JAF66

Been lurking around this site for a while, trying to get a handle on the direction I should go on my LQ9 build. The motor is going into a 66 chevelle, T56 trans, and 3.73 gears. Car is going to be used mainly on weekends, mixed use between stoplight to stoplight, back country roads, and freeway driving. My goal is 400whp. What I have is a 04 LQ9 out of an escalade. Crank looks really good, but block will need a slight boring to clean up (thinking about .010). So I'm thinking polish and re-use the stock crank. Resize rods and upgrade to arp bolts. Go to forged pistons with valve reliefs. Reuse the 317 heads, but mill them down about .028 to get the combustion chamber size down a little. I'm thinking 10.5 compression is a good number to shoot for. Upgrade the valve train. Top it off with a dual plane and a Holley 750. Questions I have are: are the stock rods good enough or should I go for forged rods? Will the stock 317's get me to 400hp? Any comments are appreciated. I figured once I get the engine components locked down I'll have a cam spec'd.

speedtigger

iTrader: (16)

For what you are doing and your 400HP goal is obtainable reliably with a cammed stock LQ9. If this is your first LS, I think you will be really impressed with how much power it will make.

Doug G

X 2

JAF66

Thanks guys! This is my first LS, so I'm thankful for the guidance. Now I just need to get a cam spec'd, any recommendations?