03' ZO6 getting new cam...etc.

[Z06 Tom]

Sweet!

How are you going to change the cam without taking the motor out?

Z06's are just so awesome!

Looks like this once you get all the stuff out of the way:

I missed this thread Todd. Glad to hear your mods are turning out well. I'll be looking for ya out there.... If I ever get my car done. :eyerole

 

[TODD L GRIFFITH]

Hey Tom,
Yeah, I did the cam this past winter and I'm enjoying it alot this year. I just received my custom tuning via email from a tuner I know in Daytona Beach who specializes in tuning ZO6's. He did an excellent job and the car really screams with its new 7200rpm powerband. Now is time for the dyno and final tweaks. I expect not quite the hp you'll be pushing lol, but with all the other mods. the car should be well over 500hp at the crank. It feels like it, that is for sure. The car revs. so much quicker and at the higher rpms, the car just really breathes well and flies. I know the new ZO6 is coming out and don't want that kind of fever. My wife will have a kinipshun.......:eek !!! So, this Z is a keeper and I'll be doing more to it over the summer. I am about to do the grand sport stripes on the drivers side fender soon and will use your pic. as a guide............. I like the way it looks. I'm thinking of matching the color red in the front 50th Anniversary emblem, or the red in the "Z" Zo6 side emblem. It has to tie together somehow, so that would mean something atleast to me. I hope you get your car back soon. I know you are itchin' to drive it and the anticipation must be like an 8 year old's on 12/24. Let me know as soon as you park it for the first time all done, hehe. I need a full report on exhileration lol!
TTYL, Todd

 

[Hib Halverson]

Most those "lot of 650hp LS6s out there running supercharges and stock bottom ends" are in a reality distortion field of some kind. I'd like to see a 650hp blown Gen 3 with stock pistons last very long. I'll admit that 650 is possible that way, but not for long and certainly not long at 7200 rpm.

The 500hp LS6 discussed here is, perhaps a bit optimistic, but it could be done (and 475 is certainly doable) with AFR heads, the FAST intake manifold, slightly larger injectors (maybe) low restriction intake, bigger TB (maybe), the right camshaft and valve train, 1.8 rockers, headers, no cats, low restriction exhaust and proper calibration. I think such an engine would marginally durable if the rev limit was 6800 rather than 7200.

A 500hp LS6 with just a cam change? Better have a vivid imagination.

 

[Edmond]

Tom,

Cool pic!

I'm curious, how much HP potential do stock LS6 heads have?

 

[TODD L GRIFFITH]

Most those "lot of 650hp LS6s out there running supercharges and stock bottom ends" are in a reality distortion field of some kind. I'd like to see a 650hp blown Gen 3 with stock pistons last very long. I'll admit that 650 is possible that way, but not for long and certainly not long at 7200 rpm.

The 500hp LS6 discussed here is, perhaps a bit optimistic, but it could be done (and 475 is certainly doable) with AFR heads, the FAST intake manifold, slightly larger injectors (maybe) low restriction intake, bigger TB (maybe), the right camshaft and valve train, 1.8 rockers, headers, no cats, low restriction exhaust and proper calibration. I think such an engine would marginally durable if the rev limit was 6800 rather than 7200.

Hib,
I've seen quite a few supercharged LQ9, LS1 and LS6's out there with the stock bottom end. I don't know if they know the stock limits on the pistons, or the reason is the amount of labor it takes to get the motor out of the vehicle to upgrade the bottom end. Lack of a lift could be another reason. If you go back and read what I said, you'll see that I said the stock bottom end is good for about 530hp.


