Power Help
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 6
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From: North East Tennessee
Power Help Ok, so not only am I new to the forum but I am fairly new to the LS world. I have been looking through the tread and haven't seen exactly what I'm looking for. Please don't kill me for the loads of questions.
So here is what I got: 2001ish 5.3L out of a truck (i think) with factory intake and 706 heads, headers, stock tune. This is paired to a built TH400. All this is in a drag built 1995 S10 that currently runs 7.0's 1/8th mile and is about 3500LBS.
I am on a budget - a very strict budget.
What I need to know is:
1. What intake for the money will get me the most gains
2. What cam (cam, lifters, and springs) will give me the most power without sacrificing mid end torque. Low end will not matter as much because I will be launching around 3800RPM
3:What about tuning? Do I buy a canned tuner or who could tune my box?
So here is what I got: 2001ish 5.3L out of a truck (i think) with factory intake and 706 heads, headers, stock tune. This is paired to a built TH400. All this is in a drag built 1995 S10 that currently runs 7.0's 1/8th mile and is about 3500LBS.
I am on a budget - a very strict budget.
What I need to know is:
1. What intake for the money will get me the most gains
2. What cam (cam, lifters, and springs) will give me the most power without sacrificing mid end torque. Low end will not matter as much because I will be launching around 3800RPM
3:What about tuning? Do I buy a canned tuner or who could tune my box?
Last edited by Haynesperformance; Oct 6, 2016 at 03:27 PM.
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From: Ohio
1. TBSS intake/Ebay throttle body. $300 or so. Average power/torque figures from this intake are well above most aftermarket intakes, with the exception of the ones that cost $1000.
2. Stock lifters are fine for now. Upgrade to LS7 lifters if you're on a budget.
If you want something that is easy on the valvetrain, get something with less than .600 lift and run PAC1218 springs. Get a cam somewhere in the 22x/22x duration on a 112 is you want a strong mid range on a 5.3.
The GM Hot cam, or howards version of it is a 219/228 on a 112 with only .525 lift. Very easy on the valvetrain, could get away with stock valvesprings for a while.
With that weight, I'm guessing its not race-only. I really like this cam for the 5.3 swapped cars I do that are 2800-3200 lbs and they want something that sounds awesome. Pulls very hard from 3500-up.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/h...make/chevrolet
2. Stock lifters are fine for now. Upgrade to LS7 lifters if you're on a budget.
If you want something that is easy on the valvetrain, get something with less than .600 lift and run PAC1218 springs. Get a cam somewhere in the 22x/22x duration on a 112 is you want a strong mid range on a 5.3.
The GM Hot cam, or howards version of it is a 219/228 on a 112 with only .525 lift. Very easy on the valvetrain, could get away with stock valvesprings for a while.
With that weight, I'm guessing its not race-only. I really like this cam for the 5.3 swapped cars I do that are 2800-3200 lbs and they want something that sounds awesome. Pulls very hard from 3500-up.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/h...make/chevrolet
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 6
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From: North East Tennessee
Thanks Yall,
My plans is cam, lifters, springs, and timing set. Intake size is not a problem with a 6inch cowl (a little overkill for an LS)
The truck is strictly race and is going on a diet real soon (fiberglass doors, hood, fenders, and tailgate. Should be about around 2800lb in the end. It has 456 gears and a 3800stall and I will be leaving off of transbrake and shifting at 6K.
I am saying all this to get as much info as I can and make an informed purchases of stuff cause I don't want to buy this stuff again. If there is anything that I need or should do now please let me know. Also, I plan on purchasing new stuff other than the intake.
What about MAF, Cam Degree and fuel rails\injectors?
My plans is cam, lifters, springs, and timing set. Intake size is not a problem with a 6inch cowl (a little overkill for an LS)
The truck is strictly race and is going on a diet real soon (fiberglass doors, hood, fenders, and tailgate. Should be about around 2800lb in the end. It has 456 gears and a 3800stall and I will be leaving off of transbrake and shifting at 6K.
