Engine advice

[WS6Doc]

hey everyone I have a 2000 WS6 and am trying to decide if it would be smarter to swap my motor out or build it up. Now the car is completly stock except for the slp lid and flowmaster exhaust and the car has 92k. I know either project is going to get expensive but is it smarter to rebuild the motor I have now cam swap stuff like that or should I just go with a new crate motor already set up?
Doc

[JasperBrooks]

Me personally I would rebuild/stroke the old motor, probably forge it out also. They have strokers kits available and it'll put MUCH more "pep" in your baby. But It all personal prefence, i wish you the best!

[SMWS6TA]

92k the block is just getting broke in.


Not to worry this is a very common question here. Let's begin by asking some routine questions:


What do you want? Street/strip/DD/show or a combo of these. Each one has certain things that apply to each category and can cross over but not be necessarry to the end goal.

Example a strip only car wouldn't need to have show quality paint and parts while a street/show would, and a solid dd would not need top of the line performance parts to make it a great ride. May sound confusing but it's not.

The reason these are asked is because it determines direction and budget however one is not equally tied to the other.


What's your Budget? - Everything cost money. The better and faster you want the build to be done the more it can cost. Figure out the budget let's you know what's realistic.


How mush time to complete? Unless you have a crew of 10 and an unlimited budget with a full garage, it's going to take time. Most guys spend about 3-5 yrs on a build. Priorities change and life happens. Planning for miny projects to accomplish the main goal chips away all the little stuff and adds up.




RESEARCH, RESEARCH, take notes/ask questions, RESEARCH SOME MORE!!! Best advice any one can give you here. Take the time to look at and ask questions from what others here have done.



Most common suggestions are:

Basic Budget Bolt on's - LS6 Intake, LT Headers, ORY, Muffler, Mail Order Tune from Frost, Delete EGR/Air Pump, SLP style Air Lid. M6 - LS7 clutch/A4 - stall around 3000-3200.

These will give a bump in the HP and make it a little more fun to drive with out breaking into the motor.


Next level - It's a smart move to work from the rear forward. Meaning suspension, rear, transmission, and lastly the internals of the motor last. Reason being - Put a high output cam & heads and go to launch it @ 4500 rpms before upgrading the rear and you'll be towing the car home on a trailer. The rears in these cars suck. GM screwed us on this here. The LS1 has just enough power that on a hot sticky day and a hard launch it'll go.


Not saying you can't do heads and cam first, just that you'll be chasing the other stuff that breaks.



Cam/Heads - this is an area that you have to think a great deal about. High output cams have hidden cost. It's not just the cam you have to purchase. Springs, push rods, lifters have to be plan for too. Also CAMS like MS3/4 the springs seem to need replaced every 25-30k miles. That's about $280 every time. On top of all that you have to get a full tune $500.

Heads - again research here.

[WS6Doc]

Thanks for the replies guys. It is mostly to be a weekend strip/street car not going to be my daily driver. I am thinking of a moser 9in for the rear end and umi sub frame contectors but was just wondering if it is smarter and a better bang for the buck to stroke the ls1 or to buy a crate motor that already has the parts on it? I would like to keep it NA not a huge fan of turbos or stuff like that.
Doc

[35th-ANV-SS]

When did you acquire the car? How many miles were on it when you got it? I ask because that could have a lot to do with how well things look internally - you know how you have driven it. How well did the previous owner maintain it though?

I would throw a mild cam and a nice set of heads on it and call it a day - of course after you upgrade the rear and some suspension components.

[WS6Doc]

The car already had 83k on it when I got it so no real idea how it had been treated up till then though It has fun strong and fine with no problems with the motor so far thank god.

[SMWS6TA]

It really comes down to how much you can or willing to do.

If you're able to do your own work then getting a stroker kit might be worth doing.

TS&P has some good deals on both stroker kits & short blocks.