clutchdust

at the risk of sounding too noob-ish, where would i get more info on the 4.8L?
i'm considering building a dedicated track car and from what i've learned over several years, i would be foolish to go "old school" with the engine. this is somewhat hard to accept being a 1st gen chevy guy but, hey, we all have to step into the 1990's at some point, right?
so, the plan is a super light weight car (i.e. sub 2000#), high revves, easy on the wallet.
my initial thought was a 4.8L with a set of LS1/LS2 takeoff heads, headers and decent little cam and i should be skid marks in more ways than one.
am i full of "skid marks" here?

hpmotorsports

iTrader: (5)

here is a link you can get more info modernperformancetech.com

NemeSS

iTrader: (127)

the 4.8 is the same block and pistons as the 5.3, but the stroke is 3.268
and the rods 6.276, where the 5.3 rods 6.098 and the stroke is 3.622
might as well go with the 5.3 and look for a ls4 which is a alloy block 5.3 with 243 heads,. light weight and has stock ls6 heads. a CheaTR cam and a ls6
intake should really wake that engine up

clutchdust

thanks for the info. i'm still looking.
nemeSS, two reasons why i don't want to go with the 5.3. 1) i plan to stress the block and 2) should i decide to compete with the car, 5L seems to be a pretty common cut off point for certain classes. besides, i'm going to start off pretty mild. if i build a mild 4.8 making ~300hp in a car that is sub 2000#, i'm pretty sure it's going to be plenty fast. plus there's always the option of building more power after everything is sorted out anyway.

NemeSS

iTrader: (127)

the 4.8/5.3 would have to be the strongest of the stock ls blocks
imo, they can be bored over .125 and still have plenty of material left,
i have machined a few to the the oversize bore of 3.905 and have had plenty of material left just over. 200 in the cylinders. the over bore will bring the displacement to 346 ci. from 326 ci.
the 4.8 and the 5.3 are the same block the piston diameter 3.786
3.786 bore x3.268 stroke=294.32ci (4.8)
3.786 bore x 3.622 stroke=326.2ci (5.3)
piston sizes for both the 5.3 and 4.8 are 3.786 dia. x 1.338 comp. height
so its the same block and pistons with a different crank stroke and set of
longer rods

Mke Vee

iTrader: (3)

Bore is the same between 4.8 & 5.3, but I believe the 5.3 pistons are dished and the 4.8 pistons are flat tops. You can tell the engines apart that way, if you find them on the shelf at the wreckers.
MV

79nova

i have 4.8 for my 79 nova, it is 2002 it rated for 270hp, go to performance trucks and look and see what they are doing the 4.8

kairles

iTrader: (1)

300hp would be really easy to get with a 4.8L the newer ones are rated at 285hp

philntx

iTrader: (8)

You could pick up a copy of the book, "How to build high-performance Chevy LS1/LS6 V-8's", by Will Handzel

He completely covers the differences between all versions of the LS based engines from 1997 to 2004.

Several sections on the 4.8, including how W2W produced over 540hp (crank HP) with their W2W single front mount turbo.

Black.

maybe n00b ? can u use an ls4 with rear wheel drive?

clutchdust

i will look for it. i didn't know they had it. i do have a couple of the first gen power books but very little specifically transfers over being a completely new architecture.

NemeSS

iTrader: (127)

yes, its a ls block architecture, most gm rwd trans will bolt to it,
given the corresponding supporting components, flywheel, flexplate,
etc.