Performance Upgrades

flamedsierra · February 16, 2008

I am wanting to do some upgrades on the 5.3 in my 03 GMC. This is my show truck/cruisin around truck. It only has 26k miles. I am wanting to do a cam swap, flow the heads, change out the valve springs, long tube headers, spintec mufflers, and the HP Tuners laptop tune. I'm not after a smooth idle cam or anything like that. I want the motor to have some lope to it and just be rowdy sounding. Something that I havent seen done personally with a 5.3. Also with me living in KY, smog is not an issue so I will be doing away with the catylitic convertors. A buddy of mine has an X3 cam that was in his 04 Vette for a very short period before he did a turbo set up. Would this cam be recommended? What can would you all recommend. I am also aware that if I do a larger cam, a stall will be needed. I am wanting to wake this lil motor up, I grew up around hotrods so I want to give my truck more of that hotrod feel and make it more fun to cruise around in. Not to mention to be able to turn a few heads at the track. Thanks for any help on this.

edit: just realized that I put this in the wrong section. I apologize. If needed, move this to the performance section.

Zembonez · February 16, 2008

Member Schmid5.3 has done a bunch of stuff to his 5.3. (others too) Here's a free bump to the top to see if we can stir them up.

Schmids5.3l · February 16, 2008

Thanks Bones

First off what is your trucks configuration? Reg cab? quad cab? Short bed? 2wd or 4x4? Also what gears does it have?

A good combo is Thunder Racings TR220 Cam on a 112 LSA matched with a 3000 rpm converter. Save around $800 before going thru with it

Cam - $350-$400

Hardened push rods (7.4") - $100~

Springs - depends. I'm running the yellow LS6 springs and got them for around $50 off Lingenfelter, I think they should handle the TR220's lift and lobes, if not get Comp 918's which I THINK are around $200

With that cam you'll need a tune afterwards, so either call and schedule with a dyno shop before hand or order a tuned PCM from Wheatly or Nelson before hand. Or since your interested in getting HP Tuners, which is excellent, tune it yourself in your free time. The PCM should run decent;y with that cam, but it's not going to run great.

Factory lifters and rockers are good, no need to replace them. You'll want to get some extra antifreeze and some rtv/gasket making stuff.

Yank and precision industries make excellent converters, you will need a transmission cooler, even if you have the small one with the towing package.

Pacesetter sells ceramic coated long tune headers with a "Y" pipe that plugs into your stock cat back for $500~, it's good bang for the buck. Stainless works, and dynatech sell stainless steel headers which are pretty expensive...but their stainless steel. Arizona Speed and Marine sell some ceramic coated L/T's also. In the end you get what you pay for, but many people are happy with Pacesetters.

You'd have to give your buddy's with the '04 vette's cam specs...my guess it's it's a big duration cam, which isn't bad, but in a truck you'd need a bigger and bigger converter which means your truck is less and less streetable/driveable.

Zembonez · February 16, 2008

Thanks Bones

Sorry I lost an S in your name there.

Here is his truck post. It's worth a look! CLICKEE HEEER

Schmids5.3l · February 16, 2008

Thanks Bones

Sorry I lost an S in your name there.

Here is his truck post. It's worth a look! CLICKEE HEEER

Nice! I don't know how but I missed his sig! Ok flammedSierra what gears does your truck have? Those rims are killing your acceleration, but if its a show truck I guess thats ok Since it's a full on show truck gears won't matter, but I'd still put a converter ideal for the cam in it so you can somewhat drive it around normally.

flamedsierra · February 16, 2008

Thanks for the info. The truck is a 2wd, single cab, short bed, suppose to have the 3:73 gears, but I believe it has the 3:42's. Its a full custom show truck, not daily driven at all. The truck lays frame over 22x10" intro wheels with an air ride suspension set up. 4 linked in the rear, stiff shocks, its a good safe set up all around.

Since the truck will not be daily driven and will be trailered to most shows, I'm not to concerned about the overall driveability. The most I'll drive it is an hour away for a show or cruise in.

flamedsierra · February 16, 2008

Nice! I don't know how but I missed his sig! Ok flammedSierra what gears does your truck have? Those rims are killing your acceleration, but if its a show truck I guess thats ok Since it's a full on show truck gears won't matter, but I'd still put a converter ideal for the cam in it so you can somewhat drive it around normally.

I'm thinking that it has the 3:42's. Its also single spin, but that will change as well. I need a limited slip rear end, and i wouldnt mind swapping out the gears either. I'm also considering getting another set of wheels for the track. It may be a show truck, but dont be suprised if you see some rubber on those rear bed sides I definately want to do a converter that goes with the cam. I believe in doing stuff right, so I'm willing to wait a little longer to save up some more money if thats what it takes.

