Hey everybody,
I was wondering if anyone has any advice for my heads/cam package I had installed earlier this year…
I bought stage 2 LS1 heads from Patriot performance, and the cam is Lift: .581/.581 Dur@.050: 224/224 LSA: 112 114 from Comp Cams.

I had the car dyno tuned and it made 381 HP at the wheels. That is with a LoudMouth, but no headers. I then got Pacesetter LT’s and custom y-pipe with no cats and had it re-tuned and strapped back on the dyno. It only made 388 RWHP. I lost a good amount of low end torque. I was really hoping for over 400 RWHP with this setup, but it feels kind of sluggish (for a heads/cam car) until over 4000 RPM.
Also I’ve noticed a light smoking problem when idling. Not the average puff of smoke chevy V8’s are known for at start up, but a constant light blue smoke while idling, and enough fumes to make you high. No cats though so….

My question is, is the lack of low-end the cam? Is there a better cam to go with? Or is it the heads? Any advice? This is not a daily driver, mostly weekends. It just doesn't have the nasty raw power I was hoping for except for way up top.

Any ideas?

 

Is it using any oil?

 

i've seen so many times people claiming and exaggerating about 20-30hp gains from LT headers. when i have read several, including JasonD dyno only 15 hp gains on bolt on cars (at the wheels).

yah...7 seems a bit low, but it could have been the dyno, weather or even not the most ideal tune for the headers.

the tune could have been a bit "hot" for it before, and now it is right where it should be...which could explain a smaller gain.

and i think loss of low end torque is a common occurance associated with the high flowing LTs, but it usually makes up for it on the top end.

curious as to what rpm you pulled to on the dyno? you may need to go higher to see the full potential of the mods..particularly with the cam.

but 390ish to the wheels with heads and 224* cam, boltons with LTs, is about the going number from all the info i've read

 

I have similar cam with FLP LT headers and stock heads. I dyno at 384/rwhp and 381/rwtq. Torq reaches 381 at 3200 and stays there till 5500.

 

Yes it does burn some oil. It doesn't smoke ALL the time, but the exhaust stinks bad and burns your eyes (probably the no cats), and a lot of times, it has very light blue smoke while idling.

I'm not complaining about the 7 hp from the headers, but the loss of torque from when it was stock til now. People have told me you can't get lots of low end torque AND high RPM power with a cam, that the torque comes from the heads. If thats true, I am a little confused since I bought heads from Patriot Performance that were supposed to give gains.

Is there a magical cam out there that will make 400 HP AND give more low end grunt?

And where are my winning lotto numbers?? Ha ha

Thanks

 

Hot cam ...

 

At the wheels?

 

<------- 290 rwhp. If I were you, I'd be happy with those numbers. But then again that's what they are. Just numbers. Did you run any 1/4 miles yet? That's the best way to guage your gains. With all the stuff I put in, I feel too much low end torque and good high end torque. Hopefully getting new 1/4s tomorrow. Good luck!

 

Sig ... and an unlocked TC

 

The hotcam is garbage. It makes decent power at best, but it is so less street friendly than most other cams because of its high total duration. I'd suggest a cam from Futral Motorsports. His cams are VERY streetable and they make a ton of power. I have the F11 (228/230 .581/.591 112LSA) and my car made 401/398 without the heads. It's getting dynotuned saturday now that I have my ported/polished LS6 Heads. Has an excellent curve and has a much better idle and better street manners than my roomate's car with the hotcam. And he is removing that hotcam this weekend and putting a Futral F12 in this weekend because it pissed him off to see me with a much bigger cam and pain free driving.