‘LS1-Tech’ Dives Into What Makes C8 Corvette’s LT2 so Special

By Brett Foote - March 10, 2020

GM engineer Mike Kociba tells us what makes the new LT2 so different from the outgoing LT1 and how it makes its power.

Much ado has been made about the fact that the C8 Corvette has switched to a mid-engine layout. Not to mention the fact that it now comes standard with a lightning-quick dual-clutch transmission, as well as a crazy low $60k base price. One thing we haven’t really touched on too much is the engine that powers the new C8, GM’s revised LT2 V8. And that’s probably because, well, it’s just a natural evolution of the previous gen’s LT1. But as we found out in a recent interview with Mike Kociba, Assistant Chief Engineer for General Motors, there’s much more to this new powerplant than meets the eye.

We caught up with Kociba at the recent C8 Corvette Media Drive event, where GM had a nifty cutaway LT2 and C8 Corvette on display so we could get a good look at what makes them both tick. But he started by noting what hasn’t changed. “The difference between the LT1 and LT2 is pretty extensive,” Kociba explained. “Basically, the combustion systems and architecture are identical. The valvetrain, lifters, the AFM, piston topography, that’s all common. The cylinder head is also largely the same except for some slight adjustments. Same casting. But from there, almost everything is new.”

“The engine’s now an inch lower, so the pan’s shallower,” Kociba notes. “We’ve re-engineered the dry sump tank. In terms of power, the cam is a huge part of that. Moving the engine to the back opened up a lot of real estate. Now we can make it taller. We were able to increase the height of the manifold, so we could make equal length runners. We were able to balance out all the cylinders with those runners to improve the flow through the manifold. That also works in tandem with the exhaust. And these headers are worth an additional percent improvement in overall flow.”

Together with a higher lift cam, this new layout is good enough for a 35 horsepower increase over the LT1. And further proof that the LT2 is just another evolution of GM’s iconic small block. Clearly, this engine design hasn’t reached its limits yet, and doesn’t figure to anytime soon.