Schmids5.3l · February 16, 2008

Good stuff. A Yank 3000 rpm converter is $550, which is an excellent price for that quality of a converter. Honestly with the cam I mentioned earlier you could probably get away with out a converter, since hauling ass isn't a main priority.

If you want to save some money you could get that cam off your vette buddy, but get the cam specs first.

flamedsierra · February 16, 2008

Good stuff. A Yank 3000 rpm converter is $550, which is an excellent price for that quality of a converter. Honestly with the cam I mentioned earlier you could probably get away with out a converter, since hauling ass isn't a main priority.

If you want to save some money you could get that cam off your vette buddy, but get the cam specs first.

I do want it to run good as well. One thing I dont want to do is have a bad ass sounding truck and then it not run like it sounds. I'm not out to be the fastest, but I dont want it to be all bark and no bite either. I'll get the specs for that cam.

bluedeval03 · February 17, 2008

What's up man? Let me know how yours turns out. If good, I'll let you do mine. hehehehehe Small world ain't it?

david

flamedsierra · February 18, 2008

Good stuff. A Yank 3000 rpm converter is $550, which is an excellent price for that quality of a converter. Honestly with the cam I mentioned earlier you could probably get away with out a converter, since hauling ass isn't a main priority.

If you want to save some money you could get that cam off your vette buddy, but get the cam specs first.

Here's the specs off of the cam that my buddy has for sale. It saw very very little use in his car.

its a G5X3 on a 114 lsa and the lift and duration specs are:

234*/242* .600"/.610"

Schmids5.3l · February 18, 2008

That's a pretty good sized cam! Here's a few clips I google searched and came up with.

http://lsx.streetfire.net/video/1E789965-8...75D67C1A7F4.htm

http://www.fquick.com/videos/G5x3_Cam_Idle/4017

It will probably make some really good mid range and high RPM horse power! If it saves you some money I'd say go for it, but you will need some beefy valve springs. If you get the cam for cheap it would offset the price difference of buying a new cam with cheaper LS6 valve springs, IE $100 for your buddies cam & $250 for valve springs comes out to $350, VS. $400 cam, $50 ls6 valve springs. You'll loose a good bit of low RPM torque.

flamedsierra · February 19, 2008

^^ man, those links make want to do this that much more. That buddy of mine is wanting $350 for that used cam, to much money in my opinion. I can get a new one for just over $400. Before I spend that much, I'm goin to make sure that, that is the cam that I want. Its a big cam

Schmids5.3l · February 20, 2008

Big cam indeed. Yes you can pick up brand new cams at Lingenfelter.com for $350, that's how much I payed for mine. Even though his cam is probably in great shape maybe talk him down a little bit. The cam will act bigger in your truck than those Fbodies, since those are 5.7l Ls1's and you have a 5.3l, cubes eat cams. Either way your going to idle like a top fuel dragster, which is completely awesome

LewiSILVERADO · March 17, 2008

Big cam indeed. Yes you can pick up brand new cams at Lingenfelter.com for $350, that's how much I payed for mine. Even though his cam is probably in great shape maybe talk him down a little bit. The cam will act bigger in your truck than those Fbodies, since those are 5.7l Ls1's and you have a 5.3l, cubes eat cams. Either way your going to idle like a top fuel dragster, which is completely awesome

There's a great article in Car Craft on a junk yard 5.3 truck motor build-up. They got 98 HP on an engine dyno from just a cam swap. The reason these engines respond so well to cam swaps is the heads are about the best small block head Chevy has ever built. They flow better than any Gen III aftermarket head.

There's also a series of 3 or 4 articles in Hot Rod that I believe started in November '07 about a 6.0 build-up. Much of it is applicable. From their testing they found that the FI intake on the late model 5.3/6.0 flows better than the Corvette manifold and dual throttle throttle body. So we get to start with some of the best stuff Chevy has to offer. It's no wokder they get 333 HP stock from the L33 in the '06! I just have a K&N off road intake and a Magnaflow cat back and love how well it sounds. I want a tuner next, and am considering a cam swap (which is where all the power lives for our engines).

The 5.3 may be considered a "small" engine in hot rod circles, but we're seeing it show up in a lot of interesting applications (including one in a Ford Fairmont with a truck turbo and an auto that is, if I recall, in the 11's - I believe that article is in the same Car Craft as the 5.3 build-up article).