Why do cammed ls motors sound and go better?

[Sa45]

Hi guys,
Just out of interest the title pretty much sums it all up i have always wondered why the LS motor sounds tougher once a cam gets dropped in and goes harder than the Boss motors?

[ratter]

kw vs kw they do not go better, performance they may go better due to the car being lighter

[mik]

The troll is strong with this one !!!

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Originally Posted by Sa45

Hi guys,
Just out of interest the title pretty much sums it all up i have always wondered why the LS motor sounds tougher once a cam gets dropped in and goes harder than the Boss motors?

I don't think it does

[Parfrey]

A mate of a mate just picked up a VF SS... it has a cam(afm delete crap too?)/air intake/full exhaust/tune = 295rwkw and would have cost a fair chunk of cash.

Easily achievable with the right mods on a FPV/FG boss motor...

[Wretched]

Not sure about the performance but I do like the sound of the LS motor in the E series HSVs. Very low bass sound a real full sound.

[Blue Roo]

Originally Posted by Sa45

Hi guys,
Just out of interest the title pretty much sums it all up i have always wondered why the LS motor sounds tougher once a cam gets dropped in and goes harder than the Boss motors?

Well! Sa45. I have had few runs up against these so called tough cammed LS motors. And guess what? There not that tough or that quick. The only thing that LS makes is lots of noise. That's it.

As the saying goes " HSV! I just ate one!"

[Havoc]

because you touch yourself at night?

[HULK_I6T]

They do sound tough when cammed, I've owned a cammed LS in the past.. I've also owned a cammed Boss.

A few reasons why LS respond better than the boss when cammed

1. No replacement for displacement 5.7, 6.0, 6.3 are all bigger than 5.4

2. They have more compression

3. They love to rev where boss motors don't

4. They are usually fitted to lighter cars than boss motors (100-200kg difference usually)

5. The ls1 motors are heavily detuned in stock form where boss motors are closer to their maximum capacity out of the factory.

6. The boss itself is a heavy motor, LS motors are lighter, made of alluminium

So yes the LS responds better to cams than boss but a cammed boss is still a very nice motor.. I'd prefer to boost a boss than cam it. (Especially the lower comp versions)

Your question is about cams but the answer is opposite if boosting motors.. When boosting a boss motor there are big gains, not so much in LS cars (compression)

[TheZHLANE]

Don't know about sound but they definitely go better than the slug 5.4s.

[STINKY NINJA]

Cammed and tuned ls motors are like bellybuttons...

[ratter]

when playing with my Boss 290 years ago, we were seeing 280-290 rwkw from an unopened motor, head and cam package tuned LS1's we were seeing 260's on the same dyno

[Parfrey]

Originally Posted by HULK_I6T

They do sound tough when cammed, I've owned a cammed LS in the past.. I've also owned a cammed Boss.

A few reasons why LS respond better than the boss when cammed

1. No replacement for displacement 5.7, 6.0, 6.3 are all bigger than 5.4

2. They have more compression

3. They love to rev where boss motors don't

4. They are usually fitted to lighter cars than boss motors (100-200kg difference usually)

5. The ls1 motors are heavily detuned in stock form where boss motors are closer to their maximum capacity out of the factory.

6. The boss itself is a heavy motor, LS motors are lighter, made of alluminium

So yes the LS responds better to cams than boss but a cammed boss is still a very nice motor.. I'd prefer to boost a boss than cam it. (Especially the lower comp versions)

Your question is about cams but the answer is opposite if boosting motors.. When boosting a boss motor there are big gains, not so much in LS cars (compression)

1. the replacement is boost

2. Apart from the 260, they don't have more comp, depending on which models your comparing.

3. Boss motors love to rev, are you sure you owned one?

4. LS are cheap and easy to mod, not really 'de-tuned' as that would indicate a 'tune only' can release lots of HP, which it can't.


