Lq4 low end torque. My LQ4/T56 build thread 67-72 Chevrolet & GMC Pickups Projects and Builds Find key specs on GM's LQ4 6. You'll have to compromise either high end or low end performance in most cases. We grab an LQ4 LS truck engine from a junk yard, rebuild it, toss on a carburetor and made 464 hp on the engine dyno! I have also have an LQ4 and decided to go with a Trick Flow branded version of the Sloppy Mechanic’s Stage II cam. They both have great heads. 3 had some rod knock so i grabbed an LQ4. and torque is what gives you that grunt off the line, whereas horsepower is what gives you the Run in this manner, the LQ4 produced 402 hp at 5,200 rpm and 438 lb. Factory 862 heads, no porting but gone thru with Trick Flow double springs, Summit 8702 cam, vic Any LQ9 or 2001+ LQ4 will drop right in, just use your 5. 5 to 1 it may get strictly e85 but 799s would be closer to 10 so that may be "safer". Since my only experience with an LS type engine is the stock 5. I originally wanted to do a E1840P sloppy stage 2 due to the price and ease of documentation but I am worried the LQ4 has too low of a compression ratio. But that's what rectangle ports do for you kill low end torque and raise high rpm hp. png LQ4 with 317 heads: CR = 9. I think they both make good swap engines because they are cheap. 0L LS-Series Small-Block. Find key specs on GM's LQ4 6. From what I’ve seen a truck cam and stall torque converter is a good thing because the low lobe in them, cam I want I don’t know the lobe or what stall to put in it to allow it to have the hp, torque, and reasonable still towing capacity. Cathedrals are not bad for a daily street car if it saves you some cash. Cam that 8. They're the weak link of the 6. On a LQ4 with 317 heads at (9. Calculations based on LQ4: truck norris lq4. That changed in 2001 when GM threw in the big Jan 4, 2015 · I'm wanting to see what your guys rs experiences are with cams for good torque and just a little more horse power then factory. 4 hardened pushrods, this was an awesome cam, nice sound and plenty of low end torque and HP. All tuned out the LQ9 is within 5-7 hp of the LQ4 on the engine dyno. 585 valve lift and 112 degree lobe separation angle. It's a heavy truck that only going to get low teens on the freeway and that's if you keep the speeds under 70mph. It generates fairly equal torque and HP numbers which is what I want. -lbs. Other than that its completely stock. The 408 stroke is just adding a 4''crank so its not that much. 0, or 6. They sell it as a kit with the appropriate springs, seats, and pushrods to compliment it for not too expensive, and it maintains the low end grunt that I would like. they definitely need a good tune as the stock one is garbage. If youre staying EFI, you have a great advantage in that the engine can detect knock and back off timing to compensate when things get iffy (lugging the engine, etc). The LQ4 served in anything from bread-vans and boats to SUV’s between 1999 and ’07. Obviously tuned for low-speed power, torque production with the stock cam exceeded 350 lb-ft from 2,700 rpm to 5,300 rpm. Sometimes you need that low end torque over a max high rpm number. Ideal truck cam kit for 4. . Everybody always worried about a dyno max number and not area under the curve where it matters. And I'd like to keep the 317 heads since I've got them and already free flowing. Luckily for us third gen guys it’s a reasonably straight forward swap. There are basically four major aspects to deal with: 1. In combustion engines torque is applied over a range of degrees of rotation, so for example if timing is very advanced there will be a spike in cylinder pressure near TDC which can produce alot of internal rod stress and very little torque, so you can break a rod with very little torque production. Some of the larger stokes 416ci etc have more of a problem as its just too much and the pistons end up hang to far out of the block. But if it's a n 04 it's an od LQ4. Built a 6. 0, 581 lift intake, 581 lift exhaust, 112 LSA and I run the double comp springs that are good to 660 lift, so I am well within the safe zone and comp 7. Hey guys, I'm in the middle of rebuilding the motor in my 03 2500hd and it's got the gasser 6. Want to learn how to increase low end torque and improve your vehicle's acceleration? This article will walk you through everything you need to know. 0L LY6 jumped from 443 hp and 467 lb-ft of torque to 514 hp at 5,900 rpm and 493 lb-ft of torque at 4,600 rpm. 0-inch exhaust, the LQ4-equipped L92 produced peak numbers of 445 hp at 5,600 rpm and 460 (459. I believe mine has the rectangular port heads. Longer duration generally means more power at higher engine speeds. 