L59 Intake Upgrade ?

[Marky Dissod]

... most of my driving is sub 3000RpM which none of the cam upgrades seem to help.

A few cams do, but not enough to justify buying, especially since they trade torque UNDER 3000RpM by losing power over 4500RpM.

I researched intakes, and the TBSS is the only cost effective upgrade, and even the, only benefits at 5000RpM.

6.0L, axle upgrades, or artificial aspiration are the best bang for the buck in terms of improving performance under 3000RpM.

 

[catalinajack]

Short or long wheelbase? Either way, you're a lucky bastaducci. Better gearing is one of the best performance mods in terms of bang-for-da-buck -
although it's not cheap in terms of aftermarket unless you're buying an entire used axle.
Not all, but most of the 4.10 GMT800 suvs were long wheelbase, and obviously most of those were 2500s.

Short wheel base, so a half-ton. I bought it not knowing the gearing. Only until I deciphered all of the RPO codes did I discover the gearing. Very happy indeed.

 

[LsHart]

As a fellow L59 with CA and shortly headers, I'm interested in your thoughts about your cam upgrade. Been looking at that, but most of my driving is sub 3000 rpm which none of the csm upgrades seem to help. I researched ibtakes and the TBSS is the only cost effective upgrade and even then, only benefits at 5000 rpm. Agree that the stock intake is fugly.

I went with the Truck Norris stage 3 cam. Love it! Intake wise, the stock is probably what I'm stuck with. For now. A buddy of mine and I are probably going in halfs on the whole dip rap. There's a kit. For starters. We are thinking about dipping our stock intake. Just to doll it up. With other things. To change our intake to a TBSS might be the only way to go to run a bigger throttle body. 90mm is good.

 

[LsHart]

Texas speed cam kits is the way I went

 

[LsHart]

As a fellow L59 with CA and shortly headers, I'm interested in your thoughts about your cam upgrade. Been looking at that, but most of my driving is sub 3000 rpm which none of the csm upgrades seem to help. I researched ibtakes and the TBSS is the only cost effective upgrade and even then, only benefits at 5000 rpm. Agree that the stock intake is fugly.

The truck norris stage 3 cam kit was my choice. Came as a kit with all valve train upgrades. I got the kit when the original engine was in it at 280,000 plus miles. As I was removing the cam, it pulled out the cam bearings. So, ended up getting a new L59 then went down to a short block and then went back up with it with BTR upgrades. I have recently removed cats and did a 3-4 drop which has put it on the ground. Over all get good gas mileage as long as I stay out of it. But I did do a dual fan conversion and removed the clutch fan. Installed a vette servo installed just recently. Imma keep at her. I have always been a ford guy til my wife came across this tahoe. I can ramble on but the stage 3 is a good cam for a street hitter.

 

[LsHart]

As a fellow L59 with CA and shortly headers, I'm interested in your thoughts about your cam upgrade. Been looking at that, but most of my driving is sub 3000 rpm which none of the csm upgrades seem to help. I researched ibtakes and the TBSS is the only cost effective upgrade and even then, only benefits at 5000 rpm. Agree that the stock intake is fugly.

Mine as well. L59 shorty headers. I'm looking into heads as soon as I am done doing lighting and front end upgrades. Not sure if I sent to u what I have done to it.

 

[Mudsport96]

Shorty headers are worth 3 to 7 hp over manifolds.
Long tubes about 15.

The stock intake is preferable for the suvs and trucks. And even flow better than the LS1 intakes. Tbss would be your best bet anyway. The aftermarket ones are pointless until well into the 500hp range.

Stock 706s/862s are the best head for the 5.3 that has a cam under .650 lift so pretty much any BTR truck cam you would have purchased.

Not sure what you mean by truck norris stage 3...

There is a stage 3 truck cam...
There is a TruckNorris cam
There is a TruckNorris No Springs Required cam
But not a stage 3 TruckNorris.

A 3000 rpm stall converter will give you more performance than an intake manifold.


Look up and watch all the Richard Holdener videos on the 5.3 that you can. He has literally thousands of dyno pulls on them and has worked with BTR on cams.

 

[LsHart]

Shorty headers are worth 3 to 7 hp over manifolds.
Long tubes about 15.

The stock intake is preferable for the suvs and trucks. And even flow better than the LS1 intakes. Tbss would be your best bet anyway. The aftermarket ones are pointless until well into the 500hp range.

Stock 706s/862s are the best head for the 5.3 that has a cam under .650 lift so pretty much any BTR truck cam you would have purchased.

Not sure what you mean by truck norris stage 3...

There is a stage 3 truck cam...
There is a TruckNorris cam
There is a TruckNorris No Springs Required cam
But not a stage 3 TruckNorris.

A 3000 rpm stall converter will give you more performance than an intake manifold.


Look up and watch all the Richard Holdener videos on the 5.3 that you can. He has literally thousands of dyno pulls on them and has worked with BTR on cams.

Agreed. I didn't think I needed to add the BTR stage 3 Truck Norris cam kit. Thought those would know? And I have seen the videos many nights staring at the TV. 2005 inline 6 chevy trailblazer torque converter is plenty for this power plant.

 

[Mudsport96]

2005 inline 6 chevy trailblazer torque converter is plenty for this power plant.

Be careful to not work that converter too hard. Buddy of mine had one behind the STOCK 6.0 in his trailblazer ss. He did a medium healthy burnout pulling his boat out of the water at the local boat ramp. On the way home he heard a strange squawking sound. Turns out he ballooned the converter and it put pressure on the thrust bearing in the engine and pressure on the transmission pump. Caught it before it hurt the engine extensively, but it killed the pump in the transmission. So he had to get a reman. Just a heads up.

 

[LsHart]

I greatly appreciate the input. That is food for thought. Definitely don't wanna tear crap up!

 

[LsHart]

Was told though, the torque converter I'm talking about was rated around 1800. As in stall. 2300 plus I think is to much. My buddy has a slammed 06 quad cab, cammed LM7 and has a 2300ish stall and him and I both feel that it's to much stall.