Big change for me personally, i've been big into diesels the past 10 years, dragracing a 4x4 duramax reg cab shortbed for 8 years.
I have never done much, or anything at all when it comes to modding gas motors. Which is about to change. 2 years ago I picked up a roller 1997 chassis craft 245" rear engine dragster. I have a 6.7 cummins engine sitting here collecting dust, which i was going to run in this dragster. But now that times are a bit tougher, less money coming in, i feel like this cummins project will be another 10 years before i got it making a pass down the drag strip. It would need a bunch of chassis modifications and a lot of custom stuff.

So doing a bunch of researching, I quickly ended up with lots of good things about the LS motors. The car is setup for BBC/shorty glide, but i like more modern stuff when it comes to my vehicles. I don't want anything to do with a carb (although my buddy is trying to convince me to go carb, but that's just not something i'm interested in).

There is a LOT of stuff i have to research yet and figure out what all i want to do to the engine, but i found a guy with a 2005 6.0 LQ4 shortblock, a 2004 5.3 LM7 complete with wiring & ecm etc, and he's throwing in a long powerglide. Sooo as of now the plan is to run the 6.0 shortblock, stock crank and rods, maybe swap pistons for something forged. Then run the heads off the 5.3 and whatever else i'll need off of it.

Maybe it's easier to just make a list, if any of you guys have advice to add something or if there is something here that you would absolutely not run, or change, i'm all ears. I have a lot to learn about this platform yet.

6.0 shortblock
5.3 heads (will get pressure tested and decked) and whatever else i need off of it
Stock bottom end, some kind of forged pistons (haven't researched yet)
Sloppy stage 2 cam
Summit S475 turbo, probably run it at 10psi ish depending how fast the car ends up being
45mm wastegate
Turbo headers (i like things to look good too, don't want to run rusty stock truck manifolds lol)
Boost controller (haven't researched this yet)
Some kind of nice shiney looking intake manifold (same idea here, something good looking which also performs well)
ARP rod bolts
ARP head studs
Dual valve springs (open to suggestions on what's good here as well, there are so many options)
Electric water pump
Water to air intercooler, change out water and/or ice between runs
Oil pan or dry sump, another thing i haven't looked into yet, but i won't have much room under the motor for a big oil pan
Fluidampr or ATI harmonic balancer, leaning towards Fluidampr
Fuel pump, or 2 fuel pumps? open to suggestions here too
Bigger injectors, another item i haven't looked at yet

Like i said earlier there is so much i need to figure out yet, i just started planning a week ago, and spent countless hours reading on here and watching youtube. Hoping by sharing my build that i can learn some more from guys chiming in. And at the end hopefully i can run this car down the drag strip round after round starting May 2021.

Thanks for reading guys, excited to start tinkering with this thing!

I'll add a few pics of the car, and the Duramax truck i've been running, won 2 wally's with the Duramax as well.

 

Just browsing Summit Racing and found this transmission, looks like that might be a good option.

https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/fti-bpg4s

 

Welcome to LS1Tech...Looking forward to seeing this LS powered dragster and I'd suggest staying with the 6.0 cylinder heads and doing a Holley High Ram for this turbo build and you may be able to get away with using an F-body oil pan set up.

 

Unfortunately there are no heads with the 6.0, it's just a shortblock. I'm not opposed to buying a decent set of heads that flow better, as long as they aren't crazy expensive. I'm coming from the diesel world where everything is big money, so changing to this i'm actually amazed at how "cheap" most stuff is. Or should i say it's priced properly haha. Either way my wallet likes this LS idea a lot more.

I'll check out the Holley high ram, and F body oil pan.

Thanks for your suggestions, appreciate it!

 

Another question: Vacuum, how does that work when adding forced induction? I understand that there are vacuum lines attached to the intake manifold, but when adding a turbo this intake manifold will be under pressure, not vacuum. Will i need a vacuum pump? And what needs vacuum? This is all new to me, no such thing on a Duramax haha

 

I recommend the GZ Motorsports vacuum pump. Fueltech FT550 engine management system. It seems like a lot of money up front for the FT550 but it does everything you need for bracket racing including a delay box and practice tree built in it.

 

Thanks! With this engine management does it replace the stock ECM? Or do i still run that? Couldn't really find a straight answer from the options list, sounds to me like it replaces it but want to be sure. I like that setup.

With this engine going in a dragster, what is left that needs vacuum?

 

nothing needs vacuum except the MAP sensor. Fueltech has an internal MAP sensor that can be scaled to meet your engines needs. You don't need the stock ECU. Fueltech does everthing. You will need a wbo2 sensor from fueltech. It's a hit in the wallet up front. You will save money in the long run.

 

Fueltech has the best tech support in the industry. They offer after hours support too. They are on spot with their response. No waiting a day or 2 to get help.

 

Sounds like a must have haha. I will put that on the list. So just so i understand this right, with this fueltech i won't need a vacuum pump because it has a map sensor, or do i still need one? Appreciate your insight!

 

The vacuum pump is separate from the engine management system. It is belt driven to provide crankcase evacuation in place of the PCV valve and hose to the throttle body.

 

Mostly just breather cans and venting to atmosphere on boosted applications.

 

I noticed on the o.p. you didn't mention rods. I assume you are using stock rods. If so I would recommend gen 4 rods if you're not going aftermarket.

 

Reading into your engine plans. It sounds like you have been watching Richard Holdener on you tube 😁

 

Lol definitely watched a few of his videos haha.

Wasn't gonna change out the rods, unless absolutely necessary? The 6.0 rods will live at 700hp in such a light car no? I'm not against aftermarket rods either if i have to. If i have to upgrade them then i may as well get something better than a slight upgraded stock set.

 

they'll live at 700 hp. I believe you'll be making more than 700 hp. Because You will keep turning up the wick😁

 

Haha maybe towards the end of the season. I love the bracket racing game lol, just running sportsman with my truck right now, actually just put a new motor back together and not sure i'm gonna be able to slow it down enough to run 12.0, which is cutoff for sportsman class. I'm actually trying to slow my truck down haha. I just like having fun and making rounds, i don't need to be the fastest guy out there. I'm gonna be happy with mid 9's and run the dragster in pro class for the first season anyways. It's gonna be such a big jump from running mid 11's in a 5500lbs truck to running 9's in a 2000lbs dragster lol. 600hp will probably get me there, but if i need a little extra it's nice to just turn up the boost a little bit and maybe get 700hp to get it to run where i want it to. And if i think i wanna go faster the season after, it's easy to pull the motor out and get a new rotating assembly for it during winter months

 

A little over 600hp will put in the high 8's in a dragster. Always get the biggest turbo so you can turn it up later. In a light dragster lag won't matter as much as a door car would when you have a big turbo turned down.
I used to go 8.40's 162 mph with a 427 BBC. injected alcohol. I know you will go high 8's with a turbo on a 6.0l LS.