105k Mile Cam Build

[jesse121pm]

Hey everyone, Im looking to cam my car its a 2012 ss manual, it has 105k miles on it everything is stock on the car. I want to get extra power out of it and also do a complete cam kit from GPI, Lifters, springs, pushrods all that stuff. I'm probably going to go with the stage 3 or stage 4 cam and I would like to make almost 500whp if thats possible. I'm planning on getting headers full exhaust everything like that. I was just confused on the sizing of pushrods and exactly what I needed. I had Andrew build me a list but I wasn't fully ready to buy it so the list refreshed and I can't find it. Anyway long story short im trying to see what you guys have and how many miles so I can base my stuff of yours. Thanks.

[ariZona28]

Honestly, I'd just check in with Andrew again. 500 HP to the wheels is fairly easy with the LS3 and 6 speed. I've got the GM Crate 495 HP LS3 in my C5 Z06 HPDE car and with headers, no cats and a tune it made 468. Basically a stock LS3 with the "Hot Cam". You'll get plenty of opinions and build suggestions but I'd say use good quality components and keep the cam lift under .600 so you don't need to check/change springs every 20,000 miles or so. With your more aggressive build don't be afraid to throw 3.91 gears in the back, you'll be glad you did.

[morepowerjoe]

You can get 500 whp from a GPI SS3 with a ported intake, throttle body, and
longtubes. But as far as I know you will need injectors and a zl1 pump.

[1JEWLDSSRS]

As mentioned above, I would check with Andrew again for the parts you need. He is the guru on here for nice stout engine builds! He will do you right. I have a TSP Stage 3 cam listed in my sig with stock heads, except for the springs, trunnions and push rods, locks and retainers, and an LOD manifold on an L99 engine and made 486rwhp, so you could get real close to 500.

[Bluebagger06]

I run SS4 and i pretty sure we went with stock length push rods since i didnt have heads milled and used stock head gaskets. If you are dead set on 500 hp number you will have to port your heads to maybe achieve that or you can find a tuner with a friendly dyno and i sure he can get you 500hp on paper.

[morepowerjoe]

It's just really all in the tune. Because I picked up almost 30 whp from an email tune to a dyno tune with the same combination with before and after comparisons. Also I know someone who is getting 500 whp from the SS3 without ported heads.
And yes to your question, you will use the stock length pushrod with the GPI cams but will need a hardened one or the stock one could fail on you. Another note you can use the gm performance racing lifter in place of the ls7 lifter or the "stock" lifters with the same length pushrod but as far as I know if you go with johnson lifters you'll have to measure them.

[ss camaro-monte]

There are several of us on the forum who have gotten 440-475 rwhp with smaller cams in a L99 so I wouldn't think 500 is out of reach at all with a stick car with just a big cam. If you do a search on the forum several ss3 cammed only stick cars are very close to 500rwhp. I am sure ss3 with ported heads and intake would get you there but every dyno is a little different. It isn't uncommon to have a 20rwhp or more variance between different dynos and different Temps outside.

[Modernmusclecar]

AaAll these years on here and I've not seen many 500 who Camaros.

[1JEWLDSSRS]

Originally Posted by Modernmusclecar

AaAll these years on here and I've not seen many 500 who Camaros.

Agreed. That's why I said you could get close.. I've only seen a couple at that, and they were max effort builds with aftermarket heads, or some stroker builds.

[ss camaro-monte]

I think 470 is more realistic without udp, ported intake and tb with a ss3 but even ported stock castings are worth 20rwhp on my peanut cam setup.

I think two members on here recently got 451 with an ss1 with stock heads and 475 with ported heads in a L99. Granted those are a little higher than normal at gpi but still close. Bottom line is if you want to get to that 500 mark the ported heads do make a difference and the bigger the cam the more the ported heads and either a ported intake or aftermarket intake matters if you spin past 7k like jewld has. Andrew has a max effort build and he could tell you what you need. I am sure if the ss3 with ported heads doesn't get you over the hump the ss4 is bound to do it if you want the big cam NA build. Also stick cars are up 30 or more rwhp over the auto cars with similar builds just due to the drivetrain loss.

[ss camaro-monte]

Check out this old thread. This is with ss3 and prc heads and pretty much everything else you can get done. I bet the ported heads are a bigger difference than going from ss3 to ss4 but not 100% on that but heads are definitely worth 20 rwhp just with ported stock castings. Aftermarket heads I assume will get you more especially with a bigger cam.


https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=346704

[acammer]

Hi. We can do it however you need it. Lots of good info on here, and when you're ready just shoot me an email and I'll get you sorted out. Andrew@gwatneyperformance.com

[morepowerjoe]

Originally Posted by ss camaro-monte

Check out this old thread. This is with ss3 and prc heads and pretty much everything else you can get done. I bet the ported heads are a bigger difference than going from ss3 to ss4 but not 100% on that but heads are definitely worth 20 rwhp just with ported stock castings. Aftermarket heads I assume will get you more especially with a bigger cam.


https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=346704

And tuning has came really far since then too. We now look at tuning the SS3 vvt cam a bit differently now. Also for what's it worth the SS3 cam is different then the vvt cam and picks up a significant amount more hp up in the higher rpm range.

[1JEWLDSSRS]

Originally Posted by ss camaro-monte

I think 470 is more realistic without udp, ported intake and tb with a ss3 but even ported stock castings are worth 20rwhp on my peanut cam setup.

I think two members on here recently got 451 with an ss1 with stock heads and 475 with ported heads in a L99. Granted those are a little higher than normal at gpi but still close. Bottom line is if you want to get to that 500 mark the ported heads do make a difference and the bigger the cam the more the ported heads and either a ported intake or aftermarket intake matters if you spin past 7k like jewld has. Andrew has a max effort build and he could tell you what you need. I am sure if the ss3 with ported heads doesn't get you over the hump the ss4 is bound to do it if you want the big cam NA build. Also stick cars are up 30 or more rwhp over the auto cars with similar builds just due to the drivetrain loss.

Concur on this. When we did a baseline dyno pull before I did a header install way before the cam swap, stock except for an axle back exhaust and CAI, she put down 331 rwhp. So if the advertised crank HP is 400 on my L99, I lost 69 HP through the drive train, a stick car as mentioned, maybe half of that. And it starts at 426 crank HP. So yeah, you can get closer than I could especially if you go big, I think GPI has an F35 "no fly cut" cam, which I believe is their biggest, and a set of good heads, or even the GPI ones they do. Also I didn't do heads back then because they weren't in my budget at the time. I'm happy with what I have, can't use it all anyway, even with the 335 tires on the rear, and the 4500 stall.. But I can sure rev up to 7200 and still make power, we stopped the run at 7500, because my lifters won't handle much over that. I have the GM Performance lifters rated for 7200.. So my shifts are set for 7000 and redline is 7200..