L92 vs LS3 heads
04-28-2010, 03:41 PM
#1
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L92 vs LS3 heads Is one better than the other?
Was pricing out putting better valves/springs in my L92 heads and found parts prices to be silly.
38 dollars each for intake valves, 23 for exhaust, couple hundred for stock LS3 springs...then a valve job/cleanup.
But new LS3 heads I've seen as low as 650/pair complete!
Trying to make sense out of it...feel free to set me straight if I'm not making sense.
Was pricing out putting better valves/springs in my L92 heads and found parts prices to be silly.
38 dollars each for intake valves, 23 for exhaust, couple hundred for stock LS3 springs...then a valve job/cleanup.
But new LS3 heads I've seen as low as 650/pair complete!
Trying to make sense out of it...feel free to set me straight if I'm not making sense.
04-28-2010, 04:18 PM
#2
They're the same head. Theres differences in valve weights and spring types but the head castings are identical. You can gain a LOT of info and answers to all these kind of questions in the sticky here
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...-l92-info.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...-l92-info.html
04-28-2010, 05:23 PM
#3
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Cam again, I should just get your number...
~
I think I was being unclear, in practical terms spending 350 on valves, 200 on springs then having a valve job done which would be another 150 or so, seemed not to make sense when I can buy the ls3 heads complete with the exact same valves/springs I want, for 650 and have a set of L92s as backup or to sell.
Am I making sense or thinking crazy? (either is possible)
~I think I was being unclear, in practical terms spending 350 on valves, 200 on springs then having a valve job done which would be another 150 or so, seemed not to make sense when I can buy the ls3 heads complete with the exact same valves/springs I want, for 650 and have a set of L92s as backup or to sell.
Am I making sense or thinking crazy? (either is possible)
04-28-2010, 05:32 PM
#4
I typically do whatever works out the most advantageous in terms of $$$ but I will spend for quality. Speaking of quality maybe you shoukd just bypass GO altogether and buy a set of WCCH or similar CNC ported and fully dressed L92 heads/ They are very reasonable for the performance levels they can attain.
Im moving towards them when i go to bigger cubes but I have enough gremlins to sort out with what Im up to for now
Im moving towards them when i go to bigger cubes but I have enough gremlins to sort out with what Im up to for now
04-28-2010, 06:03 PM
#5
I typically do whatever works out the most advantageous in terms of $$$ but I will spend for quality. Speaking of quality maybe you shoukd just bypass GO altogether and buy a set of WCCH or similar CNC ported and fully dressed L92 heads/ They are very reasonable for the performance levels they can attain.
Im moving towards them when i go to bigger cubes but I have enough gremlins to sort out with what Im up to for now
Im moving towards them when i go to bigger cubes but I have enough gremlins to sort out with what Im up to for now
04-28-2010, 07:30 PM
#7
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Ah WKMCD, a truly sweet build I enjoyed reading immensely,
mine is not so refined but its power to weight ratio should make it fun.
I'm almost finished with the ordering of parts, that was the easy part, the hard part is all the waiting!
Jury is still out on the transmission tunnel until I get my k member package.
Think I've got a reasonable idea on the heads at this point, think I'll leave the stock valves in it, have a cam/spring package specced out and leave it at that.
Does having a custom cam with VVT intact make any difference on whether you need to get a tune or not?
Not having built much in terms of GM, and zilch on VVT, I have no idea if a stock L92 with ls3 intake/kooks long tubes and a custom VVT would need one or not.
thanks for the ideas!
mine is not so refined but its power to weight ratio should make it fun.
I'm almost finished with the ordering of parts, that was the easy part, the hard part is all the waiting!
Jury is still out on the transmission tunnel until I get my k member package.
Think I've got a reasonable idea on the heads at this point, think I'll leave the stock valves in it, have a cam/spring package specced out and leave it at that.
Does having a custom cam with VVT intact make any difference on whether you need to get a tune or not?
Not having built much in terms of GM, and zilch on VVT, I have no idea if a stock L92 with ls3 intake/kooks long tubes and a custom VVT would need one or not.
thanks for the ideas!
