[BWeir49221]

I was originally planning on modding my car this past winter, but decided I didn’t want to tear into a low-mileage engine. Warm weather is here again and now I’ve got the itch again. Previously, I was torn between FI and NA. Now, I’m strictly NA.

I don’t want a big cam. Although the car isn’t a daily driver, I still want it to have good manners and drive without stock-like. I don’t race it and don’t plan to. It’s never driven in the rain, so it may sit days to weeks before being started. I just want to wake it up and make those street pulls a lot more fun and add a little more muscle car sound to it. I don’t live in the upper rpm’s all the time, so I need something that behaves good in the lower rpm’s as well. It is the M6 version.

For those of you with experience in cams and bolt-ons, please recommend some cams and components that would compliment each other. I’m open to porting the oem heads- not so much wanting to buy aftermarket ones.

I want to do all the work myself except the tuning. I’ve never installed a cam before, but I’ve been pretty deep in motors before and know my way around a garage and tools. So, let me know what you guys think would be the best combo for me.

[Ericdared]

I think for an lt1 the standard is pretty much headers, rotofab big gulp, intake like an lt2 with a 95mm tb or a MSI with a 103tb, and a flex fuel kit. The stock heads flow really well out of the box so not really worth the cost of porting vs the small gains you would get. As for cam, since you are going to have to get it tuned anyway I would probably reach out to one of the pros like janetty performance, Prey performance, or GPI and see what they would recommend with what you are trying to do.

[ZLRob]

I would look into the GPI SS3, as I hear they do really well on the LT1's.


As for components, get rid of the factory tensioner and install an LME solid tensioner, a Katech oil pump, and the hammer in DOD delete kit. Also, run some LS7 lifters.


If you will be strictly NA for the rest of the vehicles life I would skip out on doing anything related to forged internals.


Run a flex fuel kit and if necessary, upgrade the fueling to LT4 so it will handle all your fueling up to E85. The stock intake should be plenty for your power levels and I don't see a point in doing an intake. Same goes for throttle body. LT2 kit is a solid choice and headers if you can in your state as well.

[BWeir49221]

Originally Posted by Ericdared

I think for an lt1 the standard is pretty much headers, rotofab big gulp, intake like an lt2 with a 95mm tb or a MSI with a 103tb, and a flex fuel kit. The stock heads flow really well out of the box so not really worth the cost of porting vs the small gains you would get. As for cam, since you are going to have to get it tuned anyway I would probably reach out to one of the pros like janetty performance, Prey performance, or GPI and see what they would recommend with what you are trying to do.

.

I may check with GPI. I called Jannetty last year about this same scenario, and he was pushing me into FI. He didn’t seem like he cared about what I was looking to do. I don’t want the extra weight on the nose and more stress on the bottom end. I won’t say that I wouldn’t do business with him, but I would prefer to deal with someone who is open to what the customer is wanting to do.

I didn’t know if porting the heads would be worth it or not. Some say yes and some say no. It costs a pretty good amount to have it done regardless of where you go. I am going to replace the lifters with GMPP or Johnsons. Flex fuel is probably a no-go. It’s not readily available around me and the car sits too much for longer periods and I’m afraid the fuel would go bad quickly.

The tuner I want to use suggested the btr 225 over the 220. My fear is losing too much torque down low.

[KingLT1]

BTR 220, Ported heads, LT2 manifold, Rotofab, 95mm LT5, Headers, Flex fuel. 540-550whp combo on Ethanol.

[SSShark]

Originally Posted by KingLT1

BTR 220, Ported heads, LT2 manifold, Rotofab, 95mm LT5, Headers, Flex fuel. 540-550whp combo on Ethanol.

[BWeir49221]

Originally Posted by KingLT1

BTR 220, Ported heads, LT2 manifold, Rotofab, 95mm LT5, Headers, Flex fuel. 540-550whp combo on Ethanol.

I like this! Do you think it would be ok to have the heads ported by a local race engine builder that specialize in that kind of work, versus sending out to one of the big name shops?

