When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
How much boost can a aluminum gen 4 LS2 handle reliably?
I've been searching through threads to find what people have actually been getting, but with no luck.
So like the title says, how much boost have you guys been getting out of a stock gen 4 aluminum ls2 on pump 93 gas? My reason for asking is because I'm trying to find a 6.0 iron block, but I am having trouble finding one. I can get a ls2 out of an 06 vette, but I don't know how much power it can handle vs the iron block.
Right now I would just be running it on pump 93 until probably next year when I run meth. I don't know if I'll forge it, or just see what I can get out of it. I'm honestly just looking to get around 750rwhp on meth, 600-650rwhp on pump if possible. I've read where people have had problems with aluminum blocks cracking, so if I will run into problems with what I'm wanting to do, then I will hold off until I can get an iron block. Only changes would be the rings would be regapped for boost, ls9 head gaskets, and either 317's or 241's for now. The tuner is good and I want it to be reliable.
Short version, how much boost can an aluminum gev 4 ls2 live on pump 93 for? Is it like the ls1 at around 550rwhp @7-9psi?
i haven't seen anywhere that someone cracked a block before something else gave out with a SBE. rods or rod bolts will go long before the block does, iron or aluminum. id say use it!
i haven't seen anywhere that someone cracked a block before something else gave out with a SBE. rods or rod bolts will go long before the block does, iron or aluminum. id say use it!
I just had a buddy in an ls1 that put down right under 540rwhp that took our ring land #7, bent #7 rod, and cracked the sleeve in #7. That's the reason I was kind of curious with everyone else's experiences. I just didn't want that to happen to mine, because it's still pretty low mileage and put down 529rwhp on sbe. I just wanted to swap it out and not have to worry if it's going to stay together every time I'm wot.
I didn't know if the aluminum ls2 was stronger than an ls1 or not.
The record for the most power on a stock bottom end LS1 is in the mid 800's at the wheels, and the rods in those are severely weaker than the LS2 rods.
The cracked ring lands and bent rods are usually a sign of a bad tune (too much timing).
Well, Ryan Mitchell from lsxkilr tuned that car and tuned mine also. He tunes a lot of cars in the Kansas area and fr8train is one of them, Ryan's is the 16xxrwhp black 3rd gen. I'm not saying that it wasn't, because I have no clue. But I believe his was on the same boost and timing as mine, which is 9psi @11deg timing. His may have been 12 deg, but I can't remember.
I guess it could have been? It seems like he spent a lot of time on it, he dyno and street tuned it. He also tuned it so if it goes over 10psi that it would pull my timing and dump more fuel in it. Set my electronic boost controllers max at 10psi too. Maybe something was overlooked in his, tbh I don't know much about tuning, but he seemed like he did a good job. That does suck if that's what it was though.
I was just curious on how much that an aluminum ls2 can live a long time for with a good tune? I don't really want to push it to the limit, I just want it reliable, and if someone that could give their experience on what theirs is at right now?
Personally, I wouldnt even consider building the bottom end if i was only going for 700ish whp. Like everyone said, the LS2 has better rods and pistons than an LS1.
Something caused your buddies motor to knock which popped the ringland and then bent the rod when it slightly hung up. Tune may have been alright, just something else.
Personally, I wouldnt even consider building the bottom end if i was only going for 700ish whp. Like everyone said, the LS2 has better rods and pistons than an LS1.
Something caused your buddies motor to knock which popped the ringland and then bent the rod when it slightly hung up. Tune may have been alright, just something else.
I'd really like to go with the aluminum ls2 if people have been doing it. So even with 241 heads, just throw ls9 gaskets on it, regap the rings and check the clearances... run it?
FWIW I made 748/730 a couple weekends ago with my sbe 180k mile LS1 block. 13 pounds of boost and 15 degrees of timing in peak torque range and 16 up top. I'm running around the 9:1 ish compression judging from the online calculators.
Buddy with his Camaro did 725/708 or something like that if I remember right with a higher compression setup on 9 pounds and I don't remember how much timing. Think he is around 11:1 or something like that with milled 243's. We both build our tunes pretty much the same way, pull back timing a bit at peak torque, add it back in with the RPMs, keep the revs low and pray things don't scatter.
If the LS2 has better bottom end hardware I would imagine that it could take a beating. Everything I have seen all comes back to the tune. Know of one local "expert" tuner that had a procharged C6 with a D1 at 12 psi that he threw 22 degrees of timing at it when it let loose because "It wasn't making the power it should have". Completely disregarded the fact the pump and injectors were pretty much done at that boost level. Think it came apart at 580ish or something like that.
