rebuild LS6 or swap to LS3?
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rebuild LS6 or swap to LS3? Hey all,
I Have a 68 camaro with an 2003 ZO6 LS6 engine. The guy who built it went carbureted bit of a weird set up. Engine only has 5k miles on it from rebuild. I Dino'd it and it came in at 330 at the flywheel, it's also burning some oil which makes me think it wasn't built right. It runs great but seems to be Underperforming for what the engine should put out. Car is fully re built in great shape and I intend to keep it long term. Question i have is should I rebuild the LS6 with some internals to get it over 400rwhp or swap it out to an LS3 and move to a newer set up.
Let me kmow your thoughts
I Have a 68 camaro with an 2003 ZO6 LS6 engine. The guy who built it went carbureted bit of a weird set up. Engine only has 5k miles on it from rebuild. I Dino'd it and it came in at 330 at the flywheel, it's also burning some oil which makes me think it wasn't built right. It runs great but seems to be Underperforming for what the engine should put out. Car is fully re built in great shape and I intend to keep it long term. Question i have is should I rebuild the LS6 with some internals to get it over 400rwhp or swap it out to an LS3 and move to a newer set up.
Let me kmow your thoughts
Last edited by Robcookz; Jun 14, 2017 at 10:59 AM.
It's all about what you want to spend.
An LS3 495hp crate motor is @ $7200 right now. That is with a 58X reluctor wheel, which you will either have to change out your computer, get a converter box to change the signal to 24X, or pull apart your new motor and have the wheel changed out. You will also have to get adapters/extensions for some of the sensors to make it work with your wiring harness. You also might have to at the very least swap out the oil pan for your old one to make it fit your set-up.
You can pick up a Thompson Motorsports Stage 1 LS3 for @$6800 that will come with a custom grind cam and easily make your 400hp. It does not come with an intake manifold or a lot of the other stuff the crate motor comes with. You will have to get a rectangular port intake, LS2/3 front cover and valley cover, and several other LS3 specific pieces. You will be able to use a lot of the stuff off of your LS6 to help complete it. You will still need adapters/extensions, but you can have them build it with a 24x reluctor, so no need for that headache.
Money wise, it would be best to go JIMB's route (as long as your block is within specs for a re-build). For the price of swapping to an LS3 you could stroke your motor, buy a FAST intake/throttle body combo for it and you should achieve over 400hp. Check out Loren's (themealonwheels) Camaro build. His NA 383 stroker put down somewhere in the neighborhood of 490(ish) RWHP.
An LS3 495hp crate motor is @ $7200 right now. That is with a 58X reluctor wheel, which you will either have to change out your computer, get a converter box to change the signal to 24X, or pull apart your new motor and have the wheel changed out. You will also have to get adapters/extensions for some of the sensors to make it work with your wiring harness. You also might have to at the very least swap out the oil pan for your old one to make it fit your set-up.
You can pick up a Thompson Motorsports Stage 1 LS3 for @$6800 that will come with a custom grind cam and easily make your 400hp. It does not come with an intake manifold or a lot of the other stuff the crate motor comes with. You will have to get a rectangular port intake, LS2/3 front cover and valley cover, and several other LS3 specific pieces. You will be able to use a lot of the stuff off of your LS6 to help complete it. You will still need adapters/extensions, but you can have them build it with a 24x reluctor, so no need for that headache.
Money wise, it would be best to go JIMB's route (as long as your block is within specs for a re-build). For the price of swapping to an LS3 you could stroke your motor, buy a FAST intake/throttle body combo for it and you should achieve over 400hp. Check out Loren's (themealonwheels) Camaro build. His NA 383 stroker put down somewhere in the neighborhood of 490(ish) RWHP.
Last edited by psychosid30; Jun 14, 2017 at 10:22 AM.
Hey all,
I Have a 68 camaro with an 2012 ZO6 LS6 engine. The guy who built it went carbureted bit of a weird set up. Engine only has 5k miles on it from rebuild. I Dino'd it and it came in at 330 at the flywheel, it's also burning some oil which makes me think it wasn't built right. It runs great but seems to be Underperforming for what the engine should put out. Car is fully re built in great shape and I intend to keep it long term. Question i have is should I rebuild the LS6 with some internals to get it over 400rwhp or swap it out to an LS3 and move to a newer set up.
Let me kmow your thoughts
I Have a 68 camaro with an 2012 ZO6 LS6 engine. The guy who built it went carbureted bit of a weird set up. Engine only has 5k miles on it from rebuild. I Dino'd it and it came in at 330 at the flywheel, it's also burning some oil which makes me think it wasn't built right. It runs great but seems to be Underperforming for what the engine should put out. Car is fully re built in great shape and I intend to keep it long term. Question i have is should I rebuild the LS6 with some internals to get it over 400rwhp or swap it out to an LS3 and move to a newer set up.
Let me kmow your thoughts
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Verdad Gallardo You would be into the entire project for alot less and less headache to rebuild your ls6. There is just so much more involved in the ls3 swap etc.
A full rebuild kit top to bottom front to back for that ls6 including every gasket, bearing, head bolts, oil pump, timing set, rings runs $650 shipped from us.
In comparison a set of forged pistons runs $650-900 depending on what you get of course.
That is the quickest and most cost effective way to do it.
A full rebuild kit top to bottom front to back for that ls6 including every gasket, bearing, head bolts, oil pump, timing set, rings runs $650 shipped from us.
In comparison a set of forged pistons runs $650-900 depending on what you get of course.
That is the quickest and most cost effective way to do it.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
It's all about what you want to spend.
