nesluopetan

I've never built a LS motor before, I have a stock LS1 in my 63 chevy and it runs great but I've never looked into building and boosting a LS until now. I was hoping you guys can give me some recommendations and approx costs for a motor build that will safely handle 1200 Wheel horse without getting too crazy. I'm just a normal dude, I'm not sponsored so I don't have unlimited funds available to me like some people do.

Here's my dilemma, Right now I have a 540 BBC roller motor that put down 1151 WHP / 1288 TQ on a dynojet in my old car @ 23 psi.. It also put down 1050 WHP @ 18psi on pump gas. I have since sold my old turbo kit and I am looking to fab up a new kit for my 56 chevy and I am trying to decide if I want to use my 540 motor since it's ready to go or if I want to sell my BBC and build a LS based motor for it instead. Since I have a Jakes 4l80 in my 56 and if I go with a LS based motor in the car HP tuners will allow me to have the ECM control the shifts which would be a nice feature and I wont have to buy another aftermarket ECU system with the LS.

I want to make around the same power as before, 1000-1200 WHP area so what kind of cost am I looking to build a LS/LQ motor that will handle this? I will then decide if I want to use my 540 or put it up for sale and go with the LS instead. I appreciate the info and help guys, I'm a newb when it comes to these motors which is why I'm asking for advice and input from those of you who are where I am planning on going.

westtexasbuff

iTrader: (40)

From pan to intake I would guesstimate around $10K. Start off with an iron block 408 stroker, some aftermarket heads like TFS, AFR, or PRC (there are others but they get real pricey). You can make that power easy with some twin 76s if you're going auto. At the beginning you can price out all the big stuff and gather a budget, but it's all the little things that add up at the end... I know this from experience. My motor from pan to intake was around $8.5K and I plan on being in the same power range.

nesluopetan

is this cost including an aftermarket block or building up a factory GM block? At what power levels are the factory iron GM LS blocks good to? This is why I went with a merlin block on my 540 build, There were not any good options when it came to standard GM BBC blocks that would safely handle that kind of power. I'm looking to sell my bbc for around 10k so if I can get into a LS setup for about the same price as I could sell my motor for it will probably be worth doing.

westtexasbuff

iTrader: (40)

I added more to my original post, but yes I was referencing a GM LS block, not aftermarket. Stock iron blocks can handle 1200whp. You will lift a head before you reach the limits of the block.

SATAN

iTrader: (2)

It will vary greatly on if you are building it, or if you are paying to have it built. Also, are we talking JUST the engine, or are we talking engine, turbo's, ECU, tuning software, all associated piping and all the other stuff that comes along with a boosted engine.

From what I gathered, you are pulling one boosted engine and putting in a different boosted engine. Therefore, you (probably? carb or EFI?) already have the fuel system to support it.

If it is just the engine (no fuel components), I would guess about 7-8k to build it yourself. If you had someone do everything for you, would guess about 10k or 11k. That's just quickly plugging numbers into my head though, like complete forged rotating assembly $3k, worked over heads and cam package $3k, machine work $700-1000... stuff like that.

nesluopetan

I will have my local engine shop actually build and assemble / balance the motor for me but they are very fair with their pricing, I've used them for a little over 10 years now. I am not talking about Turbos or anything else, Just the motor. I already have the fuel system, ecm, pump, injectors, etc. So as far as costs let's just add up all the parts for the LS motor build itself and nothing extra and then I will give myself a wiggle room of ~500-700 to have the shop assemble it for me. Thanks guys for the quick replies, This LS route is not even an option for me unless I can sell my motor and we all know used motors regardless how nice they are seldom sell for a fair price.

SATAN

iTrader: (2)

Yep, I had built one of the baddest engines of it's kind in the world (Nissan VG30E) for sale to pay for my LSx build. I ended up having to part out the entire thing because nobody would pay/could afford to buy the whole thing. So good luck with the sale, man.

westtexasbuff

iTrader: (40)

To give you an idea on specific parts and prices, here's my build list from my motor:

All of this stuff I bought new, you can possibly find used parts for cheap.

