LSA vs LS9 Camshaft

[davidcroft]

Are there gains to be had with an LS9 cam? The only specs I could find were
.480" / .480", 198 / 216 @ .050" for the LSA
211/230 @.050 valve lift and .558/.552 for the LS9

Couldn't really find more info than that on the LSA cam. Because when you google LSA , it always tries to pop up "lobe separation angle" I cannot find the "lobe separation angle" spec on the LSA cam.

Granted you will ALWAYS make more power with a custom grind cam....but for those that wanna go inexpensive the LS9 camshaft is around $125 and you don't necessarily have to go with a dual spring upgrade since it's a factory cam.

[Stingr69]

LS-9 cam is a 25 HP gain for a normally aspirated LS-3. You will also need the 3-bolt cam timing gear. No other changes required. I put one in during a supercharger install and I am happy with it. Smooth idle and no tune changes required. A custom tune is allways good to have but the powertrain warranty goes away so decide for yourself if that makes a difference to you or not.

-Mark.

[davidcroft]

I knew that for the LS3, but I wanted to know what the gains were in an actual LSA engine vs the factory LSA cam. It appears to be a bit more aggressive of a cam and already has blower specs.

[MrDew]

I would like to know this too. I'm sure someone over in the cts-v forum has done this...

[DangerZL1]

You might want to check out a CTS-V forum, since I'm sure some of the members have made this swap. There's just not enough ZL1 owners who've done this level of mods yet and most would choose a larger cam. I believe Ligenfelter sells this can as one of his upgrades.

[KD Innovations]

You will pick up about 35 RWHP with the LS9 cam over the LSA cam.

[MrDew]

Still reading... http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums...cam-way-5.html

The torque is fantastic but I'm not taking it past 3500 and part throttle until I tune it on the dyno in the morning. We'll see if it's "too much power." Cam lope is non-existent so if you guys want something that's a give away for mods under the hood, this cam won't do it. It's a sleeper. Idle quality has actually improved. I had just a little cabin shake every couple seconds prior to these mods and I think that was due to the less than spectacular stock plugs. With the TR6's in there there is literally no shake at all now. Sitting there holding the wheel you think the car is off. Also noted is that the D3 9.5" pulley/damper is 4 lbs 10 oz lighter than the stock damper, as advertised. I was kinda stunned when I weighed it this afternoon because it's still pretty heavy/beefy but their 5 lb lighter claim for a 9" pulley is likely very accurate. Less rotating mass = faster revs. 16 lbs 10 oz for stock, 12 lbs for the D3, 9.5" pulley attached.

So here's a quick report. I made a few pulls today and started tuning. It's 94 degrees here so it's 40 degrees warmer than when I last dyno'ed. Without pushing it too hard today in this heat I jumped 62 RWHP and 65 RWT with a 10.1:1 AF ratio. Not too shabby. So the numbers are 551 RWHP and 535 RWT at 10.1:1 without any KR. As you can see, I have some more power left in there. I did a few more pulls and the TQE stayed the same, I got it leaned to 11:1 and just had a ton of heat soak so the HP number didn't climb. I decided to let it cool and go back another day. I can push that AF a little more and the timing has some left on the table as it never recorded any knock. It's safe for the street now and I'm satisfied with today's results. The pistons are intact so all is good in the world. Boost numbers were about 13 on the dyno and I noticed 14 on the street. Top end is nuts and the sound of the blower is righteous! I'll scan the dyno sheet and edit some video for you guys.

Love the cam. No loss of low end at all. It picked up 20 ft lbs off idle or so. When the car is warm I even get some lope when I let off and decel but none at startup since the idle is a little higher. It's very mild but it's nice to have a little reminder once in a while.

[Hylton]

Has anyone here done nothing but an LS9 cam swap on an LS3? Cam only and nothing else. Looking for a review. Thx

[MrDew]

Will a swap on an ls3 allow any conclusions for the lsa?

[Camarowguy]

What valve springs would you use with the ls9 cam? This sounds like a good choice for a daily driver and someone who doesn't want a stall. Hmmmm

[MrDew]

Looks like some in this thread stuck with stock whereas others upgraded... I guess its added insurance!

[KD Innovations]

Originally Posted by Camarowguy

What valve springs would you use with the ls9 cam? This sounds like a good choice for a daily driver and someone who doesn't want a stall. Hmmmm

PAC 1218's.

[RoketRdr]

Originally Posted by KD Innovations

You will pick up about 35 RWHP with the LS9 cam over the LSA cam.

What's the biggest difference between the two profiles? They surely have to be fairly close.

[DangerZL1]

Did you read the specs listed at the top? The LS9 cam has quite a bit more lift and duration than the LSA cam. If someone wanted a stealth cam this would be it.