Probably the biggest down side to a Boss is they are harder to work on and more expensive (4 cams) to mod. Not as easy for Joe blow to slap a cam and valve springs in then send it off for a tune..

[ebxr8240]

Because the 4 valve head breaths better in the first place!

[1TUFFUTE]

Originally Posted by Parfrey

1. the replacement is boost

2. Apart from the 260, they don't have more comp, depending on which models your comparing.

3. Boss motors love to rev, are you sure you owned one?

4. LS are cheap and easy to mod, not really 'de-tuned' as that would indicate a 'tune only' can release lots of HP, which it can't.


Probably the biggest down side to a Boss is they are harder to work on and more expensive (4 cams) to mod. Not as easy for Joe blow to slap a cam and valve springs in then send it off for a tune..

Yep. Ls motors are a dollar a dozen, every chump has one cus they're cheap and easy to work on. This makes parts easier to get also for your average modder!

This is shown or magnified in the USA!

[FPV GTHO]

Originally Posted by ratter

when playing with my Boss 290 years ago, we were seeing 280-290 rwkw from an unopened motor, head and cam package tuned LS1's we were seeing 260's on the same dyno

What sort of cams were the LS's using, in comparison to whats available for 5.4's?

I reckon you'd be able to get much bigger cams for the LS motors, if could put up with the bad manners.

[PepeLePew]

In a previous life I had a head cam (fair bit of overlap) LS1 mafless tune OTR 3" single and 287rwkw from 227rwkw. Head cam part was 5.5k drive in drive out. OMG the sound of the thing. Later of course I had a call from the new owner asking if I had the stock exhaust to try and quieten it and get the yellow off he'd collected. But the sound OMG. I have a video I saved of ur last day I had it and I miss that sound sooooo

With 3.91's in the manual it was tons of fun. About on the civilized limit of what could be gotten out of the 5.7 at the time with a cam. I do miss it a tad, the Miami is a magnificent stick but it just wish sometimes it was a bit less civilised with more V8 darkness/mood, more America less Euro (not like you car about that when you give it a shove). It's just that damn sweet and dare I say sophisticated. Anyone got a link to a example of a cammed version of either I don't think I've heard a cammed 5.4 or 5.0?

[fgpsi]

I agree sound and performance it's definitely ls >>>> boss motors

[tapeworm]

Yes the bos powered Falcons are generally a few hundred KG heavier as well as taller geared especially a BTR version. The Boss motors often show more grunt on the dyno however. I rule

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by PepeLePew

I do miss it a tad, the Miami is a magnificent stick but it just wish sometimes it was a bit less civilised with more V8 darkness/mood, more America less Euro (not like you car about that when you give it a shove). It's just that damn sweet and dare I say sophisticated.

I agree with this 100% and while you mention a Miami I think the same can be said for a Boss. It is actually one of the things I hated about my FG 5.4 - coming from a cammed Windsor, the Boss in comparison was almost clinical, sterile, no character etc.

[Express]

I’ve always thought the majority of LS motors sound ordinary though very occasionally and I do mean very occasionally you hear a half decent one.

This is my cammed and ported heads LS2 with a quiet Walkingshaw catback exhaust and factory HSV headers and cats backed with a manual gearbox.
A good tuner has no problem in tuning it to give good driving manners.



Even though this car has a quiet exhaust to help keep it less noticeable, in my opinion the LS cammed motors even when fitted with a 100cpi Cats, 4 into 1’s and 3 inch exhaust are still ordinary. Maybe I'm just too old and showing my age as I believe you can't beat the sound of a old school cammed Cleveland 351/302 or Holden 308/253 and to me nothing else rates.





Now this old school 304 wouldn’t pull the skin off a rice pudding but it sounds good getting around.





By the way these videos were taken on the same day with the same cheap camera.

One day I'll get around to doing one of the Cleveland, it sounds even better.

