hello there fellas! I have a 2004, and i have been researching camshafts on this forum with the aid of the search function. However i do have two questions, i'd like a direct answers to.
1) i have settled on a mild cam the GT2-3 from Lingenfelter, and i was wondering if the computer has to be messed with after install.
2) I did read the "Add 100 HP to Gen III Small-Blocks" on Car Craft, and was surprised to read that when installing a cam on the Gen III that you can just spin the engine over two revolutions the lifters will sit up out of the way so you dont have to pull the intake on the engine. I found a post that confirms this, but it mentioned using a dowel rod for safety's sake, but did not give a recommended size.
also i am open to suggestions on the cam and install, its my first time researching a cam replacement, so any and all suggestions are great. I have learned allot by just reading about it on the other posts, but any advice is great even when repeated.
__________________
"You ever get the urge to just do something stupid... and AWESOME?" -Demyx
My SSR: 05 6 sp. with 4.56 gears, Flowmaster cat back, Crane cam and Rockers, lowered, Intro wheels, K&N.
Concerning question #1, what is the duration @ .050 lift and do you you know the lobe separation? Those are the parameters that most influence the ECM. I ran a Crane that was 210 deg. intake and 218 exhaust with 116 deg. lobe separation, and it ran great with the stock ECM tune in my 05 LS2. In fact I'm presently pulling it out and it's for sale if you'd have any interest. I'm going larger with ECM tuning involved. If you have a lot of miles you may want to stick some dowels in the lifter galleries, but my swap worked well without them @ 10k miles. Now I've got over 30k miles and I'll probably use the dowels this time through for safety, because if a lifter drops down the intake and the cylinder head has to come off to access the darn lifters! Other things to consider while you're in there would be a new timing set and doing a little work to the stock oil pump. A little blending of the inlet and outlet of the pump along with a shim in the pressure relief helps out. Good Luck with your swap!
Concerning question #1, what is the duration @ .050 lift and do you you know the lobe separation? Those are the parameters that most influence the ECM.
the Duration @ .050 is 207 / 220 and the lobe separation is 118.5.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Topspin
If you have a lot of miles you may want to stick some dowels in the lifter galleries, but my swap worked well without them @ 10k miles.
I have about 24k miles on it, so it might be safe for me to do that. I really don't want to pull the intake if i don't have to.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Topspin
I ran a Crane that was 210 deg. intake and 218 exhaust with 116 deg. lobe separation, and it ran great with the stock ECM tune in my 05 LS2. In fact I'm presently pulling it out and it's for sale if you'd have any interest.
I will run this by my wrench who knows more about this than i do, he is also the one that is going to do the install. Im going to supervise thanks for all your help!
__________________
"You ever get the urge to just do something stupid... and AWESOME?" -Demyx
My SSR: 05 6 sp. with 4.56 gears, Flowmaster cat back, Crane cam and Rockers, lowered, Intro wheels, K&N.
Abonadies, my feeling is this cam would be an excellent choice for an auto. LS2. It seems to have great low and mid range power while still picking up the high rpm power. It probably would work with the stock springs, though I upgraded mine when I installed this cam. The gross valve lift is .551" on both lobes. It would probably perform best with a gear or converter change, but I think it wouldn't be too bad with the stock setup. I paid $435. for it and would take $225. plus shipping if interested.
Yello, I forgot to mention that physically getting the cam out can be a challenge. I actually cut the top of the front radiator support to clear it. I tried jacking the engine up and it still wouldn't clear, so I just cut a semi circle in the brace as I knew I'd be doing this job again.
Thanks for the install info topspin. just to be clear which support are we talking about? the plastic bottom one? if so, i have mike in AZ's metal one so i doubt i can cut into it.
-yello
__________________
"You ever get the urge to just do something stupid... and AWESOME?" -Demyx
My SSR: 05 Asphalt, Mike AZ Fan, NEW STYLE WIPER ARMS
Quote:
Originally Posted by Topspin
Abonadies, my feeling is this cam would be an excellent choice for an auto. LS2. It seems to have great low and mid range power while still picking up the high rpm power. It probably would work with the stock springs, though I upgraded mine when I installed this cam. The gross valve lift is .551" on both lobes. It would probably perform best with a gear or converter change, but I think it wouldn't be too bad with the stock setup. I paid $435. for it and would take $225. plus shipping if interested.
Yello, I forgot to mention that physically getting the cam out can be a challenge. I actually cut the top of the front radiator support to clear it. I tried jacking the engine up and it still wouldn't clear, so I just cut a semi circle in the brace as I knew I'd be doing this job again.
Yup, Topspin was a TON of help to me when I changed my cam. His advise made the swap much easier....
Don't be afraid to buy his cam. I made a similar purchase from him and it's worked out very well. He's a hotroder having fun !
Im actually looking into that. My wrench and i like to discuss things, as i trust his advice as well.
@ Topspin do you need to change the springs with the cam you are wanting to sell? With the GT2-3 cam it is highly recommended that you change to the LS1 beehive springs.
__________________
"You ever get the urge to just do something stupid... and AWESOME?" -Demyx
My SSR: 05 6 sp. with 4.56 gears, Flowmaster cat back, Crane cam and Rockers, lowered, Intro wheels, K&N.
Hey Butch, many Thanks for the kind words! Yours still running strong? You going to get it down the 1/4 mile next year?!!
