B Is For Boost

Supercharged LS3 cam comparo.

- Richard Holdener

If you are an LS fan, your favorite letter in the alphabet should be B, since it is the first letter in the most awesome word in the English language: boost.Perhaps the best thing about any boosted application, including our Kenne Bell-supercharged LS3, is its ability to easily extract extra power. Increasing the power output of a blower engine is a simple matter of cranking up the boost. When it comes to superchargers, everyone knows that more boost equals more power, right? What if we told you that one of the best ways to improve the power output of your supercharged engine was by running less boost? Have we lost our dang minds? Well, that remains to be seen, but rest assured that it is not only possible to produce more power with less boost, but it is actually preferable to do so. In addition to the extra power, dropping boost means lower charge temperatures, which in turn lowers the chance of harmful detonation. So let’s see if we have everything covered. Less boost,lies in proper cam timing. It’s not exactly breaking news that the LS engine family responds to cam swaps like a Kardashian to a camera. What blown LS fans might not realize is that the factory LS3, or even the blower-specific LS9, cam might not be the hot ticket. Despite (in the case of the LS9) being designed specifically for not only a supercharged, but a positive displacement supercharged, (LS) application neither of these factory cams were designed with maximum power in mind. Their design constraints included longevity, emissions, and idle quality—all of which were counterproductive to power output. That said, it can be argued that the factory LS9 cam is likely the most powerful of the factory offerings (a title shared with the nearly identical LS7), but even the most powerful factory cam is no match for those available from the aftermarket. Enter those LS cam gurus over at Brian Tooley Racing.