CaMaRo67RS355

iTrader: (75)

ive been really thinking about stepping to a bigger cubed motor but idk yet...

im a college student so a budget is a must but i really would like to get a better idea of what i can get for my money etc.

how many people have built a bigger cube setup that is street/strip with a budget and please list all the details about it and what kinda power it made. also if you dont mind list how much $ you got into it thanks.

sunsetorang01TA

in the same spot as you bro lol. blew my ls1 up last week.

CaMaRo67RS355

iTrader: (75)

mine hasnt blown up i just know and have read about the limitations and feel like i need to do something before it does blow up.

sorry to hear about yours blowing up what happened?

deadhorse66

iTrader: (2)

Put some good rods and pistons in your current combo if you are on a budget. You'll be more than happy with what you can do on a stock crankshaft, and it will stay alive at HUGE power levels. Strokers to me are completely unnecessary unless you are simply trying to get retarded, and not a good option for a budget build. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for too. So many of the aftermarket pieces are inferior to the stock unit in terms of crankshafts, and a lot of that China made crap isn't worth the cardboard that its shipped in. Just my $.02.

NemeSS

iTrader: (127)

.060 over 6.0=375ci=490rwhp
m6, stock rear, spec 3+
stock rods with arp bolts
replacement lq4 pistons with rings
trex cam gm ls1 lifters, tr pushrods, summit adj., chain
milled 2.02 rev valves 243 heads, pp dual golds
ls6 intake 78mm ported tb
ps lt headers, self made 3in. ex with bullet, c/o
sd tune
self assembled, cam degreed etc.

deadhorse66

iTrader: (2)

^There you go.

JUNK

Nice!

deadhorse66

iTrader: (2)

I just finished a build very similar to this one. I'll subscribe to the thread and give you some ETs when the car goes to the track. DunnoWhoThisIs is the username of the guy that owns it. This one has: LS6 manifold with ported TB, PRC 2.5 heads, Mahle forged pistons, 11.7:1, 239/242, .649"/.609" cam, SA billet timing set, SSAutochrome merge spike headers, .010 undergrind stock crank (mains only). Only real questionable part would be those Legend 6.125" rods he picked out, but we'll see. I fully blueprinted it and its balanced. I'm hoping for right around 500 whp with a good tune, but again, we'll see.

jmilz28

iTrader: (13)

You're going about this the wrong way -- what IS your budget? Be realistic and have funds left over for what life deals you (including a rear end or tranny replacement).

In your shoes, I'd look for a used LS2 longblock or complete engine out of a GTO or TBSS. It already has the 24x reluctor and is close to a drop in deal. Just a few extension harnesses and minor details. Keep it stock and roll another 100k miles. Add a cam and hit well over 400rwhp but you lose some reliability.

You need to be realistic about what you can deal with. I'm all about upgrading when a replacement is needed anyway, but if you can't afford a breakdown, a stock LS2 with boltons is what you should stick with IMO. You can do other things, like port the stock heads, LS6 or FAST intake, etc. that have zero impact on reliability but that's more money. Besides, a bolt on LS2 is gonna be notably quicker than a bolt on LS1 so you're ahead of the game out of the box. 50whp and more torque everywhere make a difference!

An alternative, if you don't mind the extra 80lbs on the nose is an LQ4/LQ9 motor. They're cheaper and plentiful. Throw on ported 243s, LS6 intake, and an LS6 or 224 cam and you've got a stout *** reliable bolt in deal. It is just even more critical to make sure quality work is done since GM nor anyone else cares at that point if a breakdown has you walking.