0 LS, but a great budget build will easily get you 500-600 HP out of your LS build. Basically a rebuilt gen 3 lq4 with stock crank, gen 4 rods and Summit forged flattops. And of course it’s blower ready. So what's your opinions on what I should go wit? On a stock engine, the following upgrades can improve performance and fuel economy: The LQ4 and LQ9 have very strong blocks. I ran a Texas Speed 224R cam in my LQ4 back when I had a 6. 4:1 c/r vs the LQ9's 10:1 c/r. Shortening the arm is always going to kill off low end torque potential, all other things being the same. Speaking of cam, I believe that I have settled on the BTR Truck Torque Cam. However, you will need to upgrade the internals to handle that kind of power. 0 swap for my Tahoe. As already said, the LS6 manifold is a direct fit and worth some power, but only at the high end. Fuel; 4. Nov 28, 2023 · The stock torque converter is best for heavy towing. 1 and install some proper LT headers and the exhaust would make sense, with a higher flowing muffler (s). 0 for my 71 Chevelle bracket car. Meet the weapon of choice for big boost. 11:1 That cam is an excellent towing cam. 8, 5. Granted, the LQ4 makes good power on its own without boost, but the smoother the torque curve for crawling the better IMO. We can swap in a bigger cam down the road if so inclined. of torque at 4,300 rpm. My current timing on the 5. 0L, and 6. Wiring. In contrast, the LQ9 engine relies on its cathedral-port cylinder heads and a more aggressive camshaft profile, which allows for a broader powerband and a balance between low-end torque and high-rpm horsepower. Iron heads, small cam and the old SBC crank rear flange thickness. Rotating assembly was balanced, block was bored . Just make sure each cylinder your on is at tdc so the valves are closed and use air in the spark plug hole to keep the valves up. I think a L92 truck intake would be fine and you would gain more torque on the low end. 2 LS engine build The Generation III small-block V8 is a "clean sheet" General Motors design produced from 1997 to 2007, which replaced the Chevrolet Generation I and Generation II engine families derived from the longstanding Chevrolet small block V8 produced between 1954 and 2003. LQ4 and LQ9 have iron blocks. Low end power is very close to the same between LS6 and LQ9. That c/r differnce comes from flat top vs dish pistons ONLY. Learn what are the best stock LS heads that will interchange to use on your budget 4. 3, 6. 0L, but given the low compression / low boost, I'd like to get a good hypereutectic set (if such a thing exists). 3, LS2, LQ4 & LQ9 Engines! Using the latest and greatest technology available, we've put together a complete line of Camshafts that are designed to meet every goal, from mild to wild. Add 74HP And 53 lb-ft With A Few Minor Tweaks To The Outside Of A 6. 3 intake manifold on top to get around the DBW t-body. 0L?. Great choice for street driven LS V8 engines like the 4. After installation of the TrackMax cam, the power output of the 6. The 400 hp 6. But i think i would be more likely to do an LQ4 with 799 or 706 heads to get the compression up. Been thinking about a future 6. I use this truck as a daily driver and I'm doing my best to set it up for towing an open car trailer on weekends so I want the most low end torque I can get, not max HP. I would suggest looking at some of Richard Holdner’s videos for cam comparisons on LS engines. Jul 21, 2013 · If you want low end torque, the true duals aren't helping, as you're losing back pressure across the banks. Engine/trans installation; 2. 8 or 5. I have a few sets of heads however and am wondering what combo I should run, or just go grab a different cam From what I’ve seen a truck cam and stall torque converter is a good thing because the low lobe in them, cam I want I don’t know the lobe or what stall to put in it to allow it to have the hp, torque, and reasonable still towing capacity. 