Johny GTO

I have been reading and reading. The fact of the matter is i really dont know much about heads and cams. I have an LS2 stock at the moment. I would like to get the motor cranking.
I dont know what heads, cam, etc to go with to reach my goals. I know you guys are much more versed then i am. SO i figured i would throw my goals out there, and let you gear heads take a crack at it. Here it goes.

The car would be a daily driver, so reliability is an issue. I would rather 550hp that is reliable over 600hp that is gonna blow up. I also dont plan on winding the engine out to 6500rpms left and right, and would like a lot of power under the curve. I see some dudes picking cams that crank at high rpms but blow in the low-mid range. thats not my thing. i like a torque monster.

So i was thinking, It would be a good idea to get some more cubes. These stroker kits are what, 2k? They provide forged bottom ends to build on, which is nice. So what can a stroker take the ls2 up to, 427ci? Then some ported heads and a camshaft? Which heads?

please help me out here. Include cost and predicted trq and hp if you will.

Johny GTO

it seems like the L92-76 head and intake combo is the most popular. Is a ported and polished L92 cheaper then similiar performing heads?

No one has any input?

BES Stroked Nova

iTrader: (24)

a forged short kit is going to cost you a lot more than 2k, you also have to get everything put together....

i think you should get some ported L92/LS3 heads, i am getting a set from TSP with the LS3 intake valves. as for a cam, i am unsure. in my LQ4 build i am going to use my MS4 cam, mill the heads as much as i can with proper PTV clearance to gain compression. I am also going to use the L92 carb/EFI intake that is drilled for injectors and use a intake elbow with a 90MM throttle body on the end.

thats what i am doing, and i am hoping for 525whp. but its going be more than just throwing parts together to make the good power.

thats some of my thoughts.

Charlie

Brad Hutchcraft

iTrader: (8)

550 horse rwhp is unlikely... I would check out Vengeance Racing, they have a pretty good heads/cam/manifold etc kit that makes great power. but honestly, a good set of heads, a nice cam and some nitrous, and you would be good.

Qwiknotch

I good Lunati rotating assembly will be around $3500.. the eagle kit is cheaper and will probably last with only a 600hp engine.

I have a baby cam in the engine I am putting in my car and with 11:1 and unported heads/intake it made 586 hp with a carburetor. With a more radical cam and porting the heads and intake, I know it will make over 600hp

this combo with the current cam made 400lb tq from 2500rpm and peaked at 530tq@5600. Hp peaked at 6600

BES Stroked Nova

iTrader: (24)

I think your wrong about the eagle kit... there is not one thing wrong with their kits. my gen 1 388 has well over 1k passes on it, zero problems and makes 625hp.

Greg Fell

iTrader: (9)

Like another posted recently...

Try this out...

1.2-1.3 rwhp per cube (staying reliable/streetable)
1.4-1.5 rwhp per cube (more radical, sheet metal intake, solid roller, high compression)

A stroked ls2 would be a 402 with a 4" crank. You could use a 4.1" crank and get 412 ish or so (I forget exactly how much more).

Also, dont skimp on the heads...thats where the power is made. With a 4" bore, the best option in my opinion would be a TFS 225, AFR 225, or possibly an ET Head. A L92 head would fit as well, and they are priced right. However, I feel the smaller cathedral style ports make more average power.

cost would be more like 7k+

good luck

Qwiknotch

No, I meant with only 600hp it will probably last. I have seen plenty of Eagle cranks and rods make over 900hp in Ford engines and last for several seasons.

Johny GTO

Ok so an Eagle kit. I got that much. I am leaning forged bottom in case i get a hard on for a Blower later on.
The combo u listed that gave u near 600hp.... care to fill us in on what the set up was? that torque curve sounds nice. Were you using L96 heads?

Johny GTO

appreciate the input guys. And tollerating my lack of knowledge on the subject at hand.

ramairroughneck

iTrader: (35)

Why not go with a twin turbo kit. The APS kit is pretty popular with the GTO crowd. The drivability would be hole lot better. I bet you could easily make a safe 500rwhp.

Bring the Noise

Look into a 402 stroker kit for the short block.
Most companies carry a 402 kit that is a combination of Eagle Crank, Eagle Rods, Diamond Pistons, and a good set of rings and bearings.

Value end toppend would be a L76 manifold with a L92 heads.
Rough est on price would be around $2500 ($500 for manifold, injectors, & rails; $1500 for cnc gm heads with Manley valves and .650" springs, the other 500 would be put twards gaskets, rockers, and other necessary goodies).