Yep Yello, you're in the same situation as bgetz was with his 04. Just about any cam change demands better valve springs, and even pushrods, than the stock LM4 has. The LS2 came stock with much better valve springs that are usable up to the point of coil bind issues. Comp Cams has a drop in set of beehive springs that work nicely for the type of cams you're considering. You might consider changing your valve seals while you're in there, since you have some miles on your R. The first picture below is looking from the engine back to the upper cross brace. The semicircle in the right side of the opening is what I cut out for cam removal clearance. There's still a plastic oval insert in the opening that is removable that I haven't taken out yet. With it out the cam will slide into that opening for removal. Also seeing the air cond. condenser in the picture, reminds me that you can move it around enough to get the cam out without breaking the lines loose - saves a recharge. The second photo is just for anyone reading this thread with an LS2. It shows an aftermarket timing set that is correct for that engine. The LS2 has the cam positioning sensor moved to the timing cover (notice the half circle raised portion on the cam gear), where as the LM4 and all Gen 3 engines read cam positioning from the rear of the cam. So, any good timing set will work in the LM4, but you need a dedicated Gen 4 set for the LS2. ARP does make an upgraded set of timing gear bolts which I used, as some of the fasteners scare me on the stock engine. On that topic, the crank bolt is NOT reusable as it's a torque to yield piece.
thank you so much Topspin for the pictures you are most useful! I sent these to my wrench and he will take a look. You are so helpful! thank you again for sharing your knowledge with those of us who are not mechanically gifted. However, with all the adventures i am having with this wonderful -and yet quirky- truck i am slowly becoming more aware of the mechanical workings of vehicles.
also.. can you see the cut after its put back together?
__________________
"You ever get the urge to just do something stupid... and AWESOME?" -Demyx
Last edited by yellochevy02 : 02-09-2010 at 08:47 AM.
My SSR: 05 6 sp. with 4.56 gears, Flowmaster cat back, Crane cam and Rockers, lowered, Intro wheels, K&N.
You're certainly welcome Yello, you might say your cam timing was perfect, as I was right in the middle of doing mine. You'll never see the cutout once things are back together, but have your wrench touch up the cut area with paint so it won't rust!
Hello Yello, I too have a 2004 Slingshot Yellow SSR and feel that a new cam would do a lot to making the 5.3L engine a better preforming power plant. It is a good running, all aluminum block engine with roller rockers, EFI, etc. When you get the work done do a posting here and let us know how it turned out and what you did. Good luck.
Quote:
Originally Posted by yellochevy02
hello there fellas! I have a 2004, and i have been researching camshafts on this forum with the aid of the search function. However i do have two questions, i'd like a direct answers to.
1) i have settled on a mild cam the GT2-3 from Lingenfelter, and i was wondering if the computer has to be messed with after install.
2) I did read the "Add 100 HP to Gen III Small-Blocks" on Car Craft, and was surprised to read that when installing a cam on the Gen III that you can just spin the engine over two revolutions the lifters will sit up out of the way so you dont have to pull the intake on the engine. I found a post that confirms this, but it mentioned using a dowel rod for safety's sake, but did not give a recommended size.
also i am open to suggestions on the cam and install, its my first time researching a cam replacement, so any and all suggestions are great. I have learned allot by just reading about it on the other posts, but any advice is great even when repeated.
Hello Yello, I too have a 2004 Slingshot Yellow SSR and feel that a new cam would do a lot to making the 5.3L engine a better preforming power plant. It is a good running, all aluminum block engine with roller rockers, EFI, etc. When you get the work done do a posting here and let us know how it turned out and what you did. Good luck.
I plan on it, right now im in the research phase, just kinda checking things out. but when i do decide to make the switch ill be posting it.
Thanks topspin for the dowel rod size. any ideas on the computer? Ill have to take it somewhere to get that programmed if necessary.
__________________
"You ever get the urge to just do something stupid... and AWESOME?" -Demyx
TopSpin
I'm thinking about taking out the Z06 cam and going with something "lumpier". And yes I'll be heading to the track on test and tune night to see what it will do.
I'm hoping to crack 100 in the quarter but that may be wishful thinking.
I just can't leave well enough alone.
hello there fellas! I have a 2004, and i have been researching camshafts on this forum with the aid of the search function. However i do have two questions, i'd like a direct answers to.
1) i have settled on a mild cam the GT2-3 from Lingenfelter, and i was wondering if the computer has to be messed with after install.
2) I did read the "Add 100 HP to Gen III Small-Blocks" on Car Craft, and was surprised to read that when installing a cam on the Gen III that you can just spin the engine over two revolutions the lifters will sit up out of the way so you dont have to pull the intake on the engine. I found a post that confirms this, but it mentioned using a dowel rod for safety's sake, but did not give a recommended size.
also i am open to suggestions on the cam and install, its my first time researching a cam replacement, so any and all suggestions are great. I have learned allot by just reading about it on the other posts, but any advice is great even when repeated.
Don't trust the stock springs, It isn't going to cost near as much to put good springs, Retainers and push rods as it would to rebuild the whole engine, The retainers under the valve spring broke because the beehive springs were to weak in my 04, Also Comp isn't known for good parts anymore, A part no bigger than a nickel broke and the only things I could save in the motor was the crank and the rods, The rest was junk, Even had to have the crank, Block and heads worked on, A cam sure does wake the 5.3 up big time, I run the GT2-2
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cam swap
thanks for all your help!
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