5.3 Cams?/

the10thtime · October 5, 2007

Hi i have an 06 crewcab shortbed 2wd with the 5.3.....So far i have S&B Cold air, throttle body spacer, custom tune, shorty headers, corsa exhaust...oh and the 160 tstat. Power pulleys i know....dont have any yet...anybody got any suggestions on good pulleys? Also what next guys? What should i do now gotta get more ummphhh outta it..

CAM?????? dont know much about cams....i have a good mechanic that will install it pretty cheap..i assume i would need a retune after the cam?

any help would be great

This is an awesome site!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pwall · October 5, 2007

Can't help you with info on the cams (I would like to know as well), but that is one nice looking truck!

Schmids5.3l · October 6, 2007

If the cam isn't too radical you won't need a retune.

Don't loose sleep at night because you don't have pullies. If they were worth the 300 bucks they run, I'd have a set under my hood. Your looking at $300 for 10hp. If you can have a good mechanic install it for a low price I say go for it. Your looking to spend at minimum of $300 on the cam, $50 for LS6 springs, $100 for pushrods, and another $100 for here and theres, like gaskets, PB blaster, new crank bolt, new oil/filter ect.

Edit: The above quotes are based on brand new parts.

Dragon Slayer · October 6, 2007

Hi i have an 06 crewcab shortbed 2wd with the 5.3.....So far i have S&B Cold air, throttle body spacer, custom tune, shorty headers, corsa exhaust...oh and the 160 tstat. Power pulleys i know....dont have any yet...anybody got any suggestions on good pulleys? Also what next guys? What should i do now gotta get more ummphhh outta it..
CAM?????? dont know much about cams....i have a good mechanic that will install it pretty cheap..i assume i would need a retune after the cam?

any help would be great

This is an awesome site!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How about a STS Turbo

Can you email me some info on your truck like wheel size and how much is it lowered.

jamadm01 @ Charter.net take the spaces out....

If you reply to me here I may never see it.. For some reason I don't get emails when a message has been posted to me.. (YES I have it set up to get them but don't)

hp2 · October 7, 2007

Find the October and November issues of Hot Rod and read up on their 6.0 engine upgrades. Through a few simple bolt ons, they dramtically increased the output. Granted, it already starts with more inches than a 5.3, but the principles and percentages apply similarly to the two engines since they are in the same family.

99Silver6.0 · October 9, 2007

Forget the gutter-sucker STS............. Go front mount or Radix.

What are you looking for out of the cam. Then ill throw out some specs.

YES the 4.8, 5.3, 5.7 are in the same engine family. BUT, big BUT here. Pretty much all of the camse out for LS engines are made for the LS1 and the compression of the LS1. So you have got to be careful when choosing a cam or you will leave a great deal of power on the table. So in essence, if you pick a cam that was meant to live inside of a 5.7 LS1 and toss it in a 5.3.......... You may actually lower the effective compression ratio of your already low 5.3 because of valve events. There is alot more to it that seeing what makes awesome power in an LS2 and just buying the cam. Do you want to buy Comp 9187 valve springs? Do you want to but a torque converter? Do you want a heavy idle? Do you want high RPM power? Do you want low end power?? What are you looking for as far as driveability is concerned?? Things you really have to factor in before you choose. Remember too. Cubes eats cams. Something that doesnt sound big in an LS1 will sound huge and act totally different in a 5.3 or 4.8.

Im done rambling...........

the10thtime · October 9, 2007

finally someone that knows......Ok well i have about everything done to it now i think i can except cam...so here i go...never messed with cams... i would like just a little choppier idle than i have now if possible just a little lope...and low end off the line power is really where im concerned...its got great like 40 to 50 mph up it just feels like it needs more 0-50 power....more from a dead stop...so any pointers you could give would be great.thanks

the10thtime · October 9, 2007

oh yea i willing to buy new springs if i need to...and or rockers? and torque converter would be cool

the10thtime · October 9, 2007

i guess the stall would depend on the cam?

Schmids5.3l · October 9, 2007

For racing, any aftermarket stall is recomended, cam or not. The cam I ordered is probobly the biggest you would want to go with a stock TC, which is a Comp 212/218 on 114 LSA. It's an off the shelf cam, but is proven in the 5.3's, from idle- 6000rpm. Anything bigger than that cam a stall is highly recomended, becuase you will start loosing low end, A 2400-2800 TB stall would be a great improvement over factory. But if you want to keep low end and are into towing and hauling, I'd stick with stock, instead of dropping $400-$800 on a stall. But, TC's with higher stall's will really get you moving, just have to match with the cam. You don't want to get something extreme and launch halfway through your powerband. Here's a video/sound clip of a 5.3 with the comp 212 218 cam.