An LS3 495hp crate motor is @ $7200 right now. That is with a 58X reluctor wheel, which you will either have to change out your computer, get a converter box to change the signal to 24X, or pull apart your new motor and have the wheel changed out. You will also have to get adapters/extensions
for some of the sensors to make it work with your wiring harness. You also might have to at the very least swap out the oil pan for your old one to make it fit your set-up.
You can pick up a Thompson Motorsports Stage 1 LS3 for @$6800 that will come with a custom grind cam and easily make your 400hp. It does not come with an intake manifold or a lot of the other stuff the crate motor comes with. You will have to get a rectangular port intake, LS2/3 front cover and valley cover, and several other LS3 specific pieces. You will be able to use a lot of the stuff off of your LS6 to help complete it. You will still need adapters/extensions, but you can have them build it with a 24x reluctor, so no need for that headache.
Money wise, it would be best to go JIMB's route (as long as your block is within specs for a re-build). For the price of swapping to an LS3 you could stroke your motor, buy a FAST intake/throttle body combo for it and you should achieve over 400hp. Check out Loren's (themealonwheels) Camaro build. His NA 383 stroker put down somewhere in the neighborhood of 490(ish) RWHP.
An LS3 495hp crate motor is @ $7200 right now. That is with a 58X reluctor wheel, which you will either have to change out your computer, get a converter box to change the signal to 24X, or pull apart your new motor and have the wheel changed out. You will also have to get adapters/extensions
for some of the sensors to make it work with your wiring harness. You also might have to at the very least swap out the oil pan for your old one to make it fit your set-up.
You can pick up a Thompson Motorsports Stage 1 LS3 for @$6800 that will come with a custom grind cam and easily make your 400hp. It does not come with an intake manifold or a lot of the other stuff the crate motor comes with. You will have to get a rectangular port intake, LS2/3 front cover and valley cover, and several other LS3 specific pieces. You will be able to use a lot of the stuff off of your LS6 to help complete it. You will still need adapters/extensions, but you can have them build it with a 24x reluctor, so no need for that headache.
Money wise, it would be best to go JIMB's route (as long as your block is within specs for a re-build). For the price of swapping to an LS3 you could stroke your motor, buy a FAST intake/throttle body combo for it and you should achieve over 400hp. Check out Loren's (themealonwheels) Camaro build. His NA 383 stroker put down somewhere in the neighborhood of 490(ish) RWHP.
The car has a T56 6 speed that I just did a new clutch in and a 12 bolt rear end. So would be just the engine swap and I could sell the old one?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 9
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You would be into the entire project for alot less and less headache to rebuild your ls6. There is just so much more involved in the ls3 swap etc.
A full rebuild kit top to bottom front to back for that ls6 including every gasket, bearing, head bolts, oil pump, timing set, rings runs $650 shipped from us.
In comparison a set of forged pistons runs $650-900 depending on what you get of course.
That is the quickest and most cost effective way to do it.
A full rebuild kit top to bottom front to back for that ls6 including every gasket, bearing, head bolts, oil pump, timing set, rings runs $650 shipped from us.
In comparison a set of forged pistons runs $650-900 depending on what you get of course.
That is the quickest and most cost effective way to do it.
A stock harness and intake/fuel inj/tb fuel pump setup isnt going to cost you anywhere near that.
There is no need to dump more money into somethin just because you can budget it unless you want to for some other reason. a cammed ls6 engine will make plenty of power for what you have really.
There is no need to dump more money into somethin just because you can budget it unless you want to for some other reason. a cammed ls6 engine will make plenty of power for what you have really.
A full rebuild plus fuel inj kit would run half the price of just the ls3 crate by itself.
If you want more info, send me an email and we can get you an idea on everything minus the machine shop part of course.
Rpmspeedtech@gmail.com
If you want more info, send me an email and we can get you an idea on everything minus the machine shop part of course.
Rpmspeedtech@gmail.com
Personally, if you have a stick shift, I would do a LS3 and GMPP matching ECU and harness kit. If you have an auto, I would still do whatever flavor LS3 crate engine that you want, and get a harness and ECU kit from one of the vendors here...
Andrew
Andrew
I put a crate '04 LS6 in my '98 Z28 and it puts down 400.1 RWHP, so I'm guessing somewhere around 450-460 HP at the crank. Something doesn't sound right if your LS6 is only 330 HP at the crank! You absolutely sure it's an LS6? Some of the LS1's put in the F-Body towards the end of their run actually had the LS6 block, but that doesn't make them an LS6 IMO. A true LS6 needs to have the LS6 heads & cam, etc. to make it a true LS6 and a true LS6 will put down a lot more than 330 HP in stock form. Is it possible you've got an LS6 block with LS1 heads/cam? 330-350 HP would be about right for that combination. When I did my LS6 swap, the LS2 was actually an option too, but there was just too much that needed to be done to make it work and an LS6 was pretty much a direct drop in. I'd imagine it's about the same for your set-up since everything's already in place for the LS6.
My vote is to rebuild the LS6 if it's a true LS6 w/LS6 heads-cam. If it's not, then weigh the costs of what it would take to get your LS6 to your power goals vs. an LS3...
My vote is to rebuild the LS6 if it's a true LS6 w/LS6 heads-cam. If it's not, then weigh the costs of what it would take to get your LS6 to your power goals vs. an LS3...
For any and all practical purposes I doubt you're going to be able to tell the difference between rebuilding what you have vs an ls3 once it's in the car. LS3 is already old news so if going for "newer setup" you'd be spending money in the wrong place.