[fgpsi]

Originally Posted by Express

I’ve always thought the majority of LS motors sound ordinary though very occasionally and I do mean very occasionally you hear a half decent one.

This is my cammed and ported heads LS2 with a quiet Walkingshaw catback exhaust and factory HSV headers and cats backed with a manual gearbox.
A good tuner has no problem in tuning it to give good driving manners.

image

Even though this car has a quiet exhaust to help keep it less noticeable, in my opinion the LS cammed motors even when fitted with a 100cpi Cats, 4 into 1’s and 3 inch exhaust are still ordinary. Maybe I'm just too old and showing my age as I believe you can't beat the sound of a old school cammed Cleveland 351/302 or Holden 308/253 and to me nothing else rates.





Now this old school 304 wouldn’t pull the skin off a rice pudding but it sounds good getting around.

image

I used to have a VY SS with otr, tune and full di fillipo 2 and a half with the mufflers deleted for hotdogs + di fillipo extractors

Sounded horn

[GTP-RPD]

I think this sounds awesome.

http://youtu.be/bQdhcU26tZ4

[Sa45]

Dont get me wrong i to think the boss motors sound hot as once cam work gets done... Its just last night i was driving behind a cammed ss ve ute and Imo they just sound more evil riffle like back fire during gear changes sounded awesome

[ratter]

a bad tune can make a small cam sound like a big one

[fgpsi]

Originally Posted by GTP-RPD

I think this sounds awesome.

http://youtu.be/bQdhcU26tZ4

Eww what did they do to that Monaro

[Express]

Originally Posted by fgpsi

I used to have a VY SS with otr, tune and full di fillipo 2 and a half with the mufflers deleted for hotdogs + di fillipo extractors

Sounded horn

This is my old VE with Di Filippo 4 into1’s, 100 cpi cats, Hurricane mufflers and 3 inch system.

It’s was tuned with OTRCAI but not cammed, it crackled on over run everytime I backed off and people would turn and look, it was loud but crap.




Which brings me to your comment and your system and why yours may sound good.

It’s not just the cam that makes a car sound great, it’s the exhaust brand, materials used, pipe diameter, the cats and different muffler types then throw that out the window as we all hear things differently and have different tastes in what sounds good.

I grew up listening to the hotdog exhausts of the 60’s and 70’s V8’s and they are still the pinnacle for me. I struggle with the newer sound.

I agree that clip CTP-RPD posted does sound great but you don’t hear many LS motors on the street that remotely sound the same and I bet if you searched YouTube you could find an equally awesome sounding Ford.

[fgpsi]

Originally Posted by Express

This is my old VE with Di Filippo 4 into1’s, 100 cpi cats, Hurricane mufflers and 3 inch system.

It’s was tuned with OTRCAI but not cammed, it crackled on over run everytime I backed off and people would turn and look, it was loud but crap.

image


Which brings me to your comment and your system and why yours may sound good.

It’s not just the cam that makes a car sound great, it’s the exhaust brand, materials used, pipe diameter, the cats and different muffler types then throw that out the window as we all hear things differently and have different tastes in what sounds good.

I grew up listening to the hotdog exhausts of the 60’s and 70’s V8’s and they are still the pinnacle for me. I struggle with the newer sound.

I agree that clip CTP-RPD posted does sound great but you don’t hear many LS motors on the street that remotely sound the same and I bet if you searched YouTube you could find an equally awesome sounding Ford.

Yeah had a mate with a VZ SS series 1 (ls1) and he got the 3 inch di fillipo and when we compared them we both agreed that my 2.5 di fillipo with hotdogs sounded much better.

I wondered what his 3 inch would be like if he deleted the mufflers for hot dogs. My XB is mild with a 2 inch and craps on them all lol

[GTP-RPD]

Originally Posted by fgpsi

Eww what did they do to that Monaro

Turned it into an EVIL GOAT.

[zilo]

I prefer a sweet perfectly pitched turbo sound in every way compared to a rough shakey cam.