2013AvalancheLC9

Looks for help choosing a decent stock ls cam for a 2013 Avalanche 5.3 LC9. AFM failed and im deleting it but keeping VVT intact. Im going stock because im trying to avoid WOT expensive tuning on a 150k transportation truck. The big points are here it has to be a non AFM cam with VVT. I see the LM7, LH9 cams will work but are slightly less lift and duration cams. Im not looking for performance but i surely didnt want to go backwards power wise. It looks like the L96 cam (6.0) is slightly higher lift and duration cam. Im far from an expert but i think all the ls cams are interchangable physically, 4.8, 5.3, 6.0, 6.2. Here are the specs on the stock LC9 cam p/n 12625436
Duration at 050 inch Lift:195 int./192 exh.
Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio: 0.481 int./0.488 exh.
Couldnt find valve separation but i swore i saw 116°

Specs on L96 cam p/n 12625440
116 LSA ..... 196/206 DUR@ .050" ..... (.464/.474 lift

Kind of hard to find specs on some of these cams
any information is appreciated, engine's tore down and im just looking for parts

RB04Av

LSx cams interchange completely only "somewhat".

Main differences are, 3-bolt vs 1-bolt for the sprocket; and the Cam Pos Sensor provisions. (apart of course, from VVT, AFM, DOD, and all those other TLAs) Whatever cam you use has to be compatible with whatever timing gear and CPS your existing setup forces itself to use, and your tolerance for changing it, will allow.

ANY stock cam would be either (a) a complete waste of time, or (b) a disaster. DON'T EVEN.

"Avoid tuning" is a GIANT mistake. Even a stock untouched off-the-showroom-floor motor will benefit YYYYYYUUUUUUJJJJJELY from tuning. It's not that the factory tuned them wrong, or didn't know what they were doing, or anything like that; rather, their tunes have to unconditionally WORK PERFECT in all foreseeable circumstances. Altitude, temperature, destination nation, emissions regulations, CAFE, all possible fuel it might get fed, and so on; AND, has to support the warranty. Many, if not most, of those constraints don't apply to you. (like, I don't know you personally, butt I'm pretty sure you're only in ONE country, not THE WHOLE EFFFFFING PLANET, like factory tunes have to be ... from Antarctica to the Sahara, from sea level to at least 15000', etc.) Allow yourself at least that much flexibility. "WOT tuning" isn't the issue, so much as, the ignition timing curve, the fuel delivery curve, transmission shift points, and all the OTHER things that roll up into ... tuning. Tuning makes an ENORMOUS difference in everything about daily driving, even more than it does "max power".

That said, look at "stage 1" truck cams. They're generally something like 206/212 @ .050. Texas Speed, Cam Motion, Brian Tooley, Vinci, etc. all offer such things. Summit no doubt has one as well but they don't call theirs "stage" whatever; but they definitely have one if not more in the same ballpark range. Replace the valve springs at the same time, no matter what. Replace them. Don't argue.

1994Vmax

iTrader: (4)

The stock 6.2 cam would probably be right up your alley. It's 198/209 @.050" with 0.500" lift on a 115 LSA. This would be the L9H and L92 stock camshaft. I am a big fan of stock cams for upgrades as they aren't a pain in the *** and need minimal tuning.

The whole disaster thing is just plain nonsense lol. If you are paying more than 50 or 100 dollars for a stocker I would look at an aftermarket grind.

swathdiver

What he said! ^^^^ L9H camshaft! 12623065 - 198-209 .500-.500 115

There's a lot more to these numbers than this. Put an LS6 cam in your truck or some Stage I supercam from your favorite company and you will give away 40-60 foot pounds of torque or more below 3000 rpms where you spend 99% of your time and give it back up above 4K.

If you are not willing to tune the truck, you might as well repair the AFM system, the latest parts are pretty reliable anyway. It is SOP to replace the lifter trays and VLOM.

snakeatinZ

I have a 2003 LS6 cam on the shelf with 52k miles on it you can have if you pay shipping. The cam was out of my brothers ZO6.
Steve

68Formula

From the sounds of it, the BTR Torque Truck 202/202 111+1 would be right up your alley (you'd need to delete your VVT). This will provide more low-end torque than even the stock LC9 Cam even with it's VVT advance, plus make additional power on top. Can be used with stock springs, but I'd still put the LS3 springs in anyway.

Any cam change other than original, is going to require some tuning.

2013AvalancheLC9

Thanks for the offer!

2013AvalancheLC9

that was my first choice, btr stage 1 truck cam until i considered tuning

2013AvalancheLC9

Thanks for all the information, learned alot here. Im probablly going to install the lh9 cam since the specs are so close im guessing ill probablly be able to just install and drive it without tuning. Picked the cam up before i posted here so its already laying on the engine anyway.

RB04Av

LS6 cam would be a DISASTER in a 5.3 truck.

It's not the right thing for a small motor in a heavy (about 6000 lbs: nearly TWICE the weight of the vehicles the LS6 came in) with TERRIBLE gears (remember, not only the gears themselves, but also tire size, go into this).

It would be OK if your 5.3 was going into a Miata or some such. Total mismatch for a truck however.

I doubt you'll even be able to tell any difference between what you have and the LH9. That will most likely turn out to be a waste of time.

One of the 2 choices you get with stock cams: (a) a complete waste of time, or (b) a disaster. Don't make either mistake.