Here are the current mods. to my ZO6:
I have a great custom intake system, a bottom feeder through a blackwing, power duct, 90mm ported TB, and stock MAF. I would love a Fast intake, but I'm running the stock LS6. I also have Borla headers, high flow cats, and Borla Stingers. I do have larger injectors @ 36#, Taylor 409 10.4mm wires, and finally spent the cash for proper deep calibrating the new cam which is a 228/230 112LSA with a durable valvetrain that consists of 313#/in. valvesprings (stock are 271#/in.) and .080" chromemoly rods, all that I installed myself. I reused the stock 1.7:1 rockers because the are pretty stout to begin with. Valvetrain geometry is also perfectly dead on after careful mesurements and taking the time to make sure it was correct. Yes, rev limiter is 7190rpm (adj.), and have a shift light in the HUD that kicks in at 6890rpm. I've been searching for info. regarding the stock LS6 bottom end rev. limit, but haven't found any information unless you've seen something Hib. Post it here if you have solid info. I''ll back mine off by 200rpm then.
I know like me, you must read alot of technical info. seeing we both also write it for a living. If you have the recent 6/05 Chevy High Performance magazine, take a look at the specs. on the LS1 Corvette on page 80. All the mods. you listed above, except for the 1.8:1 rockers. 1.7:1 in this case (555 crank hp 483rwhp) on a 224/228 114LSA. Tuning is definitely key here lol!

I think my vivid imagination is over 400rwhp anyway.

 

[Z06 Tom]

Most those "lot of 650hp LS6s out there running supercharges and stock bottom ends" are in a reality distortion field of some kind. I'd like to see a 650hp blown Gen 3 with stock pistons last very long. I'll admit that 650 is possible that way, but not for long and certainly not long at 7200 rpm.

When completed, my Z should be pretty close to 650 at the wheels. It's been over 600 for quite some time now with just the cam and S-trim @ 7.5psi (LS1 pulley set.) I'm running Dynatech LT's with a Bassani off road X-pipe and Stingers. I was running Comp Cams valve springs in my stock heads. I have a "Be Cool" big core radiator and even with the blower, on hot days it ran cooler then it did before the build up. The tune is the big factor with these things when you go fi. I've even done several DE events with it and it runs great. So far, the only problem I've had has been the $%^&%$@ serpentine belt problems intrinsic to the Vortech kit.

Currently in the works at Dynotech is a set of AFR 205's and a T-trim blower up-grade. Phil over there has engineered a completely new tensioner, bracket and pulley system to eliminate the serpentine belt problems. CR with the AFR's will be < 10-1, so it will be a little more boost friendly. They'll also be port matched. He's gonna play around with pulleys to come up with our desired boost level, around 8 psi. With the improved volumetric efficiency (that sounds impressive :crazy ), it'll be interesting to see where it ends up. My rev limiter has been set at 6,700rpm.

Obviously, the weak link in these things is the crap pistons. With better valve springs, you shouldn't float or drop a valve. The stock crank is pretty strong, and I haven't seen many rod failures. It's the pistons and rings that let go. I've known this from the time I started thinking about getting blown. I drive the crap out of it, and if it breaks, it breaks. I'll just go stroker and up the boost with the forged internals. I'll already have the bigger blower, so I'll be ready to go from that angle. I'll let you guys know how it turns out, it's been under the knife since mid December. Nice spring days suck when your Vette's in pieces!!

What some "bad things" look like:

Dropped Valve...

Another Broken Spring...

Fried Piston...

This was on a ATI car @ 8psi (FRC Tom over on Z06Vette) Notice the dished out blower pistons he repaced the stockers with.

Ya wants ta play, ya gotta pay...

 

[Edmond]

How did that valve get dropped like that?

 

[Z06 Tom]

How did that valve get dropped like that?

The valve spring broke which would let 'er go.

 

[TODD L GRIFFITH]

Wow Tom :eek

I hate when that happens. I don't want that excuse for a new bottom end lol! I'm at risk too, could happen to me. I will eventually drop the motor, and at that point do it right also. I do worry about the internals, so if something happens, I will reuse my block and go bigger just to hide the cylinder wall scars lol!. I just need to make up my mind what direction I want to go right now lol. Eventually I have the feeling it will be a safe, larger displacement reused LS6 aluminum small block naturally aspirated. You sure can't beat the supercharger's output though and I haven't ruled that one out either. I hope you get your car back soon. I'm sure you are checking in every so often to find out where they stand. It must be hard, but it will be over soon you'll see.
Best regards,
Todd