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Hello everyone. I haven't been back here in a long time. Long story short, I moved away from mom and am currently living in Iowa going to school. My Triumph is in storage near my uncle's place in Illinois and I haven't been able to work it for quite some time. Trying to live my own life now without all the mom and dad problems. But let's not talk about that.
I am still wanting to put an L33 in the little car. I'm going back for a visit in a few weeks and am going to start taking some measurements and pictures of the engine bay to design an engine mount of some kind. There's a couple if guys in mechanical engineering classes in the apartment building that say they can help in exchange for help in Chemistry.
There seems to be way too many opinions on the height of an LS3. I know I'm looking at the L33, but I'm assuming an L33 with an LS6 intake and Camaro oil pan will be the same. Is that right?
I found this picture that says it's an LS6 but the headers don't look right. Those are Gen 5 aren't they? I know I'm pretty new at this LS world but it still doesn't look right.
Does anybody have a definite measurement on the overall height of an LS3? Measurements both directions from the centerline of the crank would be even better, but I'll take whatever I can get.
The internet is just full of misinformation. I trust this site more than anywhere else.
The dimensions of ALL LS long blocks (possibly except the LS7) are the same.
Any dimensional change will be from whatever gets bolted to it.
This is true whether you use a 4.8 or a 6.2.
So these dimensions are accurate then. 27.5" overall +/- 1" (the line looks like it's just above the bottom edge of the oil pan.) Suprising because I have seen everything from 25" to 28" claimed.
So these dimensions are accurate then. 27.5" overall +/- 1" (the line looks like it's just above the bottom edge of the oil pan.) Suprising because I have seen everything from 25" to 28" claimed.
TOTALLY depends on the intake manifold and oilpan used.
A truck intake will be the highest, LS3-type the lowest.
THEN there are all the different oil pans.
See where this is going??
I get it. The picture I used says it was an LS6 so I would assume car intake and the oil pan I'm assuming is a car oil pan. Similar to what I'm looking at so I'm thinking 27.5" is going to be very close to the L33 with car intake and pan.
If you can find an example of same car with a small block Chevy or small block Ford swapped into it, the it's basically a given an LS can be swapped into the car.
Tr7. I know the LS fits. I've seen examples of those. I know it sounds like sacrilege (especially here) but my OCD has me looking at other possibilities. The LS series is just heavy. Even in aluminum. 500+ pounds with all accessories and fluids from what I'm seeing. I'm still wanting the L33, but I have to figure out how to get it set as far rearward as possible to help keep it from being nose heavy. Battery in the trunk helps but only barely. The engine AND transmission coming out weigh just shy of 400lb together. A newer V6 would be a better fit physically and weight wise, but not much good info on those. Inline 4's are light but the same length. I just have to convince myself to bite the bullet and do the L33 and be done with it.
I get it. The picture I used says it was an LS6 so I would assume car intake and the oil pan I'm assuming is a car oil pan. Similar to what I'm looking at so I'm thinking 27.5" is going to be very close to the L33 with car intake and pan.
yessir. That’s a batwing style pan for the C5 corvette. It’s a very shallow pan, so the engine can sit low in the chassis for a low hood car. There are many shallow pan options out there, not only OEM but aftermarket as well.
Tr7. I know the LS fits. I've seen examples of those. I know it sounds like sacrilege (especially here) but my OCD has me looking at other possibilities. The LS series is just heavy. Even in aluminum. 500+ pounds with all accessories and fluids from what I'm seeing. I'm still wanting the L33, but I have to figure out how to get it set as far rearward as possible to help keep it from being nose heavy. Battery in the trunk helps but only barely. The engine AND transmission coming out weigh just shy of 400lb together. A newer V6 would be a better fit physically and weight wise, but not much good info on those. Inline 4's are light but the same length. I just have to convince myself to bite the bullet and do the L33 and be done with it.
OCD SUCKS !!!
Your TR7 engine is heavier than many think. 4-banger yeah, BUT some of those cast iron block-and-head 4 bangers are WAY heavy! Weigh yours when you yank it. It may surprise you
Tr7. I know the LS fits. I've seen examples of those. I know it sounds like sacrilege (especially here) but my OCD has me looking at other possibilities. The LS series is just heavy. Even in aluminum. 500+ pounds with all accessories and fluids from what I'm seeing. I'm still wanting the L33, but I have to figure out how to get it set as far rearward as possible to help keep it from being nose heavy. Battery in the trunk helps but only barely. The engine AND transmission coming out weigh just shy of 400lb together. A newer V6 would be a better fit physically and weight wise, but not much good info on those. Inline 4's are light but the same length. I just have to convince myself to bite the bullet and do the L33 and be done with it.
OCD SUCKS !!!
We'll agree to disagree on the aluminum LS being heavy. ~430 pounds for the engine. Use a Tremec T5 adds 75 pounds. Skip the AC if weight really matters and power steering as well. Maybe 530 pounds. Gaining 150 to 175 pounds is a good trade to 4x to 6x the whp.
If weight is a concern, I'd consider power to weight calculations. Power density ie power for size and weight the aluminum LS family scores very well compared to other engines.
133 flywheel hp TR7 4 cylinder that weights ~290 pounds in 2425 pound car. Power to weight is ~ 18 pounds to 1 hp which is horrible 😫
The aluminum block V8 TR8 is ~2650 pounds and close in weight to where a well executed LS swapped TR7 would end up. Back in the 80's the TR8 was better regarded in the auto rags (magazines) than the TR7 from what I recall.
500+ flywheel hp cammed LS would have a power to weight of ~5 pounds to 1 hp in a 2650 to 2700 pound TR7 which is outstanding. Might want to skip the T56 transmission and use a lighter T5 5-speed or other to help keep weight down.
As for weight distribution think of LS swapped Miata's vs stock as an example. Miata's are ~50/50 and LS swapped 52/48 with a serious power increase.
Likewise, I've read about LS swapped Porsche 924/944's only gaining ~80 to 100 pounds tossing their boat anchor 4 bangers.
Of course it's all in what one wants etc. Another option would be to wait and EV swap the TR7. It would probably end up at 3,800+ pounds but able to run 9's in the 1/4 mile...wink
Last edited by 99 Black Bird T/A; Sep 11, 2022 at 09:16 PM.
Many people, including myself, have weighed and documented weights of different parts. Look at post #58 in my Corvette thread. My Stroked LS2 is right around 400 lbs with accessories, oil, mounts. Mine is slightly heavy, as a FAST is heavier than stock, and I'm guessing my rotating assembly is as well.
I just checked my corvette, my engine was 26" from the top of the fuel rail (the highest point on the intake manifold to the bottom of the oil pan and headers. This is a FAST102, LS3 rail, cathedral port, and a Holley 302-3 pan. Different combos will vary, I think thats about as shallow as you can get on a pan, but perhaps some intakes might be a touch shorter. aftermarket rails with a crossover that doesn't run over the top could save 1/4-1/2 inch as well up top.
As much as I love my LS's, a NA Honda K would be nice. In a small roadster, a 250hp 4 cyl + stick is a fun combo. Once you get to adding a turbo to many 4cyls, it starts approaching V8s weights.
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Looking for dimension clarification 