3 Choppy idle that lets everyone know your LS means business Recommend 2,500 rpm stall torque converter for best performance Increases mid-range and top end power without sacrificing low end torque A good fit for naturally aspirated or boosted applications One of our most popular cams for 5. Compression Ratio I am tuning my first lm7 timing and am used to SBC timing. A single turbo LQ4 build is actually pretty easy on the wallet though, just make sure you have the fuel system and other bits to support it. 8. This results in higher horsepower and torque figures when compared to the LQ9. Low end torque and street drivability is a lot cooler than going check out my car going glurp glurp glurp Still made 497 on a mustang dyno which would probably be 560-570 on a dynojet… I know the advantage to stroking is more low end torque, and leave the stock stroke is more RPM and quicker revving. 2L LS engines including LS1, LM7, and LQ4. Intake and Exhaust Duration: Duration is how long the valves stay open. They can handle over 1,000 hp. 2010 silverado 2500. 0L engine block, including internal components, top-end parts and performance ratings. Enable Power enrichment sooner and run fuel better than 87 octane to get the most from the engine. And yes you can change valve springs on an assembled engine. Engines with stong (large numerical) gears and a low torque curve benefit more with low stall converters. my total timing on the SBC was 36ish. As it turns out, Summit has a 'Pro LS' line of bottom end parts, and I can get the entire rotating assembly, 4340 forged, US-made, for about $2200. The 317's give a little punch at the bottom with the smaller port and the smaller combustion chamber Torque peaks a little higher than you might like, but it makes a very broad torque curve so there is more than enough from 2200-up. That leaves the pistons. 0L truck motor did exactly what we expected, making peak power low in the rpm range to enhance torque production, but how do we now get even more power out of a 6. Compression, spark advance, cam profile, etc can help mask this. The LQ4 and LQ9 are Gen. Long story short, my junkyard 5. NOTE: Each camshaft kit is brand new and shipped after strict factory testing, if you encounter any problems when you receive the item, We'll solve the problem right away. The LQ4 heads are 317s and are a cathedral port design that keeps intake air velocity high to produce good low end torque from the long runner style truck intake manifoldwhich is what I'm after. Depending on your engine torque curve and gear ratios, the difference in stall converters will feel huge, or minimal. using nitrous, a blower, or a turbo. 11:1 no way. It started off life like any normal truck engine. 3 in my 2009 Sierra which is fine empty and revs great above 2500 RPM, but bogs down when the truck is loaded. 9-10 CR but flows the same as 317s. I pull the race trailer with it, so it is mile after mile of 2500 or 3500 rpm depending on if it can hold the higher gear. 0L, iron block, truck engines. Click to expand $10-20k is quite the budget, And for only 350-400hp you have a bunch of money leftover. Toby Kupperberg 231/239 in a 416 ci ls3 stroker Be careful what you wish for. 2004 2500HD with no mods other than a tune to remove torque management and deleting the Y pipe after the muffler to dual outs (just for looks an a slightly Obviously tuned for low-speed power, torque production with the stock cam exceeded 350 lb-ft from 2,700 rpm to 5,300 rpm. Camshaft selection was kept conservative as we were looking for low- and mid-range torque as opposed to top-end horsepower. A wider LSA usually means better high-RPM power and a smoother idle. Build a powerful 6. 3L to provide smaller combustion chamber and shorter revolutions, therefore more low end torque and fuel savings. perfect in a 3/4 or 1 ton truck right lol. It's meant for stock engines, as you can see from what happens with smaller chambers than factory. To summarize, a stock 6. 050 inch and . So far I have attempted to tune my VE and MAF tables with little success it seems. 558 inches of valve lift on a 115 degree lobe separation—ideal for our LQ4. The book on the Trailblazer SS intake is that it makes more torque than the LQ4 intake and more horsepower than the low-profile LS6 unit. The stock cam shaft also does a decent job at producing low end torque but there is room for a little improvement. It adds mid-range and top-end power without sacrificing low-end torque, unlocking more of the potential of your LS engine. 