I'm new to this and 19 years old! I build completely original 67/69 camaros, but I love the LS series motors from GM.

I drive a 5.3L 2000 silverado extended cab. Its current mods are K&N CAI, throttle body spacer, ASP under drive pulley, flexalite e-fans, pacesetter long tubes with ture dual 3" exhaust, X-pipe with option of cut-outs or dual inlet 3" Magnaflow muffler, EFI dyno tune. Put down 274rwhp and 347rwtq on 78lbs 20's.

I was pretty impressed with the tq number but I realize the small 5.3L starts to reach its tq limit around 350rwtq. My question is what cam and heads would work best for more tq.

I am getting a new transmission but keeping around a stock stall. I have to buy my own gas so I like the truck to be gas friendly. It currently gets 17-20mpgs in town and 24-26mpg highway < No lie

I was looking between smallest, comp 206/212 112, 212/218, 216/220 114
I want a lot of tq for around town seeing as I never take it over 80mph
If you guys could help me out I would greatly appreciate it!

 

the 212/218 is a proven cam. it will work well with a stock converter. you can still get impressive mpg with a converter... i got 14mpg city with a 3200converter and i get right at 12 mpg with my 3800converter i would look into the 278mm converters from circle d...

 

Go with the 212/218 low lift. 243 heads milled .030 for the same compression, or you can bump it a bit with more milling or use thinner head gaskets.

FWIW. 243 heads milled .030 with a .040 thickness gasket will give you 9.9:1, stock compression is 9.5:1

 

I ran a 12.8 in my rcsb using the 212/218 cam, tbss intake, worked/milled 0.40 243's 3600 PI stall. Im sure it could have gone a bit lower but ran it just once with the heads.

 

I agree the 212/218 low lift is a very proven cam and would give you the low end you want.

 

Is the milled route/thinner head gasket, cheaper/better route than at set of texas speed stage 2.5 heads $1300 shipped?

Do you have an idea how much hp at motor or rw you gain from a almost .5 compression jump? Does it require higher than 87 octane for the compression increase?

Truck has 140,000 miles I plan on getting new lifters push rods and comp 918 springs. do I need a new timing chain? While I have the truck apart should I invest in a ls6 ported oil pump?

The stock tq converter is around 1700stall I believe. Would around a 2000-2200stall be much notice over stock?

Sorry for all the questions I just really want to do my research before I spend all my hard earned summer mowing money.

 

212/218 proven TQ cam.

 

Look in the classifieds here and on the LS1 tech side for a set of used 243 heads that have been worked over by TEA, Patriot performance, or PRC. A stage 2 would be great. They can usually be found for around $900-$1000. Then have them milled to the compression of your choice. There are a couple sets on LS1tech now.

 

I was just going the budget friendly route. If you have the cash for some TSP heads, I'd definitely look into them. They do more than just a mill on their's, I believe they do some P&P as well.

The GMT900 trucks have 9.9 compression, it depends on your tune. I had my truck tuned for 91 oct with 9.5 compression and retuned for 91 oct. with 9.9. The compression bump isn't much, but it'll help with the low end torque that you obviously want.

I used the stock chain, crank gear, replaced the cam gear, and didn't change the oil pump when I did mine @154,000 miles, because I didn't want to drop the oil pan.

If you get lifters, we'll all recommend the LS7 lifters, something to keep in mind if you go that router, they're a bit taller than the standard LS lifter, so you may need a shorter pushrod.

A stall shouldn't affect your highway mileage much if at all, once the converter is locked, it cruses down the highway just like the stock converter. It's in town that'll get you. Some guys put in a TBSS stall, which stalls around 2400 IIRC. Even if you get a 2600-2800 stall, the MPG cost will be worth the smiles you'll get from it, and if you go with a Circle-D, if you keep your foot out of it, it shouldn't hurt you too much because they're typically a pretty tight converter.

 

you actully want the i6 trailblazer stall tho, not the tbss...sorry to correct you denton, everything else looked good lol