Engine Weight
01-01-2016, 04:30 PM
#1
Engine Weight FWIW - scaled the new crate LS3 today. Put it in the same configuration as the Ford 5.0L was when I weighed it --- no flywheel, no oil filter, no accessories -- but water pump, balancer, ignition, injectors, fuel rails, intake and exhaust manifolds in place. My 82 Volvo 242 had been 5.0L powered since '96. Pulled it a couple of months ago to replace with a new LS3.
1992 Ford 5.0L (8.2" deck, aluminum heads, Explorer intake, steel tube shorty headers) - 411 lbs.
All aluminum LS3 (9.2" deck, alum block/heads, plastic intake, cast iron headers) - 393.4 lbs.
FWIW - the Ford Racing stainless shorties weighed 14 lbs. and the Chevy cast iron Camaro manifolds weigh 22 lbs. So when I put tubular shorties on it (likely - the cast units won't fit the car anyway), I believe I'll lose another 5-8 lbs. So we'll be somewhere around 20-22 lbs. lighter. The flywheel/clutch assembly is 4 lbs. lighter on the new motor (courtesy of aluminum flywheel) - which takes us to 24-26 lbs. lighter. But the steel bell housing is about 7 lbs. heavier than the aluminum Ford unit. I'm assuming the accessories/brackets are close to a wash, edge to the new set up being a pound or two lighter (new A/C compressor lighter, 160A alternator a bit heavier, P/S pump and starter the same -- aluminum brackets on Chevy a bit lighter than the aluminum/steel units on the Ford).
So - all in, call it 20 lbs. lighter. 100 more HP. 85 more lb-ft. Equal or better fuel mileage. Daddy's happy.
1992 Ford 5.0L (8.2" deck, aluminum heads, Explorer intake, steel tube shorty headers) - 411 lbs.
All aluminum LS3 (9.2" deck, alum block/heads, plastic intake, cast iron headers) - 393.4 lbs.
FWIW - the Ford Racing stainless shorties weighed 14 lbs. and the Chevy cast iron Camaro manifolds weigh 22 lbs. So when I put tubular shorties on it (likely - the cast units won't fit the car anyway), I believe I'll lose another 5-8 lbs. So we'll be somewhere around 20-22 lbs. lighter. The flywheel/clutch assembly is 4 lbs. lighter on the new motor (courtesy of aluminum flywheel) - which takes us to 24-26 lbs. lighter. But the steel bell housing is about 7 lbs. heavier than the aluminum Ford unit. I'm assuming the accessories/brackets are close to a wash, edge to the new set up being a pound or two lighter (new A/C compressor lighter, 160A alternator a bit heavier, P/S pump and starter the same -- aluminum brackets on Chevy a bit lighter than the aluminum/steel units on the Ford).
So - all in, call it 20 lbs. lighter. 100 more HP. 85 more lb-ft. Equal or better fuel mileage. Daddy's happy.
Last edited by Michael Yount; 01-01-2016 at 05:36 PM.
01-02-2016, 12:54 PM
#4
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (7)
A Windsor 5.0 is not that heavy and they are actually slightly smaller than a LS engine (mostly narrower).
Andrew
01-02-2016, 01:11 PM
#5
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (7)
The OP has shown that in his first post.
Andrew
01-02-2016, 04:21 PM
#7
Since the LS platform has a 9.2" deck height (5.0L is 8.2"), I think the more appropriate comparison would be to compare the 6.2L (mine) to a Windsor or Cleveland based 9.2"/9.5" Ford block. Do that (with aluminum heads of course - just because they're so prevalent) and you'll end up with 80-90 lb weight savings between the LS and Ford. Or, to put it another way, with the aluminum LS I get a Windsor-sized motor for an 85 lb. weight savings.
It also goes to show just how little metal is in the late model 5.0L thin-cast blocks --- they're known for breaking at relatively low power/rpm levels. Any serious 5.0L build starts with a Dart or World block -- and those weigh a good 35-40 lbs. more than the stock 5.0L block (both in 8.2" deck). In fact, if you bought a Dart aluminum 8.2" Ford block, it doesn't weigh much less than the stock thin-cast 5.0L block. In my mind, not much reason to compare the weight of the stock 5.0L to anything else ---- unless of course you're replacing it like I am and just want to know if any suspension adjustments are in order. Luckily for me, and predictably, they're not. My guess at the weight based on the shipping numbers was 395 (sans oil, flex plate) --- got pretty close.
It also goes to show just how little metal is in the late model 5.0L thin-cast blocks --- they're known for breaking at relatively low power/rpm levels. Any serious 5.0L build starts with a Dart or World block -- and those weigh a good 35-40 lbs. more than the stock 5.0L block (both in 8.2" deck). In fact, if you bought a Dart aluminum 8.2" Ford block, it doesn't weigh much less than the stock thin-cast 5.0L block. In my mind, not much reason to compare the weight of the stock 5.0L to anything else ---- unless of course you're replacing it like I am and just want to know if any suspension adjustments are in order. Luckily for me, and predictably, they're not. My guess at the weight based on the shipping numbers was 395 (sans oil, flex plate) --- got pretty close.
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01-02-2016, 05:19 PM
#9
My 1965 Buick Skylark came with a V6 motor. I was going to swap in the L92 motor and looked up the weights of each. They were almost identical. So I just kept the V6 front springs in the car and it has worked out just fine.
01-03-2016, 01:55 PM
#13
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (5)
There's a sticky on this site posting weights of blocks. It really interests me from the stand point in any type of racing or performance "weight is your enemy" I bought a new LS3 block and sold my LQ4 block (205lbs.) because I could not bring myself to add 100 lbs. to the nose of my car and am staying with all aluminum in my new 416 build. 5.0 stock blocks 131lbs, and cannot survive much more than 450 fwhp without splitting in the valley or blowing the bottom out, caps and all. LS aluminum blocks, about 104lbs and can handle twice the power and make so much more easier. The Dart 5.0?… 185lbs. That's 50+lbs of material added and can make a practical maximum of about 364 c.i.
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