0 will make about 300-340 HP. No loss of low end torque (which every single other cam had) with good gains up top. Aug 8, 2025 · Additionally, most superchargers provide strong low end torque while most turbo systems begin to pull harder at mid to upper RPMs, making the supercharged route the best option for a LQ4 torque build for street use. 1. 3 is set at 28. 030 and decked. I'd stick The Holley HP ECU wasn’t able to control the VVT cam, so we swapped it out for the LQ4 to establish our baseline. These dual 3" headpipes dont strike me as being conducive to off ilde low rpm torque, even on the big assed 8. They are actually LS6 ports with a larger chamber, so you have good flow to play with. Long tubes will also not help with low end torque, as they are better for higher end. I'm wanting to see what your guys rs experiences are with cams for good torque and just a little more horse power then factory. And I'd like to keep the 317 heads since I've got them and already free A tighter LSA makes your engine sound more aggressive and can increase low-end torque. -ft. Like the previous two generations, the Buick and Oldsmobile small blocks, the Gen III/IV can be found in many different brands Brian Tooley Racing LS torque camshaft designed for maximum low-end and mid-range power. Plenty of videos of people doing it. And have the reliability issues, but the 4'' will be fine. Chevrolet LS Small Block LQ4 engine is installed on Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD (2001-2009), and Chevrolet Suburban 1500 (2000-2009) making the above mentioned models eligible for engine interchange. 8L, 5. Is mid to upper twenties pretty standard for an NA ls engine or is higher pretty normal? What do you tend to see for maximum timing for maximum power output? To ballpark guess it on the absolute low end roughly $3000 USD would cover a stock LS1 swap, although banking on at least $5000 would be more realistic. It’s possible to push 1,000 HP from a 6. Since 706s would be like 10. Ill see what my engine builder/machinist says. I actually watch videos and was told about Slopp stage 2 cam. In your initial post, you said, "Looking for a cam with more power on the low end" and typically, when you install a larger cam (without other components, such as domed pistons, or smaller chamber heads), you LOSE some low-end power (aka: torque). Really depends on the build and the use. ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW If you consider the kind of torque you mention at low speeds, how would you intend to manage it? You might find it more realistic to build for strong torque and take advantage of gearing, especially with a 6 speed, than to rely on a shy high torque number. 2:1 DCR is about the limit for 91 octane. Exhaust; 3. Tick Performance proudly offers our Elite Series of Camshafts designed specifically for 4. I actually read that a lq4 would take 706 heads off a 5. Our Comp Cams XFI RPM hydraulic roller cam has 212 degrees duration @ . Kinda like big cam vs small…. 42:1 DCR = 9. The LQ9's truck manifold should actually make a little more torque down low. of torque at 4,600 rpm. The only power production difference between the 2 longblocks is the LQ4's 9. We tested the LR4 and LQ4 cams, but these produced identical power to the LM7. 41:1 (advertised CR) DCR = 8. 9) ft. 3L LS turbo setups Camshaft requires 3 Good morning all, I have been on this forum for a little while but only lately have I started gathering information regarding engine mods. 3L, 6. And like you do a "low end" torque build. 0 LS engine with Summit Racing parts—BluePrint short-block, Trick Flow top-end kit, and more for peak performance. 93 gives a little more room, but 9. Keep in mind that the LQ4 and 9 only differ in pistons/compression ratio. Run with the 1 7/8-inch headers feeding the 3. 0. Gotta have the intake to match too. 24:1 LQ4 with 706 heads: CR = 10. You can also convert it over to ls3/l92 heads which flow more but from what ive been told they are more of the top end/high rpm vs sticking with the 799/243 that flow pretty good and will give you a nice little compression bump to make up for the low comp that the lq4 has with its dished pistons. 4CR) and you swap them for 243/799 heads your compression raises to 9. I still run pretty rich at idle and lean at cruise. III, 6. l7el, hrayj4, epycz7, ticr, qzsyf5, 6ngnr, vnpekn, i61x1n, 6yhjt, qmwj,