5.3 Gen 4 flex fuel afm dod delete need help

[Charlie207]

Thanks for the input, I always hear the same thing. Stock manifold works best. I’m now trying to figure what brand headers (Kooks, JBA, Gibson) I have brand new cats, and would like to do a cat back. I like the split exhaust style coming out behind the passenger side. Any suggestions with anything? Pulleys, throttle body, it has to get tuned no matter what. I’ve spent so much time cleaning, painting the engine pay and frame, replacing wiring. So any last minute suggestions? Thank you and anyone with any input. To answer the turbo, supercharger situation, I don’t think I can do any setup like that with the cam and internals I have.

Shorty headers provide absolutely minimal performance gains compared to factory/factory-style cast manifolds, so if you're looking for HP, you'll have to get long-tube headers. A good shop would be able to cut & weld your factory cats into long-tube headers to allow for emissions and all that jazz.

As a single source of info for LS hardware, look at all the dyno testing videos that Richard Holdener has done comparing intakes, cams, headers, turbos, superchargers, etc... He's fairly prolific with his content creation, and has been really good about answering questions in his daily/almost-daily YT livestreams.

The long, short, and hairy of it is that there really is no such thing as the wrong cam or intake or whatever combo. They all work, but some are better than others at peak power vs. usable power vs. any of a million other variables.

 

[MarvinVR]

I'm sure he meant a GM factory cam that would be a non-AFM alternative to your stock AFM cam. There are a couple factory cams that are really close and should run "fine" on the stock tune, but could use a slight amount of tweaking to be optimal. Custom tuning is expensive and those cams aren't "off" enough to make a custom tune an absolute necessity. A direct drop-in replacement for your LMG that would require no tuning would be the L33 cam (#12689035) from the Gen 3 engines. As with most aftermarket cams, and since it's a Gen 3 cam, you would just need the $20 three-bolt cam gear with the 4x reluctor (#12586481) to run it in your Gen 4 engine.

Just slap twin turbos and a nitrous system on it LOL

 

[MarvinVR]

I see refernce to cam changes, whats the best intake etc. If you guys want your eyes opened to what makes your V8 tie your shoes, go to the Pontiac Nation or LS1 sites. I own 6 Firebirds and live there. Thats where you really learn about customization--which parts can fit on other years and sizes etc. Or you can just drop all your nasty little 5.3s and swap in a built LS out of a wrecked vet! Especially interesting is what you can do with different intake manifolds and heads. Yes, we are interested in different power bands curves and econmy , being pulling and not race cars but much of it cross applies.

 

[MarvinVR]

Im not sure if I agree on the intake. Tho my research as been on 5.7s so I dont know the head differences, one can do a LOT by changing intakes, even if using stock GM that comes off different years and sizes! My 2002 aluminum 5.7 will gain a lot by swapping a newer larger gm engines intake and FI mm size. If you guys want to learn tweaking to the fullest extent, go to firebird nation or LS! websites. Their tech sections are the bomb for what fits oin what and the results.I have 5 fiorebirds but that cuz I just sold my 6th and 7th

 

[MarvinVR]

Thanks for the input, I always hear the same thing. Stock manifold works best. I’m now trying to figure what brand headers (Kooks, JBA, Gibson) I have brand new cats, and would like to do a cat back. I like the split exhaust style coming out behind the passenger side. Any suggestions with anything? Pulleys, throttle body, it has to get tuned no matter what. I’ve spent so much time cleaning, painting the engine pay and frame, replacing wiring. So any last minute suggestions? Thank you and anyone with any input. To answer the turbo, supercharger situation, I don’t think I can do any setup like that with the cam and internals I have.

Im not sure if I agree on the intake. Tho my research as been on 5.7s so I dont know the head differences, one can do a LOT by changing intakes, even if using stock GM that comes off different years and sizes! My 2002 aluminum 5.7 will gain a lot by swapping a newer larger gm engines intake and FI mm size. If you guys want to learn tweaking to the fullest extent, go to firebird nation or LS1 websites. Their tech sections are the bomb for what fits on what and the results.I have 5 firebirds but that cuz I just sold my 6th and 7th

 

[Marky Dissod]

Or, get your hands on a 6.0L, use catholic heads if it's a Gen3, or rectangle heads if it's a Gen4 and you want to keep VVT.
Should be easy to choose a cam that'll make near-LS3 peak power, if not quite LS3 torque.
In my case I'd be happy with a 6.0L that made more torque under 3500RpM, even if it quit by 5600RpM.

 

[kbuskill]

Or, get your hands on a 6.0L, use catholic heads if it's a Gen3, or rectangle heads if it's a Gen4 and you want to keep VVT.
Should be easy to choose a cam that'll make near-LS3 peak power, if not quite LS3 torque.
In my case I'd be happy with a 6.0L that made more torque under 3500RpM, even if it quit by 5600RpM.

Where can one purchase these Catho-lic (said in my very best Elwood Blues voice) heads that you speak of? And what are the advantages of the Catho-lic heads over, say, a good set of Pentacostal heads?

Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Fless]

Where can one purchase these Catho-lic (said in my very best Elwood Blues voice) heads that you speak of? And what are the advantages of the Catho-lic heads over, say, a good set of Pentacostal heads?

Inquiring minds want to know.

There are many cathedrals that aren't related to the Pope. Maybe the catho-lic heads confess to work better.

 

[Marky Dissod]

Catholic, as in 'catholic ... cathedral'. Is there another religion whose cathedrals are shaped like the ports on the 706-862 & 799-243 heads?

 

[kbuskill]

Catholic, as in 'catholic ... cathedral'. Is there another religion whose cathedrals are shaped like the ports on the 706-862 & 799-243 heads?

I give up, you tell me... lol

 

[Fless]

Catholic, as in 'catholic ... cathedral'. Is there another religion whose cathedrals are shaped like the ports on the 706-862 & 799-243 heads?

I give up, you tell me... lol

Cathedral - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I'm not sure all cathedrals have that same shape or are defined by it -- the true meaning of cathedral has to do with who is "seated" in the building (as in bishop or other high ranking religious official), or the type of "throne" that is in place.

 

[mikez71]

BUT the term 'cathedral ceiling' refers to that shape or design characteristic..

So maybe the proper term should be 'cathedral ceiling port'

 

[Charlie207]

BUT the term 'cathedral ceiling' refers to that shape or design characteristic..

So maybe the proper term should be 'cathedral ceiling port'

Cathedral window

 

[Trilla_one]

I see refernce to cam changes, whats the best intake etc. If you guys want your eyes opened to what makes your V8 tie your shoes, go to the Pontiac Nation or LS1 sites. I own 6 Firebirds and live there. Thats where you really learn about customization--which parts can fit on other years and sizes etc. Or you can just drop all your nasty little 5.3s and swap in a built LS out of a wrecked vet! Especially interesting is what you can do with different intake manifolds and heads. Yes, we are interested in different power bands curves and econmy , being pulling and not race cars but much of it cross applies.

+1 to just swapping blocks and heads between different engines plus FI. The 90s to early 2000s Honda Civic communities have mastered this to make crazy hp numbers