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04-28-2010, 07:56 PM
#8
Any cam needs a tune. Anything with VVT has an amazing amount of gains over a typical non vvt cam. You can have the best low end, the best mid range, and the best top end with VVT.
VVT cams are fairly limited in selection because of piston to valve clearance issues. Unless you install aftermarket pistons, then a whole new world opens up. I dont think many have done this yet, or havent talked much about it. You would have to carefully measure PTV clearances with any "custom" VVT cam.
Its a little more involved than a standard cam, but well worth it. You have to pull apart the phaser and lock the phaser in the park position(full advance). Put it back together and check PTV. Then you have to take it back apart and lock the phaser in full retard, and check again. It sounds worse than it is.
Comp made 500hp with their VVT cam on a 6.2L with only Cam, springs, and phaser limiter. Cam was 222/236 .570ish lift. Oh yeah it had headers too.
http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...all/index.html
VVT cams are fairly limited in selection because of piston to valve clearance issues. Unless you install aftermarket pistons, then a whole new world opens up. I dont think many have done this yet, or havent talked much about it. You would have to carefully measure PTV clearances with any "custom" VVT cam.
Its a little more involved than a standard cam, but well worth it. You have to pull apart the phaser and lock the phaser in the park position(full advance). Put it back together and check PTV. Then you have to take it back apart and lock the phaser in full retard, and check again. It sounds worse than it is.
Comp made 500hp with their VVT cam on a 6.2L with only Cam, springs, and phaser limiter. Cam was 222/236 .570ish lift. Oh yeah it had headers too.
http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...all/index.html
04-28-2010, 07:59 PM
#9
FWIW: I ran stock L92 springs in the 403 for about 8-10k miles. They are not a bad valve and actually lighter than some of the stainless valves. The key is great - not good - valve springs setup properly. I ran PAC 1521 setup to .050 of coil bind with a .660 lift cam. They spec'd very close to new when we did the 427 so back in they went.
04-29-2010, 01:32 PM
#13
With the proper spring there should not be any issues with the LS3. The L92 valves with the extra 20 grams is very hard to control with a agressive lobe on the cam.
Getting the intake valve, spring, and retainer weight down really helps with the stem to being so small.
It is not cheap to outfit them.
Tim
Getting the intake valve, spring, and retainer weight down really helps with the stem to being so small.
It is not cheap to outfit them.
Tim
04-29-2010, 04:12 PM
#14
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I see the intakes for 24.95 each on pace, thanks that's the lowest I've seen so far.
As I'm keeping VVT, I wonder just how aggressive I CAN get with a cam and not wind up replacing pistons or making deeper reliefs.
Was not planning on taking this engine high in the rpms unlike some of my previous FoMoCo engines. If it has not made the power I want by 6500 then I screwed up somewhere.
Idea behind this build is a well rounded car I'm comfortable taking on a long drive, or making a pass once in a great while. I came to the conclusion that if I don't build something I really enjoy driving, I probably won't own it long.
As I'm keeping VVT, I wonder just how aggressive I CAN get with a cam and not wind up replacing pistons or making deeper reliefs.
Was not planning on taking this engine high in the rpms unlike some of my previous FoMoCo engines. If it has not made the power I want by 6500 then I screwed up somewhere.
Idea behind this build is a well rounded car I'm comfortable taking on a long drive, or making a pass once in a great while. I came to the conclusion that if I don't build something I really enjoy driving, I probably won't own it long.
04-29-2010, 06:18 PM
#16
I came to the conclusion that if I don't build something I really enjoy driving, I probably won't own it long.
You sure summed it up for me and most of us thats for sure. Its my mission to build a low ten second daily driver that really sacrifices nothing over a stock driving car. Im not going to get there on this build but I inch closer to that goal with each new build.
As for VVT cam selection? As mentioned before ptv clearance is the limiting factor here. Im running a pretty decent sized cam 222/230 600 lift EPS lobes that I had PatrickG spec for me and i bought it from Geoff of Engine Power Systems. Both are great guys and very helpful and no matter how much I tried to push for a bigger cam they were adamant that this would make me happy so I went for it and I sure hope they are right
There are bigger cams available than mine for VVT however but the good thing is you dont really need a giant cam to make big power with the L92 heads.