[KingLT1]

Originally Posted by BWeir49221

I like this! Do you think it would be ok to have the heads ported by a local race engine builder that specialize in that kind of work, versus sending out to one of the big name shops?

Some local shops are as good if not better. Not so much by which makes more power, but by turnaround time and support. So yeah, I wouldn't be afraid to use them.

[BWeir49221]

I called and spoke to James at BTR earlier this week and explained in great detail what I’m looking for in the car and how I use it. He suggested the 220 cam with dual springs and their mid-length Trinity intake. He said he worked at GPI for years up until just recently, and they had tested the intake manifold against the LT2 and MSD. The mid-length Trinity is supposed to retain good low and midrange while pulling hard up top. I think he said the optimum performance range is around 3k-7k RPM.

I asked why the dual springs vs conical, and his opinion was because the car is M6, it is added security in the event you miss a shift at high rpm.

I told him the tuner, which he knows pretty well, recommended the 225 vs 220. James said the 220 will be a little easier to drive at slow speeds, say like in a congested parking lot. Even with it, he said you might have to feather the clutch ever so slightly when taking off, but after that, you’re good to go.

This is an email reply from the tuner.

Here is a graph from the engine dyno comparing the BTR 220 and the 225 cams. The dyno graphs are deceiving a bit as well cause real world results out on the street the 225 is quite a bit faster/quicker cam than the 220. I've tuned quite a few of both and I'm personally not a huge fan of the 220 cam. Why I try to steer people to the 225 instead. Drivability is literally the same between the two cams with the 225 having a bit more lope at idle.

[BWeir49221]

Based upon what the tuner is saying, those of you with experience with or around both of these cams, do you think drive ability is the same with both? I know on the autos, a bigger stall is recommended on the 225, but I’m sure the 220 would be perfect if people changed the stall with them as well. It’s hard to find people that have either of these in a M6 car that can comment on drive ability. Is it possible the tuner can adjust everything well enough that it makes the 225 drive the same down low? Other than aspect, what’s the other cons to the 225?

On a side note, I called my local race engine builder and was told the oem heads flow pretty darn well, and if it’s just a street car, with no intentions of squeezing every ounce of hp from it, he wouldn’t touch them. Plus he charges $1,800 for porting. That full disassemble/reassemble, but still pricey. Definitely not worth the hp I would get.

[BWeir49221]

I talked to my tuner today and we discussed my wants/needs for the car more in depth. We came to the conclusion that the 220 cam would be best along with the LT2 intake and LT5 throttle body.

We talked about install briefly, and he said the correct way to do it is pulling the oil pan so you have the best chance of getting it in time more quickly. He said some will walk the chain off, but it is very difficult to get the cam gear back in the right spot. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lift yet in my shop. I have about everything else I would need except that. I really don’t want to pull the motor and fight with disconnecting the clutch and tranny. Is it difficult to drop the cradle to access the oil pan? Wonder how high I would need the car lifted to do that?

[vince3]

Who’s the tuner

[BWeir49221]

James Short

[pbSS]

Originally Posted by BWeir49221

Based upon what the tuner is saying, those of you with experience with or around both of these cams, do you think drive ability is the same with both? I know on the autos, a bigger stall is recommended on the 225, but I’m sure the 220 would be perfect if people changed the stall with them as well. It’s hard to find people that have either of these in a M6 car that can comment on drive ability. Is it possible the tuner can adjust everything well enough that it makes the 225 drive the same down low? Other than aspect, what’s the other cons to the 225?

On a side note, I called my local race engine builder and was told the oem heads flow pretty darn well, and if it’s just a street car, with no intentions of squeezing every ounce of hp from it, he wouldn’t touch them. Plus he charges $1,800 for porting. That full disassemble/reassemble, but still pricey. Definitely not worth the hp I would get.

I have BTR 225 on my M6. The driveability is perfectly fine (it's my weekend/track car) since it's still in the "mild" range. I wouldn't be worried about losing driveability, it feels like stock to me but with chop chop.

I'm FBO with e85 (ported LT1 heads, ported MSD, 103 TB, JLT 5", ARH catless). I also went with the Johnson lifters and CHE trunion kit.