A heavy loping cam and low end power doesn't come hand in hand 9 times out of 10. Cars with very rough idles due to cams make their power way higher in the RPM band. Comps XR259HR is a good torque cam if that's what your looking into. It's a 206/212 .515/.522 112. Most will reccomend bigger. If you want low end and more power keep the duration and LSA lower and look into higher lift.

Stock rockers are good. Springs are a must, LS6 springs are a good and cheap alternative to comp 918's, but if your running some high lift, 918's are the way to go. Also look into 7.4" hardend pushrods, they only run a bit over $100.

the10thtime · October 10, 2007

OK so im thinking that the 212/218 sounds like a good one....i have heard 3 or 4 on utube now....what about the power tho? good bottom end? good torque....i do alot of towing....nothing big....but on a daily basis i pull my 52 zero turn mower and trailer...a good 2-3000 pounds...i can only assume its gonna help power and torque as long as it doesnt hurt it im cool...i like the way those sound nothing radical...i heard a 224/224 and i think that was a little to much for me...but i heard a 216/224 .551 whatever that means that i really liked...so i mean what exactly do the 2 numbers mean? and then what was the .551 or what is the lsa...i mean what do i need to know here to educate myself into knowing what i want.? thanks alot

Schmids5.3l · October 10, 2007

The 2xx / 2xx is the Cam duration, it's the amount of time lift is generated, measured in degrees. The first 2xx is the intake duration, the 2nd 2xx is the exhaust.

.551 would be the lift the cam deleivers, most stores advertise this is with a stock rocker arm. Example being .551 on 1.7" rockers, which is the rocker ratio our trucks have factory. Same for the duration, the first .5xx is the intake lift, 2nd is the exhaust.

LSA is lobe seperation angle. Its the spacing of cam lobe centerlines, also in degrees. Lower LSA's generally give you a rougher idle, and close the vavles faster. Higher LSA's are the opposite are run smoother.

A 216/224 would be more of a high end cam, you would probobly need a higher stalled torque converter. Comp is drop shipping my cam to Lingenfelter, then it's shipping to me, and I won't have the 212 218 installed for atleast a month I'd say, but from what I've read and seen 100 times is it is a strong torque cam with great midrange and top end. It's good from Idle to redline. If you want more high end horsepower go with something with a longer duration, if you want something with more low end torque, go with a cam with lower duration. Before I'd order anything I'd call Comp or Thunder racing and ask for their opinions, as well as local speed shops. Be very specific.

Yoduman · October 10, 2007

Question. Why the 160 degree stat?

99Silver6.0 · October 10, 2007

For racing, any aftermarket stall is recomended, cam or not. The cam I ordered is probobly the biggest you would want to go with a stock TC, which is a Comp 212/218 on 114 LSA. It's an off the shelf cam, but is proven in the 5.3's, from idle- 6000rpm. Anything bigger than that cam a stall is highly recomended, becuase you will start loosing low end, A 2400-2800 TB stall would be a great improvement over factory. But if you want to keep low end and are into towing and hauling, I'd stick with stock, instead of dropping $400-$800 on a stall. But, TC's with higher stall's will really get you moving, just have to match with the cam. You don't want to get something extreme and launch halfway through your powerband. Here's a video/sound clip of a 5.3 with the comp 212 218 cam.

A heavy loping cam and low end power doesn't come hand in hand 9 times out of 10. Cars with very rough idles due to cams make their power way higher in the RPM band. Comps XR259HR is a good torque cam if that's what your looking into. It's a 206/212 .515/.522 112. Most will reccomend bigger. If you want low end and more power keep the duration and LSA lower and look into higher lift.

Stock rockers are good. Springs are a must, LS6 springs are a good and cheap alternative to comp 918's, but if your running some high lift, 918's are the way to go. Also look into 7.4" hardend pushrods, they only run a bit over $100.

Exactlly what I was going to say. 212/218 112LSA in the low or high lift spec would be perfect with stock verter. Converters make for a fun drive though!!!!!!! 216/220 might be pushing it with the stock stall though.

the10thtime · October 11, 2007

ok so next question is the 212/218 114 lsa...is that something that i can order or that i need to have made? and is there anything special to know when trying to install...certain gaskets im sure? what else?

thanks guys