photos by: Phastek Performance
Phastek Performance Valvetrain Upgrade in a 5th-Gen Camaro
When the fifth-generation Camaro was first announced, it picked up from where a four-decade tradition of affordable performance had left off. Harkening its style from the 1969 first-generation car, it would go on to become a tremendous seller for General Motors. Looking back over a decade later, and the car still remains very poplar among drag racers, cruisers, autocross contenders, and many more!
They also make more cost-effective alternatives to the later Camaros and the competitor vehicles. As these cars continue to age, they also tend to need some refreshening — and while we’re at it, more power, too.
Recently, our friends at Phastek Performance asked us to take a look at their in-house 5th-gen Camaro SS project that they’ve been tinkering on for some time. To better illustrate the backstory, and the process, Phastek’s own Ricardo Salinas lent some information:
“The car started life as a 2010 Camaro SS with a manual transmission; only Stainless Power headers, a Solo Performance exhaust, and Roto-Fab intake system were already installed before we began the cam work. Base dyno numbers made around ~410rwhp, I don’t remember the exact number, and we don’t have the before graph.
We chose the Comp Cams Stage 2 LST camshaft since it had similar specs to a popular Stage 2 camshaft from another company. The package includes the cam, dual valve springs, retainers, locks, seals, and pushrods — virtually everything needed for the upgrade minus gaskets. While we were going to have the heads apart, we decided to upgrade the trunnion with the CHE kit. It’s an easy upgrade to give people the peace of mind knowing the factory components have been replaced — in case they are weak or need the change.
Since the engine was open, we put a new high-volume Melling oil pump, a bit more volume since we plan on getting rid of the factory oil cooler.
No head work or intake work (porting, milling, et al.) was done to any of the components — all factory as far as that is concerned. The headers do still have the cats that came with the system, we did not gut anything. Other then engine components, there is a McLeod RXT clutch to help with some grip, factory trans, factory driveshaft, factory half shafts are all still on the car. We do have some suspension pieces, RST lowering springs, Hendrix differential bushings, and Hendrix cradle bushings.
After all was done, the car ended up making around ~476rwhp on a Mustang dyno. That would give us an increase of ~66rwhp after the cam was installed. The driveability for the car is near perfect, it does not spit or sputter when cruising and power is always on demand. Lay into the throttle or ease into it, the car will go. When fired up the car will echo off any neighboring buildings and the chop that we get out of this cam is mean and chops hard.”
Rick Seitz is the owner and founder of GMEFI Magazine, and has a true love and passion for all vehicles. When he isn’t tuning, testing, or competing with the brand’s current crop of project vehicles, he’s busy tinkering and planning the next modifications for his own cars.