Bare LSA Heads $340
Stock LSA valves $140
Stock LSA rockers $100
LS3 block $850
4.070 Wiseco boost pistons/rings $750
Eagle rods $400
main/rod bearings $200
LS3 completion kit (front/rear cover, timing cover, cam plate, and valley cover) $400
Rollmaster single roller timing set $89.95
LS9 head gaskets $89.95
10296 High volume Melling oil pump (precision blue printed) $210
ARP head studs $269.99
ARP LS1/LS2 Main Stud Kit $189.99
ARP Harmonic Balancer Bolt Kit $28
ARP cam bolts $6.99
Head port work $700
Patriot Extreme .660 lift springs $260
ATI Super Damper $357.16
Moroso Oil Pan $654.95
Shortblock build Labor $400
Motor balancing $150
LS7 lifters with lifter guide kit (17803305) $150
Comp Cam (54-469-11) $360
PTM 95mm Throttle Body $349.99
GM Knock Sensor w/ Bolts $35.98
Edelbrock Victor Jr. LS Series Gen IV EFI Manifold $385.95
Edelbrock Aluminum Fuel Rails $105.95
Intake Porting $200.00
Moroso Oil Pan Studs $25.00
Black Anodized Billet Valve Covers $290.00
Oil Pan Gasket $50.00
Timing Chain Damper & bolts $10.00
HKE pushrods $130.00

SKULL

iTrader: (7)

10-12k pushing the limits of a stock block

15k if you go lsx. i had a 1500hp motor priced out from vengeance and aes and was quoted 15k

two buddies have 1k hp 6.0 iron blocks, one forged crank, one stock crank. both their longblocks were 8700-9800 but were completely different setups

nesluopetan

awesome, Thanks for all the replies guys. If I can take a fair loss on my motor and sell it for 9-10k I think i'll go this route. Where do you guys feel is the best place to try and sell a motor? Racing junk? Ebay? LS1tech classifieds? etc? Anyone know of someone selling a nice complete blower motor for a fair price? This really helps put things into perspective and with so many aftermarket options for LS motors now days I think I want to give a twin turbo LS a try..

Big blocks are cool and they work well so if I don't end up going with a LS i'll still be happy with my setup because I know it works and has already been proven. My issue with the big block in my 56 sedan is room to work with. With power rack and pinion, hydroboost, tall merlin valve covers, etc it really makes things tight and I will be stuck with twin precision t4 1.32 billet 6267's with my big block. They are rated at 740 hp each but i'd still like to run 2 larger turbos or one big turbo and there is just no way I can do it with the room I have to work with while using a big block.

tt383lt1

iTrader: (3)

these are all the price without any fuel setup.(injectors ect) no program. and nothing except the engine right?

nesluopetan

yes, injectors, fuel system, fuel lines, ecm, all seperate..

only asking about just the complete motor with rails, intake, throttle body, etc ready to bolt in the car.. then I can add my own injectors, harness, turbos, fuel lines, fuel pump, wastegates, bov, fmic, etc.

LS1NOVA

iTrader: (12)

Put together a GTO for a guy.

ERL 427 with TFS 235's, hydraulic cam, Fast 102, Katech valve covers. Short block rated for 1500.

It was around 17k.

71 chevy

iTrader: (18)

hey,
what did the bbc run in the old car?

is the 63 a race truck, or street truck

93formto98T/A

iTrader: (28)

If you're wanting 1200rwhp reliably I suggest you NOT go with a production block. 4 bolt head WILL lift at or below that power-I've been there. Go with the LSX block in std or tall deck.

ERL Performance

You're right about the possibility of the stock OEM factory 4 bolt block not being good enough to keep the heads down, but our Superdeck 1 sleeving a great option. You can have us do our Superdeck 1 sleeving using the standard 4 bolt system w/ 1/2 head studs or we can also have a 6 bolt option as well which is more than adequate for what you're wanting to do here.

Our ERL Superdeck 1 sleeving is all based off of the GM OEM factory block and works like a champ and in your application just as strong as the cast iron LSX block but we end up around 125 lbs lighter than the LSX block.

Not saying the LSX isn't a good block but just letting you know you do have options using the factory LS block. There are allot of people running our ERL Superdeck 1 6 bolt block with great success.

Stumped1215

iTrader: (9)

I wouldn't mind hearing a little more about the 540. What heads and rotating assembly. It may not take much money to make 1500 crank on pump gas. If you do decide to sell the big block racingjunk and yellow bullet are the best bet.

SKULL

iTrader: (7)

quick search and found exactly what you need good enough for your biggest dreams

if i didnt have my vette i would buy it lol

https://ls1tech.com/forums/texas-cla...built-hke.html

BigRich954RR

iTrader: (1)

if you have the 540 built for boost stay with it.
540 vs a smaller LSX wont feel the same power till you start dropping mad money.


smallblock vs LSX the LSX wins hands down. but the bigblock is better for power vs the LSX till the wallet goes very deep.