If you go with this combo you'll need a cam with a good split (somewhere around 12 to 20). IE intake lobe of 238 would match up with an exhaust of 250 or so.

You could probably get away with using a LS7 based cam like the LG G7x3.
Figuring the smaller cubes would be equalled out to the lower lift from the L92's 1.7" rocker arms. The LS7's have 1.8" rocker arms so the lift is reduced when a LS7 based cam it put inside a motor that uses a L92 top end (unless some after company has created a 1.8" L92 rocker arm).

A different top end would be going with a F.A.S.T. 90 / TFS 225 combo. Vengance Racing actually offers that top end package with a ported Fast 90.
I have no idea of what the price point for that setup will run though as I'm not sure if the package includes injectors and rails.

Going by your tag I'm gonna take a wild guess and say 05 or 06 GTO (since your looking for LS2 stuff I don't think you have a 04 which came with a LS1).

Check some of the stuff over at ls1gto.com as there are many people that have gone with all kinds of combinations for the LS2 goats. You should be able to figure out the combination you want by looking at what works and what does not.

Me, I went with a little cam and decent heads I didn't needed much since I don't race.

Bring the Noise

Oh you if you go with the Value top end you could probably purchase the manifold through ls2 port works and get the manifold and throttle body ported out.

The prices I listed were rough est. using SDPC's prices for the CNC L92 heads with after market valves and springs along with there price for the L76 manifold (complete unit with 39lb injectors, rails, and throttle body).

If you go with the value setup get with Chris over at ls2port works and either have them buy the assemble L76 manifold kit and port it then send it to your. Or you can purchase the kit and send the manifold and TB up to them to get ported. It would probably be quicker to just purchase it through them...

Qwiknotch

Factory aluminum LS2 block
4" bore, 4"stroke
Lunati pro series crank,
lunati pro series rods
lunati pistons.(whatever ones come in their rotating kit.
11:1 compression
Out of the box Dart LS1 heads
Out of the box Victor Jr manifold
Comp Cams 286HR cam and lifters
It was dyno'd with 1 3/4 headers and a Speed Demon 750, but I am going to switch to an HP750 worked by CSU and 1 7/8 - 2" step headers
I am also going to step up the cam, switch to AFR 225 CNC heads and get a super victor manifold.

Also, with a 150 shot, it made 798hp and 786lb tq. ( I thought it was 748, but I finally found the dyno sheet.) This is also flywheel numbers, not to the tires.
Torque peaked at 5300rpm and HP peaked at 5500... the intake and heads couldn't keep up as it started tapering off at 5500 vs the 6600 naturally aspirated. It may have been the valve springs too, not being able to keep up with the sudden acceleration of rpm. not sure... I think with the new cam, heads and intake, it will pick up some serious power.

Pwebbz28

iTrader: (31)

If money isnt an issuse i would do a stock crank ls2 with l92 heads and a magnacharger. 750 at the flywheel easy and idle like stock.

BES Stroked Nova

iTrader: (24)

sorry for the confusion. i must have looked at it wrong. i just looked at it and remember this dumbass telling me that eagle is junk, but maybe there was a reason why he built 5 motors this season alone.... and i have the same old one from 3 years ago lol.

anyways. leave the stock short block in place, maybe put some katech rod bolts in. do a custom cam from someone to match up to the ported L92's. as for an intake, i guess a ported L76 would be the best way to go for you, but me i am going to try something a little different like i stated before.

Johny GTO

thanks alot guys. Really appreciate the help.

Johny GTO

one of the car mags, i think maybe HOT ROD, did this exact setup recently and got great numbers. Perhaps i will lean that way when the time comes.
thanks guys.

c5_ls1_6spd

iTrader: (-1)

what size bottom end are you going with?

Qwiknotch

You have to remember something. These engines have 14 degree heads from the factory. That is completely insane to think about. People claimed the 5 liter Ford was so strong because it has 20 degree. The standard SBC is 23 degree. With a standard SBC, to run a 14 degree head, it is only on full race heads, so from the factory, the LS series engine is a race engine in disguise. you take a factory inch LS and with the right cam/heads/intake, you will make enough power to run 9's in the correct chassis.

I am a huge Ford fanatic(I know, don't kill me) BUT the more I learn about these LS engines, the more I am a fan of them. That's why I am putting one in my Mustang. My built 408 Ford engine is sitting on the garage floor now.