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next upgrade (cam)

2K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  91_bowtie 
#1 ·
hey guys/gals, I am looking into another mod to do, and I dont think I will do the 6.0 swap on this truck. I think a cam will be easier as I dont have the major tools lifts for a engine removal/install. So I guess a thunder racing cam, I know what a cam does, but Im not sure on how to select a proper cam for my setup. I have the thorley tri-y's ceramic coated, wait4me tune (soon to be black bear tuned) and k&n FIPK CAI, ls1 efans. I think that along with the cam I should get an oil pump, hardend pushrods, timing chain, com 918 springs. Anyone have a daily driver cam that will let me keep towing capabilities, but be able to be quick on the streets. thanks.
 
#2 ·
Nothing I've seen on TR's site is good for a truck.

If miles are low, keep original oil pump. Use LS6 springs. 208-214 intake duration is plenty for a lil 4.8
 
#4 ·
what about daniels 4.8 with the 224 and lances 5.3 with the tr220? those trucks seem to be running great in trucks. personally i wouldnt run eithor of those cams in a 4.8 truck. 212/218 on a 114 would be my range for a scsb 4.8
I completely agree. Saying that Thunder Racing doesn't have anything worthy of putting in a truck is a very outlandish statement. The fastest n/a 5.3L runs a tr220 so perhaps that says something? I agree though for a 4.8L, a smaller cam should be used, but to say that Thunder doesn't have anything worthy of putting in a truck is kind of silly :imo
 
#5 ·
I completely agree. Saying that Thunder Racing doesn't have anything worthy of putting in a truck is a very outlandish statement. The fastest n/a 5.3L runs a tr220 so perhaps that says something? I agree though for a 4.8L, a smaller cam should be used, but to say that Thunder doesn't have anything worthy of putting in a truck is kind of silly :imo


If you want to be 0.15 quicker and hurt bottom end, go for it. Going from a good street grind 214/220 to a big ass, single pattern 224 isn't going to do much in a truck aside give you a mismatched combo. I can think of one cat that just went to a 220 single pattern from a nice 212/218 and he only gained a cunt hair on the top end. Luckily he had a 3K stall or the truck would have been a turd. Heads don't support it, intake doesn't, etc.

How often are you at 6500rpm? :hmm:
 
#6 ·
If you want to be 0.15 quicker and hurt bottom end, go for it. Going from a good street grind 214/220 to a big ass, single pattern 224 isn't going to do much in a truck aside give you a mismatched combo. I can think of one cat that just went to a 220 single pattern from a nice 212/218 and he only gained a cunt hair on the top end. Luckily he had a 3K stall or the truck would have been a turd. Heads don't support it, intake doesn't, etc.

How often are you at 6500rpm? :hmm:
I'm not trying to start arguements, but results are results. Who runs the fastest N/A times? And what cams are half of them running? They're either the tr220 or tr224. The tr224 does very well in 6.0's and the tr220 does extremely well in 5.3L.

I agree that there are plenty of people who are satisfied with 212/218's or 210/216's or 216/220's, but for each truck that runs good times with a 212/218, there are 5 others who run a 220 or bigger and beat that time.


Oh and I agree that you spend most of your time below 3k rpms, but that's a different issue. If you want fast times and plan to run a stall, get a 220 or bigger cam. If you need it for towing or don't want to run bigger than a 2600 converter then yes, get somethign 212/218 and smaller.
 
#7 ·
I agree that there are plenty of people who are satisfied with 212/218's or 210/216's or 216/220's, but for each truck that runs good times with a 212/218, there are 5 others who run a 220 or bigger and beat that time.


And with all same mods? Not everyone has an identical setup.

I run a 3800 stall with a 210/218.
 
#8 ·
And with all same mods? Not everyone has an identical setup.

I run a 3800 stall with a 210/218.
Yes with the same mods. Show me 5 12 second n/a silverado's with cams smaller than a 220 duration cam. I can show you close to 10.
People cam up all the time from a 212/218 to a tr220/tr224, but I have yet to see someone "cam down."

I agree and I've read many of your posts telling people how ignorant they are for buying huge cams, and to some extent you're right. However, there are plenty of benefits to running a tr220 on a 5.3L engine with stock heads. BlueCajun has the best time n/a with a 5.3L of 12.48. He switched to an ls6 intake and lost less than 1/10th of a second. The ls6 intake outflows the truck intake by quite a bit there for, there is much to be gained from a larger cam and the stock intake isn't maxed out with a tr220.

You run a 3800 converter with a 210/218? How is that any different? That cam has a very low powerband and the peak horse power isn't very high at all(you even said yourself). So why run that high of a converter? Is it not pointless to run that small of a cam with that small of a converter?

Like I said, I don't want this to turn into a heated arguement, but have you ever run a big cam? Have you ever driven a truck with a large cam? If I was to spend $2000 on heads and $800 on a 3400 PI converter, I certainly wouldn't go with a small cam, for the same reason that I wouldn't run the stock cam with a stock engine(that is where a 208-210 duration cam would work well).

I respect your opinion very much which is why I'm having this conversation with you so please take my comments for what they are and not in the least bit a personal attack or an "I think I'm better than you" attitude.
 
#9 ·
<---- 224/227 with a 3600 stall, 4.10 gears and 29" tires.... driveable... but I wouldnt say "friendly" but at the same time, heads and intake are in the works... just didnt want to swap cams twice.
 
#10 ·
224/224 on a 110 right here

no stall
no headers
pretty much stock

COMPLETELY streetable, I DD this thing and I still have great power throughout the powerband and get great MPG. I've seen so many of these trucks run great on single patterns that I wouldnt think of anything else than a single pattern grind truthfully.

It's all in the tune :read:
 
#13 ·
Alright, so who would sell this cam? This cam is good for daily driving, occasional towing and streetable? also, what size cam? And should I change gears? Thanks.


Call up your fav cam company.
 
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