thendawg

How much stronger are the newer, 4th gen rods found in the 05+ motors? I was originally looking for 05+ 5.3's however Ive found a couple good deals on some 01-02 motors. Would these shortblocks still hold up at 700whp on E85?

stock48

iTrader: (17)

At least 200 hp worth. I bent the early rods running mid low 10's in my truck, and have been 9.7 and even quicker in the 1/8 with the 06 engine.

thendawg

Thanks! Thats kinda what I was thinking. I really want an L33, but damn, the prices on them have gone up so much. Cant seem to find one under $1000.

stock48

iTrader: (17)

The early engines will still handle around 800 hp with a soft tune. Past that Id look for the better rods.

CameronVic

iTrader: (5)

Just get a newer iron one with gen 4 stuff, L33's are all hype (I do wish I had one though, lol). I've trapped 112.9 in the 8th at 3900lbs with the older gen 3 rods and 862 heads. I just sold that motor and put a gen4 5.3 together with milled 799 heads and a cam from this^^^ guy. It should hustle pretty good when I eventually have time to work on my own junk!

JoeNova

Seeing as the L33 is the only engine with stock rods/pistons so far to run a 4 second pass in the 1/8th mile, I wouldn't really call it hype. Skinnies ran the first 8 second quarter mile stock bottom end pass with an L33 if I remember right. There must be some magic joo joo in them.

forcd ind

iTrader: (7)

is it hard to tell the early rods from the later-I have an LQ4? that sup came out of an 05 Denali, but had dished pistons-thought they would be flat

turboventura

The lq9 had the higher compression flat tops, you could still have the better rods/floating wrist pins

9sectruck

iTrader: (9)

I just bent all 8 rods in a 07 ls2 engine at 19psi roughly making 900rwhp. all but 3 rods came out the bottom of the engine

JoeNova

Type the topic of this thread into Google. There is a few side by side comparisons out there. The 4th gen rods are much much beefier than the 3rd gen.

JoeNova

I see this from time to time. I've heard of 3 LS2 engines breaking rods below 1000 HP. At the same time I've seen 3 different engines hit 1300 HP on gen 4 rods over and over and over and repeatedly beat on them without failures. It could've been heat related or excess low-end torque that did yours in.

CameronVic

iTrader: (5)

I have an iron 5.3 with 799s and dished pistons. Only difference between my motor and an L33 is .5 compression and 75lbs. Slap that mug in a 3000lb car and it's going 8s. And they are all hype, that's why they're 4 times the cost of what I pick up my iron 5.3s for and I can pretty much do the same thing with mine.

CameronVic

iTrader: (5)

Gen 3 near, gen 4 far.



Gen 4 left, gen 3 right



My gen 4 rods have pressed pin pistons and are dished.

thendawg

Yeah i find it funny the Gen4 rods look ALOT like some of the cheaper aftermarket rods (Scat I beam in particular)

thendawg

Main reason I wanted the L33 is the better 243/799 heads. Im not TOO concerned with weight, but being a GTO, ever little bit does help. I know I could just find some heads for the LM7, but a newer LM7 (05+) is only about $300-400 cheaper than the L33, at least here in the OK/TX area, so I almost feel itd be worth it to just go L33. Also LKQ has a couple <100k L33's and theyre good about trading the motor out if I tear it down and find its damaged.

Photochop

iTrader: (74)

What did LKQ want for a <100k L33? Wonder if they'd give us a deal if we bought 2 at the same time

thendawg

$1130 I believe. I talked the guy into waiving the core charge for me, and it would be delivered to the place on Reno for free. Also said if I bring in my tax ID theyd waive the tax so itd basically be $1130 out the door.

caMnaro

iTrader: (24)

Here is a picture next to a Crower I beam.

thendawg

Obviously the difference is in material strength (4340 forged, vs powdered) but Im really curious to know how close they are strength wise.

JoeNova

Ask Brian Tooley about a certain Camaro that ran an entire season at ~1400 HP on gen 4 rods.