LS1 & $4k towards rebuild. what to do?

[BashamWS6]

i have Kook 1 7/8 Kooks ORY and SLP LMII
im leaning towards the 383 or the 402/408 stroker (forget the LS2 402 all together)
tell me more about this LS6

i really dont want to cam it...and im going to say it even though i KNOW i wll catch shit..
but i dont want the rough idle sound of a big cam (dumb i know...but i just dont want it..)

[blackmagicturbo]

You could do a 6.0 basically a stock ls2 with a baby cam ,a good intake and ported throttle body, Lts will get you 400 whp with a tune ,it'll idle at close to 800 rpm with a choppy idle.. but strokers are nice ! I worked on a 346 m6 cam only ,with a secret spec cam(lol) with an Edelbrock Victor and a 90mm with elbow that made 424 whp on hpt ,, but thats old technology ..

[youngrigo]

With that power goal in mind, the crate LS6 will get you close with headers, exhaust and a tune, and it's cheaper than anything you have listed.
If you want a tad more power, you could stab in a smallish cam before you install the engine.

From there the price goes up.

I would do this and add a little cam like in the 224 -228 range.

Out of the other 3 i would do the LS2 because you can get better head options

[BashamWS6]

I would do this and add a little cam like in the 224 -228 range.

Out of the other 3 i would do the LS2 because you can get better head options

see... i dont know what im looking for with heads..

[Firebirdjones]

i have Kook 1 7/8 Kooks ORY and SLP LMII
im leaning towards the 383 or the 402/408 stroker (forget the LS2 402 all together)
tell me more about this LS6

i really dont want to cam it...and im going to say it even though i KNOW i wll catch shit..
but i dont want the rough idle sound of a big cam (dumb i know...but i just dont want it..)

Nothing wrong with a smooth idle. Us old timers call that a sleeper I have a car here like that, sneaks up on people

The crate LS6 is basically that. The LS6 cam idles smooth (117 lsa), the 243 heads are decent in untouched form, 10.5: compression etc....
Rated at 405 hp, they generally are in the 370 rwhp range, it would love the 1 7/8" headers.

If you want more power, I like the idea of more cubes, because it'll soak up a sizable camshaft better without noticing it. Want a smooth idle and more power?? Go with a 408 build with a smallish 224/228 camshaft and spread the LSA out to 114. Should idle baby smooth with a good tune and make gobs of torque. Change the exhaust to something quieter and make a real sleeper out of it,,,,or as much as a WS6 sleeper can be,,,not like you'd sneak up on anyone with that.

[Firebirdjones]

see... i dont know what im looking for with heads..

Well generally speaking, if you are going to stick with a very small cam for a smooth idle,,,,then I'd stick to looking at cathedral port heads. No need for large intake runner volume so I'd avoid the larger cathedral ports, and you definately won't need L92/LS3 type heads. Especially if you go with a smaller cubed setup.

LS6 heads have a 210cc intake runner, and in ported form they are usually opened to 215-220cc.
Anything larger and I think you'd be wasting your time with a small camshaft.

From there I'd let your budget dictate which heads you choose. Texas Speed seems to be the place where alot of people shop for ported heads,,,$1,200 and up.

[blackmagicturbo]

If you want more power, I like the idea of more cubes, because it'll soak up a sizable camshaft better without noticing it. Want a smooth idle and more power?? Go with a 408 build with a smallish 224/228 camshaft and spread the LSA out to 114. Should idle baby smooth with a good tune and make gobs of torque. Change the exhaust to something quieter and make a real sleeper out of it,,,,or as much as a WS6 sleeper can be,,,not like you'd sneak up on anyone with that.

That would run good and have gobbs of torque !

[BashamWS6]

Nothing wrong with a smooth idle. Us old timers call that a sleeper I have a car here like that, sneaks up on people

The crate LS6 is basically that. The LS6 cam idles smooth (117 lsa), the 243 heads are decent in untouched form, 10.5: compression etc....
Rated at 405 hp, they generally are in the 370 rwhp range, it would love the 1 7/8" headers.

If you want more power, I like the idea of more cubes, because it'll soak up a sizable camshaft better without noticing it. Want a smooth idle and more power?? Go with a 408 build with a smallish 224/228 camshaft and spread the LSA out to 114. Should idle baby smooth with a good tune and make gobs of torque. Change the exhaust to something quieter and make a real sleeper out of it,,,,or as much as a WS6 sleeper can be,,,not like you'd sneak up on anyone with that.

Haha!!

a little over my head on the cam talk but i feel like the 408 stroker would be nice (mr. luo had about 500rwhp BUT a shit ton of additions to the car)
alwell makes a nice goal for later i suppose

and i do want it loud but smooth

TSP sells the 402/408 for around $9K depending on options...
i just dont know...heads...intake/TB combos/etc.etc.