All comes down to the tune and fuel delivery being adequate imo.
FWIW I made 748/730 a couple weekends ago with my sbe 180k mile LS1 block. 13 pounds of boost and 15 degrees of timing in peak torque range and 16 up top. I'm running around the 9:1 ish compression judging from the online calculators.
Buddy with his Camaro did 725/708 or something like that if I remember right with a higher compression setup on 9 pounds and I don't remember how much timing. Think he is around 11:1 or something like that with milled 243's. We both build our tunes pretty much the same way, pull back timing a bit at peak torque, add it back in with the RPMs, keep the revs low and pray things don't scatter.
If the LS2 has better bottom end hardware I would imagine that it could take a beating. Everything I have seen all comes back to the tune. Know of one local "expert" tuner that had a procharged C6 with a D1 at 12 psi that he threw 22 degrees of timing at it when it let loose because "It wasn't making the power it should have". Completely disregarded the fact the pump and injectors were pretty much done at that boost level. Think it came apart at 580ish or something like that.
All comes down to the tune and fuel delivery being adequate imo.
How long have you been running it like that? Btw, nice numbers man! Are you running e85 or meth?
Originally Posted by Heavy H.P.
I take it your in KC have you checked to see if there are some 6.0's in the St.Louis area since it isn't that far from you.
I know that it sounds messed up, but I'm actually from the St Louis area and drove to Kansas for him to tune it. I used to have Dave Steck tune my car, but he moved to Texas and I really don't trust many people with my car. The tuners around here are hit and miss and I'm a firm believer that your whole build is only as good as the tune.
I've been looking, but can't find any that people doesn't think is a pile of gold sitting there. I don't mind paying for one, but some people flat out want to rape you. If you know of any in the ST Louis are, or close by then I would greatly appreciate the lead to it. The one I'm looking at that's aluminum is almost 4 hours away, so I don't mind a little drive.
[QUOTE=Rawr256;19239870]FWIW I made 748/730 a couple weekends ago with my sbe 180k mile LS1 block. 13 pounds of boost and 15 degrees of timing in peak torque range and 16 up top. I'm running around the 9:1 ish compression judging from the online calculators.
agree i am tune similar to you with 9 to 1 engine 15-16 deg on pump 730 to wheels
I just had a buddy in an ls1 that put down right under 540rwhp that took our ring land #7, bent #7 rod, and cracked the sleeve in #7. That's the reason I was kind of curious with everyone else's experiences. I just didn't want that to happen to mine, because it's still pretty low mileage and put down 529rwhp on sbe. I just wanted to swap it out and not have to worry if it's going to stay together every time I'm wot.
I didn't know if the aluminum ls2 was stronger than an ls1 or not.
Thanks for the input so far guys.
Being too Lean killed that motor, take it to JUSTUNE in independence MO, Justin is a excellent tuner. Should only be 3-4hrs from st louis.
I have another question, I found a ls2 gen 3 short block, can I just get some gen 4 rods & pistons and swap them out? I read somewhere that some guys engine builder told him that the heavier Gen 4 rods wouldn't work with his Gen 3 crank unless he wanted to have the whole assembly balanced and have metal added. I've not heard that before?
How long have you been running it like that? Btw, nice numbers man! Are you running e85 or meth?
I know that it sounds messed up, but I'm actually from the St Louis area and drove to Kansas for him to tune it. I used to have Dave Steck tune my car, but he moved to Texas and I really don't trust many people with my car. The tuners around here are hit and miss and I'm a firm believer that your whole build is only as good as the tune.
I've been looking, but can't find any that people doesn't think is a pile of gold sitting there. I don't mind paying for one, but some people flat out want to rape you. If you know of any in the ST Louis are, or close by then I would greatly appreciate the lead to it. The one I'm looking at that's aluminum is almost 4 hours away, so I don't mind a little drive.
This will be my third year running like this. No meth, just pump gas from whatever I can find really. Buddy with his Camaro runs methanol with the higher compression and tends to get his gas at the premium stations like Shell or Chevron. He pulled it out this year after a couple year hiatus because he was tired of dealing with the M6 and breaking/noise from it. Why I plan to keep mine just a street toy, already has enough noise that echos in being an fbody.
Car started life at 305/313 rwhp so can say I'm pretty happy with the return in power out of the sbe at this point
04-26-2016, 03:52 AM
How much boost can a aluminum gen 4 LS2 handle reliably? 
