New to cam specs? Start with Cam Specs Explained & Compared for duration, lift, LSA and overlap in plain English.
Bigger Is Not Automatically Better
Texas Speed's current LS cam guides make the tradeoff clear: as cam size increases, the powerband tends to move higher and converter/gearing requirements increase. In a heavy truck, average torque and drivability can matter more than the last few horsepower at peak RPM.
Published Rectangle-Port Truck Examples
| Cam | Specs | Published guidance |
|---|---|---|
| L92 Truck Stage 1 | 216/228, .600/.600, 113 LSA | Factory-converter compatible; 55+ hp published gain. |
| L92 Truck Stage 2 | 220/232, .600/.600, 112 LSA | 2800+ stall; 55–60+ hp published gain. |
| L92 Truck Stage 3 | 224/236, .600/.600, 112 LSA | 3200+ stall; 60+ hp published gain. |
Those are Texas Speed's results/recommendations for its own products and test combinations, not universal promises. They are useful because they show how a real supplier pairs cam size with converter and intended use.
Build The Combination Around The Cam
- Engine displacement: the same cam behaves larger in a smaller engine.
- Compression: more duration usually asks more of the rest of the combination.
- Valve springs and valvetrain stability: match the cam manufacturer's requirements.
- Piston-to-valve clearance and pushrod length: physically verify when the combination changes.
- Converter and rear gear: keep the engine in the cam's useful range.
- Intake/exhaust and cylinder heads: do not choose a cam that wants airflow the rest of the engine cannot provide.
Street-truck rule: choose the smallest cam that meets the actual goal, then spend the saved compromise on converter, gearing, cooling and calibration quality.
Sources & Further Reading
These links are here so you can verify the numbers and go deeper into the original technical material.