While pulling in the toy into the other day, no oil pressure came up on the gauge, Being a custom swap, I tested out all of the pieces along the way and it looks like the oil pressure relief valve is stuck open meaning I'm going to be taking the front of the motor apart and changing out an oil pump. I figure that while I'm in there, I should just be done with it and get the new cam and springs installed as well since I don't want to have it torn apart twice.
So with that being said, The car is a 2009 Miata LS3 GMPP Crate motor swap. It was the 430HP swap. (Factory stock) 2800 LBs with 3.73 gears T56 Magnum transmission. Performance profile is 95% street 5% race. Streetability over all out HP is preferred here. Supporting mods are header and snorkel intake with the LS7 clutch.
So thoughts from the Hive? Any suggestions that you have used and loved?
I would call comp cams. They have always been helpful when I have called on the past.
First, that's not cool news.
The ASA cam will drop right in with the stock valve springs, that's the "525" cam. Nice lumpy idle, but quite driveable when tuned well and with a wicked sharp throttle response. That's what I'd do. That's what I DID! That's also what's in Indy.
I've got a pretty nice Comp cam in the LS1 in the MG - no driveability problems at all, but I don't know how it would translate to the LS3.
I have all the tools you'll need to pull/install the balancer and the valve springs. Some of these are (bewilderingly) not available on the market. Let me know if you want to borrow them.
Thanks for the offer Kieth. At least it was only idle and no signs of bearing in the oil or filter. I don't think any damage was done.
I may have to farm this one out just due to timing and travel for work over the next 4 weeks. I'm not going to be home most of January. I'll let you know.
The ASA cam is interesting. Low lift but a really small LSA. Most of the LSA's I've been looking at are 114-117 range but the ASA cam is 110.
If you get the car to GJ, we've done cam swaps before.
I don't speak cam - it's a hole in my knowledge base- all I know is that the ASA both feels great to drive and is very easy on valvetrains. GM warranties the 525 engine for two years and apparently the ASA series crate engines never had a valvetrain failure. I like that kind of background. Plus it's super fun.
NickD
UltraDork
12/29/17 7:17 a.m.
bmw88rider said:
The ASA cam is interesting. Low lift but a really small LSA. Most of the LSA's I've been looking at are 114-117 range but the ASA cam is 110.
That's weird. Typically on a LS engine you want a wide LSA because of how the disparate flow in the intake and exhaust ports. LS engine exhaust ports flow really low, especially in comparison to the intake (kinda like a Cleveland)
What no "Sloppy stage 2" cam? LOL
In reply to NickD :
Agreed Nick. That's why I found the ASA cam so interesting. It was so completely different specs from everyone else. The one my tuner recommended was a 114 LSA with 609/571 lift on a 221/229 duration. I was eyeing up a 117 LSA 610 lift cam with 236 duration.
The specs are just all over the place.
Keith Tanner said:
If you get the car to GJ, we've done cam swaps before.
I don't speak cam - it's a hole in my knowledge base- all I know is that the ASA both feels great to drive and is very easy on valvetrains. GM warranties the 525 engine for two years and apparently the ASA series crate engines never had a valvetrain failure. I like that kind of background. Plus it's super fun.
Don't listen to him, he has experience with the exact thing you are looking for. Go with your gut, scroll down to the cam on the bottom of the list and choose that.
(Your gut, as you know, is not what you think with, but it is usually full of E36 M3)
