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Block Choice? Ls1,2, 3?

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Old 03-10-2017, 01:40 PM
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Default Block Choice? Ls1,2, 3?

Posted in the Gen IV section with no replies yet...

I have a 2000 WS6 with the LS1...It currently has a mild cam, long tubes, ORY, egr delete etc and a 3k stall...Im at 141k on the odo and my oil psi is becoming an issue...its down to 10-12 at a stop, and 35 on the road...Im weighing my options on rebuilding or replacing. No matter which route I take, I do plan on installing a nice set of heads and better intake. I can get a LS1 short block pretty cheap or jump up to a 2 or 3 sb...My goal is to be mid 11`s....Would there be that much performance gain going from a 6.0 to a 6.2? Im sure going to either of those would be a decent jump from the 5.7...If I stayed with the LS1, I think it would be more cost effective to get a short block than having my block rebuilt with a rotating assembly...The heads I have sort of looked at are the PRC 2.5 for all the options...Just wanted to get some direction on which would be the best route to go, to get me to my mid 11 goal and still have a reliable car to drive on trips etc...Not sure if I would need to spend more $$ on a LS1 to get me to that goal than with a bigger block?
Old 03-10-2017, 02:39 PM
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what does the car run now? a cammed ls1 auto with a stall should already be close to mid 11s in average DA

for your goals staying LS1 means you don't have to adapt to gen iv cam and knock sensors or deal with the different reluctor wheel (depending on year)

fresh LS1 bottom end, ported 243/799s, cam along the lines of a Cam Motion Titan IV, and if anything put a better stall behind it(3600-4000)...that combo should run 11.5 or better pretty easy unless you live in the mountains
Old 03-10-2017, 02:56 PM
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Best time is 12.8@109 on street tires....and that's having to pedal 3 or 4 times...Cant nail it off the line or I blow the tires off...Im still breaking traction several times now just going easy..Im out 200ft before I can even floor it....With that being said, Drag Radials have been ordered and on the way...The cam specs are 228/232 .600/.595 on 112+4...The convertor is FTI SB3000LS which is a loose convertor from what they said when I ordered it...The cam, BTR .660 springs, LS7 lifters etc only have about 2k miles on them...Would be nice to keep all that if possible and stay with LS1...If I stayed with the current block, I would swap to the PRC 2.5 heads and LS6 intake...Im still running the LS1 on it now..Im in SE Texas so pretty much at sea level
Old 03-10-2017, 03:01 PM
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Keep your cam and other parts then. Tires, heads, and intake should easily get you to your goal. That's a good size cam, when you said mild I thought you meant something much smaller.
Old 03-10-2017, 03:11 PM
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Appreciate it...That LS1 has lasted 141k miles from an assembly line engine, so it had to be pretty decent to take all the abuse Im sure it got over the years...The cost of rebuilding mine with a new rotating assm compared to just buying a new LS1 short block are about the same...The PRC heads run 1399 and I can just swap my springs, push rods etc over to them...I would much rather do that and spend the left over $$ on suspension etc...I already have a new factory oil pump, and LS2 HD timing chain with ARP cam gear etc from the cam install a while back...Just wasn't sure if staying with the LS1 would get me mid 11 or not...Hopefully with a fresh LS1 short block, those heads and my cam and LS6 intake will do the trick...
Old 03-10-2017, 06:35 PM
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Personally I'd go to LS3. The bigger bore and better heads combined will run really well. And actually run smoother. Displacement absorbs cam duration nicely

But the LS1 block can get you into mid 11's for sure.
Old 03-10-2017, 07:04 PM
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Would rather stay LS1 if possible...there is a pretty decent price jump from a 1-3...I personally would rather a LS3 for sure....There isn't a huge price gap to jump from 1-2 though...Hopefully the cam I have is enough is either the 1 or the 2...that and the BRT springs, lifters, pushrods etc are still pretty new in current set up
Old 03-10-2017, 10:28 PM
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I ran PRC 5.3l 2.5s on a LQ4 6.0l with a 228/232 cam and went 11.6 @119. Their 2.5 program for LS6 is decent too. Youre not going to gain much going from 5.7 to 6.0. But, if you get a 4" bore then I urge you to get LS3 style heads. I'm moving to a LS3 top end soon and I will lose a ton of money making the switch. I was very budget limited before, but I should have just waited until I could afford the better head.
Old 03-10-2017, 11:03 PM
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LS3 would be the best of any mentioned for sure but I'd never talk anyone out of building an LS1 based motor if their budget was limited and they're car needed many things like a rear axle upgrade or suspension and such. Low 11's are very doable with an LS1 build.
Old 03-10-2017, 11:35 PM
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Im trying to build on a semi-budget I guess you could say....I don't want to just throw a bunch of money to be able to say I have a LS3....Would love to have one for sure though...The main reason I was looking at the 6.0 is that the blocks are new, and most of the LS1 short blocks I have found online start out as a L33 5.3 core and bored to 5.7 like Thompson Motorsports etc...I def want to stay with a alumn block though....
Old 03-11-2017, 12:30 AM
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L33 is like the most magical engine GM ever built. Gen IV rods, the L33 block itself, 243 heads. Gen III electronics.

