I've been wondering this question every since I started to learn about these LS based engines. I race a dragster and I'm a pretty big bracket hitter at most of the bigger meets. As most know, most guys run BBC's etc and run mid to high 4's at 140MPH or so in the 1/8. I'm just curious as to how a LS based motor would run in a 1800lb dragster and if there's any more consistency in it? Or is it not worth the swap? I know the factors of DA, Track temp, engine temp, etc come into factor every round. Besides that, has anyone actually tried this? Any opinions? Consistency is they key in bracket racing .

 

I bracket race my car every weekend, its just a stock ls1 with a mail order tune and its VERY consistent. Tonight it only changed about a tenth from the heat of the day to the cool night air.

 

There was a dragster at PRI last winter with an ls7 in it. I was talking to them and they said the car was deadly consistent. I cant remember what division they run, but they finished in the top ten in there division.

 

I bracket every weekend in our local points and summit series. Its a door slammer but very consistent. Within hunderdths. On more than one occasion have 10-15 passes 6.69-6.71 with 10 of those being within thousandths and always within 1 mph. Our DA is usually 5000+ and over 100 degrees. In a dragster, I would think it would even be more consistent.

 

Sounds like a great deal since a lot of people (that I know of) don't know much or use LS based engines/electronics and they seem SUPER consistent. I found a thread kinda o the same base on hardcorels1.com but it was set-up to run super-comp (8.90 index). Maybe some of the bracket guys can chime in on the consistency factors of tuning and such .

 

This was in 2004, but here are my passes, all on the same day(Test & Tune) 98 Trans Am

12.22
12.22
12.22
12.26
12.23
12.24
12.21
12.21
12.22
12.22
12.25

I would say that's consistent...LOL

 

If the track is hooking i can run within .05 all night unless something freaky happens.

 

mine's in my truck but it'll run within .02-.03 of itself so long as you keep an eye on the engine temp

 

with nitrous, changin the bottle every run I've been able to keep it between 9.59 and 9.53 on the same day.

ls platform can be as consistant as anything else out there if you know what you're doing with them. Put one in a rail car that's got enough tire so it should never spin and enough wheelbase so it can never really get out of shape and I'd think it would be as good as you will find.

 

I've raced many different engines over the years. These engines are no different in consistancy then small and BB chevys other than you can't make nearly the HP in an N/A application that you can with a big inch BBC which is where I'm headed on my next build.

 

You pull that 440 motor now and I'll buy it.

 

I have found a good SD to help with this.

 

My formula has only varied 5-6 hundredths if I can keep the trans and engione temps in check. When they start hot lapping the times drop a little, but I've snagged a track championship and a NHRA national r/u with a 13 second car against 9-12 second footbrake drivers so I'd say it's consistent.

Derek

 

an alky 440 would be nice.

 

We have done pretty good Bracket racing an LS1 over the past 8 years.

Coach

 

Be sure to have some BIG tires and a good suspension (or a pooch gear) if you go BBC.

I have a BBC with a 4:11 gear and last year ran 29x10.5W tires. We'd hook pretty well at the local NHRA track (one of the top national event facilities), but on a marginal track, we'd loose quite a bit on the 60' times.

One of my buddies runs a mild LS-car and can rip off back to back to back 12.0X passes with just putting it in drive and stabbing it. If you can cut a light, that will win you plenty of races.

So if you want consistency, go with the LS1 or a steam roller tire with a BBC.

Also, you have to factor in that the EFI is a substantial help where as my carb tune can go from good to bad over the course of a race day. Good data can help with that and I can adjust the dial in according to the weather station, but still, it will not replace the "brain" of an LS1.

 

If you ran an ls based motor would you go carb or injected? Do you run a throttle stop? I am sure that the BBC like stated above is gonna be hard to beat on the stop. The ls motors usually make less torque than hp and thats where the BBC shines. This is very important when the motor is off and back on the stop, instant torque.

 

No it won't be on the stop..it would be running on the injectors. I had a SBC with a Ron's toilet bowl but ended up selling that set-up a while back.

 

A 440 with a blow thru alky flying toilet would definately be a win