New Caprice - Discussion forums

Is a stock ls3 cam Going to be a noticeable increase in power over the stock l77 cam?

LS3 cam swamp was a very minor improvement if any. Perhaps placebo effect. Swapping in a SS tune afterwards was a better improvement and was noticeable. Comparing PPV to SS spark tables was dramatic with the PPV being excessively retarded. The best improvement came with turning off the transmission torque control. So to re-iterate, more performance could be gained with tuning the existing cam and trans instead of swapping an LS3 with out a tune.

I was pulling off the DOD and decided to swap in a used LS3 and springs.

I could not tune the transmission settings on my '16 and have since read that I may need to flash the operating system all together. I would like to tune the trans rather than just turn off the control. Its lively with control off, but all driver modulation, if any, has to be a really low throttle. Does anyone recommend a competent trans tuner?

What are you using to tune? HPT? EFI Live?

With HPT I have flashed transmission tunes independent of engine tunes and vice versa, with no issue. As for who I would recommend, I personally have Pat G along with many others. Chris Henry is another popular one. Also there may be someone local to you (perhaps another G8 owner near your location might have a recommendation). I would say I'm pleased with the tune.

EFI I only ever had on a manual vehicle so I can't properly comment.

-J

SSpeedracer wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 12:20 am LS3 cam swamp was a very minor improvement if any. Perhaps placebo effect.

Did you have it Dyno tuned? I just got hptuners and a wideband so I was going to see about using an ss tune but I haven't got my laptop yet so I have no idea how to use hp tuners yet. I have everything to do the dod delete just waiting on some free time from work but if an ls3 cam isn't worth it I'll look into a different cam.

i think a local shop who buy and sells caprices has gotten 15-20 when doing a LS3 and tune , which isnt very much considering the work required , but it is on the cheaper end of the price scale

lastcall190 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 7:50 am What are you using to tune? HPT? EFI Live?

With HPT I have flashed transmission tunes independent of engine tunes and vice versa, with no issue. As for who I would recommend, I personally have Pat G along with many others. Chris Henry is another popular one. Also there may be someone local to you (perhaps another G8 owner near your location might have a recommendation). I would say I'm pleased with the tune.

EFI I only ever had on a manual vehicle so I can't properly comment.

-J

I use HPT. The transmission tune issue is only with some later model WN caprices.

Nate68c10 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 1:35 pm Did you have it Dyno tuned?

No, not dyno tuned yet. The re-learning curve for me using HPTuners, its been 10+ years, was not worth it for me at this point. I spliced in SS settings and they work great. My time/money is better spent on the transmission and differential. I also have several other cars that are a higher priority.

SSpeedracer wrote: ↑Thu Mar 12, 2020 2:38 am

lastcall190 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 7:50 am What are you using to tune? HPT? EFI Live?

With HPT I have flashed transmission tunes independent of engine tunes and vice versa, with no issue. As for who I would recommend, I personally have Pat G along with many others. Chris Henry is another popular one. Also there may be someone local to you (perhaps another G8 owner near your location might have a recommendation). I would say I'm pleased with the tune.

EFI I only ever had on a manual vehicle so I can't properly comment.

-J

I use HPT. The transmission tune issue is only with some later model WN caprices.

Gotcha, was unaware of that

Nate68c10 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 1:35 pm

SSpeedracer wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 12:20 am LS3 cam swamp was a very minor improvement if any. Perhaps placebo effect.

Did you have it Dyno tuned? I just got hptuners and a wideband so I was going to see about using an ss tune but I haven't got my laptop yet so I have no idea how to use hp tuners yet. I have everything to do the dod delete just waiting on some free time from work but if an ls3 cam isn't worth it I'll look into a different cam.

I did a tune on the stock cam first and was not happy with the improvement although it was decent especially when set up for 93 octane fuel which stock is not. I then did the LS3 cam and had noticeable improvement with no other big part changes made at all. If you look at the power being made by tuned stock LS3 powered camaros its pretty obvious that it is a decent cam and has great drive-ability and decent MPG. Our engine uses almost exact same heads intake and if you address exhaust I don't really see how the 0.2 Liter you give up on the L77 will matter. I chose it for all that plus the low cost and the fact that it will still run the DOD system although I have my tuned for off now. PS it will run on the stock L77 tune I tried it but big change after tune

Thanks to the Corona bullshit I'll be quarantined to the garage for the next few weeks! Guess it's time to tear this thing apart. Turned off the dod tonight with ho tuners and played a little with timing hp tuners definitely has a learning curve but it's going to be fun. I'll weld an o2 bung in the exhaust when I do the dod delete. Hell maybe I'll buy some exhaust when we get our bullshit stimulus check!