Seriously. Stock it handles 800rwhp all day long with no problem with turbos.

If you could find an L33 longblock for say 1200, I'd grab that. You might lose a little power now, but you'd be ready for big shots of nitrous or a blower/turbo eventually.

But I'm not sure why you want a new shortblock? I have 148k miles on mine. And I'm about to Procharge it. Sounds like you need more stall and heads. And mid to low 11s are possible.

If you wanted to do better than 11s or even 10s or 9s... for the money spent, the L33 Longblock would be like the most kickass starting point.

For example, on my Trans Am, I'm going to do the H/C/I Procharger route. It'll probably be a high 9 second car with the power it'll put out. But I don't want to have to deal with a cage and all of that crap in a street car.

So, I am trying to find a new project car. Just with that purpose. To throw an L33 in it and a turbo kit. And I gave myself a $15k budget (including the car/cage). S60, 4L80, L33, S476, Fuel system, Cam+valvetrain upgrades.

So depends on what you want to do. And how much you want to spend (though that doesn't mean much now, since for the money the L33/Turbo setup is cheaper than a big stroker motor and will crush it in terms of drivability and explosive power/ET).
Old 03-11-2017, 09:39 AM
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Default GEN IV Block/GEN-III Block

Hi, I NEVER waste money on a GEN-III AL block.

The GEN-III, the early AL block design, block has uneven head bolt length AND a hole between the main/cam tunnel that will crack between that hole/main.

The early block has no provision for the chain dampener block.

The cost difference is little if any to fit a GEN-IV block in the build.

Lance
Old 03-11-2017, 09:45 AM
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Just don't focus on heads/cam.... get the power to the ground with some aftermarket suspension parts. Horsepower is no good if you not putting it all down to the ground.
Old 03-11-2017, 11:12 AM
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^^^^gospel!^^^^^
Old 03-11-2017, 12:07 PM
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Nothing wrong with using an aluminum block, plenty of them have been reliably taken to pretty substantial power levels. As with any engine, there's always a few caveats to be aware of.

Going to an iron block is about equal to adding two car batteries to the front of your car.

The L33 is a 5.3 block with a smaller bore size. I'd rather see the larger bore of the LS2 or even larger LS3 under my hood. There's no replacement for displacement!

Of course, each step up in block level adds cost. Invest better to start with I say.
Old 03-11-2017, 06:03 PM
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Wrong thread lol oops
Old 03-12-2017, 03:55 PM
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I plan on keeping all NA....will never add N20, turbo etc.....The reason for looking for another shortblock is the price of rebuilding mine, compared to the cost of a new shortblock...Im sure mine will need to be honed etc, and by the time you add the cost of a rotating assembly, your almost at the cost of a new shortblock....I do NOT want an iron block, at all. I will prob just go with a new LS2 block and build from there...
Old 03-12-2017, 06:40 PM
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If that's the case, get the LS3. It's $300 more than the LS2 and you can run even more heads on that and make more power NA.
Old 03-12-2017, 09:13 PM
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Regarding oil pressure - I would check with mechanical gage if you haven't already. The oil pressure sensor or dash gage could be the issue.

Good luck with build.
Old 03-12-2017, 09:43 PM
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All the sensors etc and oil pump was replaced when I had the cam install...oil psi was never an issue before then...the high pressure pump that was installed cratered within 2 weeks of being installed...so was replaced with a OE pump...oil psi still sucks after that...I may get the mech ICT billet adapter and install above the filter just to double check against the stock gauge....Had NO shavings etc in the filter after the pump came apart....The guy that did the 2nd oil pump cut the filter open and it was clean.....But for less than $25 to get the ICT billet adapter and hook my mech gauge up would be a good idea just to be sure the psi is bad or not...


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