Reliable Aluminum Block?

**beast450** · 09-24-2007, 06:49 PM

So i was talking to my dad, and he was saying, that he thinks that the ls1 engines wouldnt be reliable, beacause of its aluminum block, and says the lt1 would be better then. He grew up in the 60's working on cars, and he owned a 67 gto in high school. So most of the stuff he knows is about older cars. And was telling me that the aluminum blocks would not work well. So hes afraid to get something new he isnt familiar with so he cant help me out as much. Since ik most of u guys here run aluminum blocks tell me what u think. How are they as far as mileage and everything goes. Thanks

**2000T/A Guru** · 09-24-2007, 07:03 PM

dude you live in Brookfield, i work on the corner of Calhoun and Capitol, come for a ride with me and ill show you how reliable they are lol, nah but they are solid ass motors up to a point, i know with stock internals you can run 500+hp, people have ran higher but id say 500 with no problems wahtso ever as long as your parts are good. With forged 800+hp, and incase he thinks alum blocks in general are weak, my girlfriends uncle has a built 468aluminum block with twin turbos making 1400+rwhp so custom alum blocks can hold alot.

**9T8W66** · 09-25-2007, 07:42 AM

Tell him a stock LS1 M6 would smack his old GTO and get 30mpg on the highway. LS1 is the best pushrod V8 ever designed, I have 117K trouble free Daily driver miles on mine and I love it. I used to own a Trans Am with a 400 Pontiac so I know where he's coming from. These new engines aren't that much different once you get past the electronics. And even that isn't a big deal cause you have access to alot of info on the Web. Most people on here or other sites will help you, and there is documentation how to's for several modifications.

**z28punk** · 09-25-2007, 06:21 PM

tell him the new aluminum blocks arent that much different than old muscle car engines to work on.
the problem is when u get into some of the new V6's and 4 cylinders.

**PontiacFan** · 09-25-2007, 06:38 PM

Yer Dad needs to go to a local dragstrip some weekend & look at all the LSx based engines & vehicles.
He needs to simply read all the LSx based forums to see there are tons of people all over that are reliably running turbos, superchargers, nitrous, etc., etc., ...
Old school is cool, but tech is where it's at, ...

**Mecinoid** · 09-26-2007, 02:19 AM

I have old school 454 Camaro she'll now be running 790HP. I used to drag my firebird until my wife said she didn't want a $10K price tag if the motor blew. So, I talked her into that '67 Camaro with 650HP 454 for the track. We picked it up for $6500 and the first day down the track it pulled 12's without reconditioning. Soon after into the 10's. Now we're shooting for low 9's with the 790HP motor going in.

I hit the Firebird pretty hard on the track without any problems what so ever. Over 30 trips to the drags. Probably over 200 runs. Not a issue. Runs like new 10 years later. She only ever ran mid 12's N/A. Plus shifting 4 gears down a track is work compared to one bang shift on the Camaro.

Have to admit it's easier to work on these for me:

It's all in what you want. Maybe your Dad wants to help you build a monster and it is easier to do that on the old school cars. The LT1 isn't that old school so he wouldn't and shouldn't be considering that motor ... The LS1's are a lot better from the get go imo.

**2000T/A Guru** · 09-27-2007, 08:30 AM

Im just saying if you guys are talking about building a car there are plenty of ways to build the alum block, if your just wondering will it break under stock or just a few bolt ons or even with a cam swap this motor wont break if you use the proper parts.