I am saying all this to get as much info as I can and make an informed purchases of stuff cause I don't want to buy this stuff again. If there is anything that I need or should do now please let me know. Also, I plan on purchasing new stuff other than the intake.
What about MAF, Cam Degree and fuel rails\injectors?
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 7,192
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From: Ohio
Timing set doesn't really need to be replaced. The main thing that stresses valve train is the springs. With a stock headed 5.3, there isn't any reason going over .600 lift because the heads will not flow more. A majority of the .600 lift springs have spring pressures similar to stock. This means no bent pushrods, no broken timing chain. You really do get away easy on this one, especially since you're shifting at only 6k. I usually shift my 5.3s almost 1k higher.
MAF, injectors, and cam degree will all depend.
Most cams are setup to install straight up, no degreeing required. The stock MAF works well on a 5.3, as do injectors. Depending on how big you go on cam, you might look into an injector swap.
MAF, injectors, and cam degree will all depend.
Most cams are setup to install straight up, no degreeing required. The stock MAF works well on a 5.3, as do injectors. Depending on how big you go on cam, you might look into an injector swap.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 6
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From: North East Tennessee
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/t...make/Chevrolet
Here is a link to what I think I want. Since I already have a decent stall and the truck is never going to be street driven I think this may be the one. With a top end pull to 7K it might give me the RPM needed for both 1/8 and 1/4 mile.
Also, I am still undecided about an intake. Which one flows more? Do I go ahead and spend the money on a Holly Sniper type intake in case I decide something later.
Pro/Cons - of both Intake and cam?
Here is a link to what I think I want. Since I already have a decent stall and the truck is never going to be street driven I think this may be the one. With a top end pull to 7K it might give me the RPM needed for both 1/8 and 1/4 mile.
Also, I am still undecided about an intake. Which one flows more? Do I go ahead and spend the money on a Holly Sniper type intake in case I decide something later.
Pro/Cons - of both Intake and cam?
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Joined: Mar 2014
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From: Ohio
That is a fairly large cam for a 5.3, but for a race application it will work very well.
The fabricated intakes are horrible for an N/A setup. All of them. They've been dyno tested and lose power below 6000 RPM on a big cam 6.0 compared to even the worst of the stock intakes. A 5.3 would be worse and you'd barely see any gains way up top.
The TBSS/NNBS intake is very cheap and the best overall stock intake.
This article might help you. Just remember, with less CFM demand, power losses will continue higher into the RPM range on a 5.3 and gains will likely be less as well.
The fabricated intakes are horrible for an N/A setup. All of them. They've been dyno tested and lose power below 6000 RPM on a big cam 6.0 compared to even the worst of the stock intakes. A 5.3 would be worse and you'd barely see any gains way up top.
The TBSS/NNBS intake is very cheap and the best overall stock intake.
This article might help you. Just remember, with less CFM demand, power losses will continue higher into the RPM range on a 5.3 and gains will likely be less as well.
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Verdad Gallardo Restricted User
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From: Ohio
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: North East Tennessee
Ok, so now let me shake things up a bit.
If I do a carb swap and MSD6LS with a Holly 750 will it gain me about the same numbers. I am having a hard time finding anyone to tune my truck without paying for hours on the dyno or eval at a drag strip which may or may not help depending on conditions, and still have to get a wide band and data logger.
If I go carbed I can tune it fairly simple, and I am pretty sure that a 750 will more than handle the power. So another wrench in the gears is if I went Methanol - will I need internals for the stock bottom end? We didn't really do anything different for our big motors just have to change the oil more frequently and rebuild more.
If I do a carb swap and MSD6LS with a Holly 750 will it gain me about the same numbers. I am having a hard time finding anyone to tune my truck without paying for hours on the dyno or eval at a drag strip which may or may not help depending on conditions, and still have to get a wide band and data logger.
If I go carbed I can tune it fairly simple, and I am pretty sure that a 750 will more than handle the power. So another wrench in the gears is if I went Methanol - will I need internals for the stock bottom end? We didn't really do anything different for our big motors just have to change the oil more frequently and rebuild more.