all the other little **** you need to get or fix plus the transmittion

bumpin96monte

They may not be available yet as shelf stock items, but that doesn't mean they can't be done. It looks to me like someone could do an intake swap right now given the available parts. For headers, if you didn't want to wait, you could likely get some shortys for a GTO and just have a custom crossover/downpipe connection made.

Not necessarily if your parts are mismatched. Going from a low flow area, to an area that flows better leads to a drop in velocity- and you really want to keep velocity up in the heads.

No need to get mad, we're just trying to tell you what you really need to actually complete the setup you started.

I wouldn't waste money on getting the heads worked at all. If you need to work on a budget, work on where your restrictions are first. The stock heads will be just fine with that stock cam. The heads are just too big for the setup you have; I'm sure they're not bad heads- its just that you didn't do everything giving thought to how it will all work as a package.

You can buy the turbo kit for $5500, and run like that. What other "little ****" do you need? Upgrading the trans is a given, but IMO, for someone doing heads/cam- you should be really thinking about a trans also. Keep in mind, these transmissions have been in the GTP's and such for years, so the limits of the trans are well known- and its also known that these engines are already pushing the limit.

I think you're comparing apples/oranges saying that you must buy a transmission with a turbo kit, but think you're going to get away with a heads/cam setup without one. IMO- its something that will eventually be needed in either case.



The way I see it, you had two routes you could take:

-keep the heads, and finish the rest of the package like everyone else said, get a real intake and either buy the group buy headers when they come along, or make some using an existing header

or

-if you really don't want to go for a big setup like that, put the stock heads back on, and just keep modding a piece at a time with external engine parts.


Either way you really should get a retune.

JDMC5

iTrader: (3)

he's right, if you go turbo, you'd bet your *** your getting a new tranny soon and the 4T65E isn't cheap, not to mention the PITA it is to change out. I dread the day mine craps out.


Anyways, I think that might work for you. Those are good heads and they will work with your 5.3 but you're right you could probably save a few bucks by investing that money in some headers.

I'm wondering why you aren't looking into an LS2 intake? If you mod the tray yourself you can get the job done for as cheap as 300 bucks.

mixerda

the tranny only cost 2857.36.....

JDMC5

iTrader: (3)

hahaha, "only" right?

Sittingmongoose

iTrader: (1)

I blew my engine up, thats all the other little ****, i had a bunch of leaks, and little broken parts. The lifters, valves, springs and all were broken. I need the valves replaced as well and new springs so i figured i might as well(for 350) get patriot to rebuild my heads and put all new stuff in it as well as spruce them up a bit.