[35th-ANV-SS]

Thought you didn't want an iron block

[Firebirdjones]

Haha!!

a little over my head on the cam talk but i feel like the 408 stroker would be nice (mr. luo had about 500rwhp BUT a shit ton of additions to the car)
alwell makes a nice goal for later i suppose

and i do want it loud but smooth

TSP sells the 402/408 for around $9K depending on options...
i just dont know...heads...intake/TB combos/etc.etc.

Ya but to reach Luos' HP number you'd need a choppy cam with good heads.
Maybe give TSP a shout, tell them you want a smooth idling 408 along with a 425-450 hp goal and see what they come back with.

[BashamWS6]

Ya but to reach Luos' HP number you'd need a choppy cam with good heads.
Maybe give TSP a shout, tell them you want a smooth idling 408 along with a 425-450 hp goal and see what they come back with.

i might just do that tomorrow.


@35th
i didnt want to originally.. but looks like the better option...ill just have to shave some weight some way (id like to shave about 100lbs off this car..)
in case you havent notice im a little indecisive

[35th-ANV-SS]

i might just do that tomorrow.


@35th
i didnt want to originally.. but looks like the better option...ill just have to shave some weight some way (id like to shave about 100lbs off this car..)
in case you havent notice im a little indecisive

Eat less calories and exercise more

[BashamWS6]

lol ill more than likely gain weight in track because all we do is lift
but i could lose probably another 15lbs... weigh'd 170 last night compared to 180 on december 23

what about heat sheilds? itll make it hotter but... cant be too much hotter right?

[youngrigo]

IMO based off what i have gathered on these 5 pages is that i think your best option would be to get a crate LS6 motor and throw a baby cam in it and be around 400+ rwhp. Do some suspension mods and a clutch and you will have alot more fun with your car alot sooner! You will be getting a brand new from the factory LS6. Get used to the 400+ hp then when your ready for alittle more just add a little 125 shot!

[redbird555]

IMO based off what i have gathered on these 5 pages is that i think your best option would be to get a crate LS6 motor and throw a baby cam in it and be around 400+ rwhp. Do some suspension mods and a clutch and you will have alot more fun with your car alot sooner! You will be getting a brand new from the factory LS6. Get used to the 400+ hp then when your ready for alittle more just add a little 125 shot!

What this guy said^ a 408 without decent heads and cam isnt worth it imo. Think about it it will have more displacement which will suck up more fuel, weigh more and still only make the hp of a slightly cammed ls6. The ls6 with full bolt ons routinely makes 385-400whp through an m6 autos are more around 370-380ish on the high side. If you want a slight lobe with a cam you can easily make 430ish like this guy did with his WIFES DD. lol. http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/dynamo...k-results.html That power wil easily be the same as a smooth idling 408.

[Firebirdjones]

i might just do that tomorrow.


@35th
i didnt want to originally.. but looks like the better option...ill just have to shave some weight some way (id like to shave about 100lbs off this car..)
in case you havent notice im a little indecisive

According to the many write ups I've seen on the blocks,,,the LQ4 bare, is only about 65 lbs. more than a bare LS1.
Give or take about 5 lbs. either way it's not that much weight. While your doing the engine swap you could throw in a new tubular K-member and be right back where you were, as they shave off about 60 lbs. Not to mention you get the advantage of being able to actually bore the block for another refresh down the road, something you can't say about the LS1. That alone stamps out the weight penalty as far as I'm concerned.

In my opinion it's a wash. Besides that, it's only the difference between a fat person or a skinny person sitting in the passenger seat.
Cut out the cheese burgers and you'll be back to stock weight in no time

[Firebirdjones]

IMO based off what i have gathered on these 5 pages is that i think your best option would be to get a crate LS6 motor and throw a baby cam in it and be around 400+ rwhp. Do some suspension mods and a clutch and you will have alot more fun with your car alot sooner! You will be getting a brand new from the factory LS6. Get used to the 400+ hp then when your ready for alittle more just add a little 125 shot!

I'm still agreeing with yougrigo here. As we have both said before, the LS6 crate is hard to beat for it's price, ease of install, less down time, and decent RWHP right out of the box that will put your car in the mid 12's.
They'll make 370 rwhp with bolt ons, and it's only a cam swap away from 400. Enough to run 11's easily.
Any way you look at it, that's still a pretty damn quick street car that can be driven everyday.

[BashamWS6]

So would this be the 383 ls6 or the 346 ls6?
Or does wheres this ls6? Texas speed?

[youngrigo]

A factory LS6 is a 346 all others are built by someone

[BashamWS6]

Well wheres this cheapy ls6 you guys were talkin about?