Need some guidance
04-25-2010, 07:28 PM
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Need some guidance I am newish to the LS2 stuff. Learned about them in school (im a GM ASEP student) But want to build a Camaro with a iron block 6.0 and was wondering what heads i should get and which cam and intake etc. Also how strong is the bottom end? What would be a good stroker kit? would be M6 with either a 4.56 or a 4,10
04-25-2010, 10:52 PM
#2
The bottom end is good if you are doing heads and cam. We need a little more info as to what you are wanting to do but I'll take a little stab at it and possibly send you in the right direction.
If you want an iron block 6.0 shoot for an LQ4, Should be able to get a shortblock for 400
For the intake stick to an L76. Only difference between the L76 and the LS3 corvette intake is the beauty cover
For heads get some L92 heads, they are pretty much the same damn thing as an LS3 corvette head but a hell of alot cheaper. I think the only difference is the runners in the LS3 are polished. L92 heads can be had for about 350-400
The crankshaft is good to about 550 horsepower so unless you are going boosted, leave the crank in there. A new stroker crank will run you around 900+.
Rods are also good to about 550 horsepower but as far as pistons are concerned I would get some JE flattops. As far has hardware is concerned get a double adjustable roller timing chain, ARP rod bolts, ARP Head studs, Cometic head gaskets if you are building a N/A build or LS9 head gaskets if you are building for boost. Melling high volume oil pump should also be one of the things you should get whether its an N/A build or a boost build.
Valve springs will be decided on when you figure out what kind of camshaft you want. Double springs can take more lift but are a bit more prone to failure than a single spring. PAC springs are a good single spring that can take some lift but are kind of pricy. I'm personally running double valve springs. I would go with LS7 lifters and comp hardened pushrods. Size of pushrods cannot be decided until you are putting it together though as you will need a pushrod length checker to be right. Stock size is 7.40
If your looking for a stroker kit IMHO Lunati makes the nicest crankshaft but your looking at some serious $$ for one of those, I went with an Eagle 4" stroker crank, Eagle 6.125 H beam Stroker rods and JE 4.030 forged stroker pistons. If you are going to be stroking a motor you have to have stroker pistons because of where the wrist pin is located on the piston. If you want a n/a build I would go with flat top pistons with a -8cc valve relief.
When ordering your pistons you need to know what heads you are going to get. Some pistons do not have valve reliefs big enough for L92 heads because the intake valve is alot bigger than say LS6 243 heads. Make sure your pistons have a big enough valve relief to accomidate your heads.
As far as cams go, honestly man, I went with a boost cam because I am Procharged. But I know these L92 heads are picky as hell. If I were you I would figure out what you want to do, then contact someone like Patrick G and have him spec you out a cam for your car. Alot of vendors will tell you their cam is the best but what they dont tell you is they spec that same cam out to people who have either LS2 or LS3 heads. IMHO 1 cam doesnt fit all and Patrick G will spec you out a camshaft to exactly whats in your motor. He will ask header size, bore, stroke, injector size, gearing, tranny type, what you want your RPM band as, what type of driving you want to do, etc etc. The cam he specs out to you is for YOUR ENGINE, not yours and a couple thousand other people. Just my experience.
As far as your gearing goes, If you are going boost I would do 3.73 or 3.89 gear ratio. When I had my M6 I went with 4.10 and absolutly loved it, everytime I shifted it put me exactly in the RPM band I wanted to be in, granted that was with an LS6 and bolt ons. If you go with anything higher than a 3.73 with a 6 speed, be prepared to replace the POS 7.5 rear end GM stuck us with. I ended up building a 9" just so I can leave the line as hard as I want and never have to worry about shelling another rear end again. The night I put my 408 in and it was running, I took the car around the block, first time I got in it a little, I shelled the rear end. Put another one in, couple hundred miles later, I was thought everything was ok, got into it, and shelled it also. After that I learned and build a 9" with 3.89s, full spool and moser axles. Not a problem since.
Anyway man, Hopefully this will set you in the right direction.
Stephen
If you want an iron block 6.0 shoot for an LQ4, Should be able to get a shortblock for 400
For the intake stick to an L76. Only difference between the L76 and the LS3 corvette intake is the beauty cover
For heads get some L92 heads, they are pretty much the same damn thing as an LS3 corvette head but a hell of alot cheaper. I think the only difference is the runners in the LS3 are polished. L92 heads can be had for about 350-400
The crankshaft is good to about 550 horsepower so unless you are going boosted, leave the crank in there. A new stroker crank will run you around 900+.
Rods are also good to about 550 horsepower but as far as pistons are concerned I would get some JE flattops. As far has hardware is concerned get a double adjustable roller timing chain, ARP rod bolts, ARP Head studs, Cometic head gaskets if you are building a N/A build or LS9 head gaskets if you are building for boost. Melling high volume oil pump should also be one of the things you should get whether its an N/A build or a boost build.
Valve springs will be decided on when you figure out what kind of camshaft you want. Double springs can take more lift but are a bit more prone to failure than a single spring. PAC springs are a good single spring that can take some lift but are kind of pricy. I'm personally running double valve springs. I would go with LS7 lifters and comp hardened pushrods. Size of pushrods cannot be decided until you are putting it together though as you will need a pushrod length checker to be right. Stock size is 7.40
If your looking for a stroker kit IMHO Lunati makes the nicest crankshaft but your looking at some serious $$ for one of those, I went with an Eagle 4" stroker crank, Eagle 6.125 H beam Stroker rods and JE 4.030 forged stroker pistons. If you are going to be stroking a motor you have to have stroker pistons because of where the wrist pin is located on the piston. If you want a n/a build I would go with flat top pistons with a -8cc valve relief.
When ordering your pistons you need to know what heads you are going to get. Some pistons do not have valve reliefs big enough for L92 heads because the intake valve is alot bigger than say LS6 243 heads. Make sure your pistons have a big enough valve relief to accomidate your heads.
As far as cams go, honestly man, I went with a boost cam because I am Procharged. But I know these L92 heads are picky as hell. If I were you I would figure out what you want to do, then contact someone like Patrick G and have him spec you out a cam for your car. Alot of vendors will tell you their cam is the best but what they dont tell you is they spec that same cam out to people who have either LS2 or LS3 heads. IMHO 1 cam doesnt fit all and Patrick G will spec you out a camshaft to exactly whats in your motor. He will ask header size, bore, stroke, injector size, gearing, tranny type, what you want your RPM band as, what type of driving you want to do, etc etc. The cam he specs out to you is for YOUR ENGINE, not yours and a couple thousand other people. Just my experience.
As far as your gearing goes, If you are going boost I would do 3.73 or 3.89 gear ratio. When I had my M6 I went with 4.10 and absolutly loved it, everytime I shifted it put me exactly in the RPM band I wanted to be in, granted that was with an LS6 and bolt ons. If you go with anything higher than a 3.73 with a 6 speed, be prepared to replace the POS 7.5 rear end GM stuck us with. I ended up building a 9" just so I can leave the line as hard as I want and never have to worry about shelling another rear end again. The night I put my 408 in and it was running, I took the car around the block, first time I got in it a little, I shelled the rear end. Put another one in, couple hundred miles later, I was thought everything was ok, got into it, and shelled it also. After that I learned and build a 9" with 3.89s, full spool and moser axles. Not a problem since.
Anyway man, Hopefully this will set you in the right direction.
Stephen
