help choosing a cam?

Shopping around for a new cam for my Trans Am and here are some that have been suggested. I am swapping in an LS6 with 243 heads fwiw. Hoping to make around 400/400 at the wheels NA and will be spraying a 125 shot.

235/238 .621"/.612" 112+3
235/242 .621"/.615" 111+3
231/234 .617"/.602" 111+2

Another shop would not send me specific numbers, but was just saying something in the range of a high 23x duration and .62x" lift on around a 112 lsa.

To me, it sounds like all of these folks are on the same page and kinda telling me the same thing. That being said, how do I choose one that I will be happy with?

My current cam is a 225/229 .580"/.590" 114 and I was less than impressed with it overall because it just didn’t seem to make any power for the mods. I don’t need the car to be a daily driver, but would like to be able to cruise around and have some decent power on tap when I decide to punch it. The whole build is leaning towards a pro-touring style build rather than a full on dragster, but I know the power I want to make and that with some planning I can get there.

Thoughts?

Whats the compression ratio and the bore of your pistons. Do you have upgraded springs retainer keepers and valves. Is it twin cam or single motor.

Talking to Jdaniels. I know nothing about LS motors but jdaniels and slowmarrow with know for sure. Mines up there in size.

Of the 3 cams you have listed I like the middle cam 235/242 .621"/.615" 111+3 with a good set of dual springs to match it. If you are only spraying a 125 shot you don’t need the wider lobe sep like you have now. The 111 installed at 108 will give you a nasty sound and should make the horsepower you are looking for with the converter locked although the torque will most likely only be in the 370-380 range. I assume you are already running aftermarket pushrods, LT headers, good exhaust and a 255 pump? It would help to have a good intake like a FAST90 and TB, but a stock LS6 intake should still get the numbers you want. I hope you aren’t afraid to shift the thing around 6800 rpm because that’s the shift points I would expect to get the potential out of that cam.

As far as the rest of your combo I would say a 3500-4000 converter and at least a 3.42 or 3.73 gear.

Good luck with it!

Was already planning 3600-4000 for the converter and rear gear will be a 3.73. QTP long tubes, TSP 3" into 4" ORY, TSP Rumbler cat-back. I have a line on a good used FAST90 that I may pick up, but there’s other things I want to get first. For now, the plan is to use the LS6 intake and ported TB. I’m also considering going ahead and putting a set of the PRC stage 2.5 heads on there while I’m at it. I know with a set of heads and the FAST90, my goal is much easier but if i’m spending over $2k for something like 20rwhp (I have no idea what the actual gain would be compared to the stock 243s/LS6) then I’d rather pass for now.

ms3

don’t be scared. They drink nitrous.

lolllll

its on a 99 trans am. That should answer everything you asked.

237/242 .603"/.609" 111 (MS3)
vs.
235/242 .621"/.615" 111+3 (custom)

What’s the difference in the end result? MS3 has 2* more intake duration but the custom cam has more lift on both ends and 3* of advance ground in. I’m not scared of a “big” cam as long as i’m not fly cutting pistons or “over-camming” a stock cube motor

Unless I’m remembering incorrectly it’s the MS4 that requires fly cut pistons. MS3 requires upgraded springs like any other decent cam swap, but if your going to do PRC heads thats kind of a given. Did you manage to get the exhaust off the black bomber alright?

Yep, springs are a given lol. Yeah the exhaust from the black bomber came off ok. John’s gonna clean it up some and put it on the T/A. I’m also doing a tubular k member and control arms to go with the suspension we took off the camaro. Should be a fun car when it’s done.

Tap dat talk

I would get the right wrenches and spin the coils up a bit. Not sure how much you drove the car after getting it from Mike, but there was some pretty heavy bump steer from the whacky camber. Are you getting tubular upper and lower control arms too?

Yeah, we have the spanners and will be spinning them up higher. Tubular control arms going in too along with the rear and trans. Basically everything but the body is getting redone and that might get some touches too with a hood and a 6LE rear cf diffuser.

Tap dat talk

O.m.g what r u doing to me lolol , Fuck that ms3 cam dude so many better ones and make more power . The heads u have on the ls6 have great springs in em now so don’t worry there man . Get bobbys cam specs that cam in your car on the jug will make u smile ear to ear . Bobby can’t drive his car so ya didn’t see what that car has .

yeha fuck the ms3!

Man you guys need huge cams to make power in those LS motors.

not really.

alot of guys just go with large cam’s. You can spin a stock bottom end LS to 7k all day, so why not take advantage of it?

Yeah fuck the MS3, you’ll end up like this guy;)

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lYWcIS4564&list=UUpzhwHMmSUGQ2RMh6ZOJRKA&index=37[/ame]

Bobby’s is a 228/232 .592"/.598" 112lsa. That’s not even in the same ballpark as the cams I’m looking at…

Tap dat talk

hey if your gonna post the videos you gotta post them all!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_uakfA97cU&list=FLBjYfGUnvMz65zs7skdAjww&index=28[/ame]

The MS4 will fit without flycutting the pistons if the heads have not been shaved. True story!