5 Explanations For Why the LS Engine is so Great
There is special kind of magic that went into the development and engineering of the LS engine. Let's go through some of the ways that make the LS so special in the hearts of automotive enthusiasts around the world.
1. Price
There is no denying that the LS is a superb engine series - So much so that GM spread the love around to many models, ranging from cars to SUVs and even trucks. Since there are so many LS motors out there, it causes the price of one to go down to a very affordable level whether from a junk yard, engine builder or directly from GM. This is why you have such a huge market segment doing engine swaps with the almighty LS to bring more power and better reliability to practically any vehicle. Chances are that if you go hunting in a junkyard, you won't have to look too long before stumbling upon one.
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2. Aftermarket
Speaking of the aftermarket aspects, the LS engine enjoys a magnificent selection of parts you can get to modify the engine for more power. From your average bolt-ons, like an intake and exhaust for better breathing, to more expensive things like headers and forced induction kits. If you don't have to worry about smog laws, most enthusiasts note that the LS engine with a high-performance camshaft really gets the most power squeezed out of the unit.
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3. Performance
The proof is in the pudding of why the LS engine is so damn good. There really is a reason that GM has used the engine over and over in so many vehicles as the definitive choice for performance. The factory heads in the LS engines flow nearly as good as the race only ones that NASCAR has taken 50 years to develop! GM designed an engine for every situation that life could throw at you while out on the road; the engine is able to produce power at really low RPMs, as well as power way up high in the power band.
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4. Size
Once again we head to the aftermarket just to show the versatility of the LS motor. The small exterior dimensions of the 5.7-liter LS1 can fit right into a Mazda Miata and turn the little car into a rubber burning track toy. For this exact reason, the LS has been banned from some motorsports classes as giving an unfair advantage to smaller lighter cars with its tons of horsepower and torque. The recipe for the small-ish dimensions is the pushrod cam in block design that was employed in creating it, compared to an overhead cam motor this makes it narrower between the fenders, and not as tall, so bigger bores and longer strokes fit into a smaller engine bay.
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5. Options
No matter what your flavor or displacement needs, GM has your back. Chevy trucks carried mostly iron block LS engines in the range of 4.8, 5.3, 6.0, and 6.2-liters, while cars had lighter aluminum motors in 5.3,5.7,6.0,6.2, and 7.0-liters, with some even being for front wheel drive. Keep in mind, that not only can you get displacement options, but you can also choose from an iron block or aluminum block, to keep or improve the weight distribution of the car it is swapped into. If you have deep enough pockets and a taste for living life on the edge that 7.0-liter will produce an insane 770 horsepower and 620-ft lbs of torque!
>>Join the conversation about Why the LS Engine is So Great here in the LS1Tech forum.
For information on maintenance and repairs of your LS-powered car, head on over to our How-To section here in LS1Tech.com!