1BADCADDY

I've owned my 05 CTS-V for about a year now and bought it with long tubes, X-pipe, magnaflow exhaust, intake and a tune. It runs pretty good I think. I've installed a short shift kit, engine mounts, trans mount, rear end bushing, etc. The rearend whines and always has so I'm gathering parts to do a 8.8 swap next since I plan to up the hp a bit.


I wish there was more room up front to squeeze a turbo in there... anyone have any pics or details of someone mounting a turbo or procharger on a CTS-V? What all has to be moved?


I've read that the LS6 pistons won't support more than 600 hp? Anyone care to chime in on what the stock bottom end will take?


I'd like to try to get 600 hp to the ground if possible on the stock bottom end, but if that isn't doable, I'll probably just build it with better components and raise my goals a little more.


What kind of hp is achievable with a Maggie setup with a head/cam upgrade etc?

DMM

Turbo is going to be a huge PITA. That's the route I wanted to go prior to the E-Force using Comp Oil-less turbos and the OE manifolds. Probably would have worked out well however Comp employs nothing but ********, or were at the time, so I spent my money elsewhere.

Having just broken a ringland on #7 in my stock (warranty replacement) LS6, I can say if you plan on having over 500 whp plan on upgrading. The ringlands are notoriously weak under boost, esp #7 & #8.

I'd get everything dialed in and then forge the internals, like I should have.

1BADCADDY

If I was to upgrade to forged internals and swap to better heads, would I be better off starting with a different block and selling this one complete as is? Looks like the LS6 is only good for a 0.010" overbore, so no increasing the cubes while it is apart. Maybe sell the complete longblock for a nice chunk of change to upgrade to a 6.2 to start with on the rebuild?

neveret

iTrader: (1)

You could use a corvette bracket from a&a or ecs to run a centrifugal blower which should get you 600 easy & safe whp. You'd need to make a little room for it up front and make new spacers for the bracket to align it to the ls6 accessory drive. I bought my car w/ a Maggie otherwise that's the way I would go.

DMM

Every aluminum block (regardless of displacement) will be limited to less than 0.010", which is pretty much a clean up hone. You could always have the block sleeved and you can bore it to pretty much whatever you like.

I doubt there is much resale value for an LS6 at this point. The value of an LS6 is the heads, intake, and cam. Otherwise, it's a basic LS1 with match weight components installed.

odthetruth

iTrader: (4)

I'd build up a solid rear before throwing power. That was my biggest and most costly mistake was going vice versa.

itsslow98

iTrader: (18)

Guys have made plenty of power on stock blocks without sleeves.....I think as far as power and ease go an eforce or procharger is the best route. Not to mention you already have the longtubes for that.

You could sell your longblock ls6 for at least $2000 if it isnt crazy high miles. That'll cover about a 3rd of a new longblock as long as you dont do a crazy build. Just keep in mind all of the supporting mods for the 600+rwhp....trans,clutch, fuel system, tires, gauges etc.

A regular maggie 112 with heads/cam will make about 500rwhp and be running out of steam up top.....basically a waste of money on the heads/cam for a 112.

serik21

550whp is about the max you can safely run with a bap and stock pump. So calculate what you need for fuel line etc if you want to go over that

runsfromdacops

sell the ls6 buy a iron or alum truck motor for 1/3 the cost and feed it a assload of boost.
the 3rd gens (all of them) are weak and ify over 500-600, 4-5th gen blocks have been well into the 700-900 rage with only head studs.

if your handy and like working on cars go for the turbo, it with be more power cheaper but will require the most setup by you.

if you want a more "bolt in deal" get a blower.
tvs 2300,v2 ctsv stoker (will need to have ls3/l98 heads) or a procharger.
all will need a little tinkering to work on the v1 but nothing like the turbo setup


last on the list would be a magnacharger
easy to find, easy to bolt on, but kinda pricy for the power, power limited around 500hp


as for the rear get the 8.8 and be done with it

1BADCADDY

I'm really wanting to go the turbo route as I work with them all the time (on diesel setups anyway). Custom work isn't a problem and is actually the most rewarding I think. I think I saw your setup somewhere with the rear mount clear in the back, I was hoping to find room upfront somewhere? Here are some pics of my 1200 hp sled pulling truck, all work done by me. It only gets driven about 300' at a time but is quite an adrenaline rush. I'm hoping to mod the car enough to get that same rush every day, lol.

runsfromdacops

haveing the turbos in the bay isnt out of the question but its going to be a big pita.

hefftone

Theres not a whole lot of turbo V1s out there......aside from Rear mount, I've seen (pics vids, etc)
twins in the catalytic location,
a single t76c in the alternator location,
A couple of front mount with custom radiator setups.

runsfromdacops

yep if i move my setup around this year i think it will be 3 small radiators (like a Porsche) and the turbos in the top grill
or just doing a rear mount rad setup so i have more space for turbos and IC

isis

iTrader: (1)

That truck is badass. Bet it makes some serious noise.

hefftone

@runsfromdacops
What turbos are you running?

1BADCADDY

Anyone have any pics with some turbo setups up front? What manifolds get used and how was the exhaust routed back past the engine? Is there enough room to fit it past the manifold maybe below it?

bmylez

iTrader: (3)

What about some mid mount turbos near where the header collectors would go? Maybe I'm mis-remembering the amount of room, but it would seem like a nice compromise. You've got your work cut out for you to make this car an adrenaline rush that won't break.

1BADCADDY

Big picture what needs upgraded to hold the power? If I do the 8.8 rear with full axles and driveshaft, replace the engine and clutch. At what hp is the trans not going to hold up?


runsfromdacops, do you have a build thread?

bmylez

iTrader: (3)

Keep your stock driveshaft as they have not shown to be a weak link. CS makes an adapter to bolt up to the 8.8. If you are planning on real big power, then talk to member "gtistile" on here about his trans upgrade from Rockland Gear. As for a clutch, although I don't have one, I think everyone would agree go with a proper twin disk, like the Monster LT1-SC or McLeod RXT.

Pray

iTrader: (7)

I second the request for a build thread from runsfromdacops.