gcallahan

iTrader: (4)

I'm new to the LS platform and need some advice. I have a LQ9 from a 02 Escalade, 84k miles. Putting it in my 69 Camaro, weekend cruiser maybe some autocross. I have read on this forum of getting 500 RWHP out of these motors. My budget is about $3000. What head, intake, cam combo will thelp me achive these numbers? Running a T56 12 bolt with 411s. I have read that the L92 heads and a LS3 intake produce great numbers. Thats the direction I am leaning towards. Of friend of mine recomended the LS6 heads and intake? So any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance G.

devlmaycry

iTrader: (2)

L92 heads, LS3 intake with LS2 style 90mm tb (available on all sorts of vehicles), hardened pushrods, and for a cam ask PatG. If you have the DBW pedal and tac module with the 2002 LQ9 all you need is an adaptor harness to run the 90mm tb. You can get the adaptor from speartech. You will also probably want to swap the accessory drive. You can get a new CTS-V accessory drive for around $700 complete with bolts, alt, and a/c compressor.

Schwanke Engines

iTrader: (1)

Give us a call and we can get you setup and going in no time. I don't know if your $3000 budget is going to allow for heads and a cam and a stand alone harness, but we can get it all figured out for you.

rao

iTrader: (18)

^^ I've had very good experience using this vendor, give them a call.

chuckd71

iTrader: (23)

Pretty much anything you might buy new can be bought used if you have more patience than money. There is very little reason to buy anything new, even a cam. Is there something 500hp would do that 400 or 450 wouldn't? Is $3k your total budget? If so then do plenty of planning ahead. Some people here spend a third of that budget just on the fuel tank so take advice to spend **** tons of $$$ with a grain of sale.

devlmaycry

iTrader: (2)

I want to say I paid $275 for a set of l92 heads off the forums here with 12k shipped. $188 for pac 1518 springs, $118 for ls3 rockers, $15 for rocker stands. $275 shipped for an new LS3 intake off ebay with injectors and rails, $175 for a LS2 90mm tb, $75 for hardened pushrods, and $400 for my eps cam. With 84k on the motor if the compression is good you should be ok. So for close to $900 you can reach your HP goals. You also need a tune, which varies, but you can say $200-500 there. Then harness rework is at most $600. Gaskets vary in price.

This total brings you in at around 2k. An accessory drive can be had for a decent price used if you search around.

I think 3K is a reasonable budget for this biuld if you have time to wait and search out good deals. Plus sell anything you take of the LQ9 motor. PatG has a dyno thread with L92 heads in the dyno section near numbers your looking for with a small cam.

psiconversion

iTrader: (5)

New harness for that application with drive by cable throttle would be $499.

gcallahan

iTrader: (4)

Thanks for the info guys I really appreciate it.

speedtigger

iTrader: (16)

500 HP at the crank is no problem, but 500 at the rear wheels naturally aspirated is a much different story. Even with good heads it will take a really big camshaft to make that number and the stock LQ bottom end will not like the cylinder pressures or the RPM it will take to do it. I would say based on what I have read on others results in this forum that you will be able to reach the 450 at the wheels area with a really well set up combo that should live on the stock bottom end.

gcallahan

iTrader: (4)

So I got the L92 heads and an LS3 intake and a 90mm Fast tb. The short block is at the machine shop now. If its all good, which it looked to be, I think Ill just do new bearings and rings, for now. When I choose a cam, do I need to get springs to match the lift? And how do I know what length push rods to get?