JeaneGrae

iTrader: (7)

Folks im in the market for a 6th gen. Ive heard a few horror stories about the pistons being an issue with boost. Any help or "what year to stay away from" would be greatly appreciated.

JROC

Well I wouldn't recommend trying to boost to 700+ WHP on 93 octane (E85, race gas or Meth is another story) with a stock LT1 and expect it to last forever, but traditionally speaking the GEN5 engines are pretty stout. The pistons are the weakest link or usually the first thing in the rotating assembly to go. They're not forged like they are in a GEN3 Coyote. There are forged rod/piston kits that sell for pretty fair prices if you are looking to make big boosted HP. Much like a LS1 is a LS1 regardless of year a LT1 is a LT1 regardless of the year with not many big changes. I will say to use a known and respected LT1 tuner instead of a shop that specializes in LS engines. They are tuned differently. Just because you can put a great tune on a LS doesn't mean that you know how to properly tune a GEN5 engine. Pray Performance, GPI, RPM, and a few others are known shops that are good at building and tuning the GEN5 stuff. I think Vengeance is known to be pretty good with the GEN5 engines as well. Just do your research before picking a shop. A good GEN5 shop can easily surpass 600 WHP with a stock bottomend H/C/I/bolton/E85 tune car. Lesser shops don't seem to get past the 550-560 range with that type of setup.

As far as everything else goes the GEN5 stuff is superior to LS for boost. DI, VVT, forged crank, nodular main caps, 12MM head bolts, reinforced/gussetted coolant passages around the cylinders make for a stronger platform that you can get more liberal with on you tune. I would recommend an AFM delete if you're going to get serious about modding the car.

This is who most GEN6 Camaro guys feel is the pinnacle of GEN5 SBC knowledge, building, porting, tuning. His business is called Pray Performance. It's a trip as he's some guy in NC who started his business working out his garage and has blown up in the last few years. If you want the best of the best with GEN6 Camaro performance and want to **** Hellfat and Coyote guys off then this is the shop to talk to IMHO. The cars he touches seem to straight up perform. He tends to stay pretty backlogged though. He has a FB page and YT channel.

https://youtube.com/channel/UCCCFXBjr0myeH-1Tuz_gHcg

2002 SS #476

iTrader: (2)

If you're picking up a 6th gen wait until the new ones show up at the dealerships. Used ones are overpriced right now and once the new ones are available again they can be cheaper than used ones. If you're wanting a strong bottom end and want to do it right go with the LT4, forged internals.

War Prayer

Be aware though that the 2020+ cars have a locked TCM.

As for pistons it seems like most shops are going with the GPI drop-ins. Vengeance has a nice kit that I believe is made by Mahle.

JeaneGrae

iTrader: (7)

Thank you! Locked TCM?

JROC

Basically just like with the C8 you can't tune the auto trans on a 2020+ Camaro. You can tune the new A10 on the 19 Camaro though.

War Prayer

Yep, the 2020+ SS and ZL1 have a new Bosch TCM that hasn’t been unencrypted yet by the aftermarket so no trans tuning is possible on those models, which is a must for making big power on a 10spd (any more than bolt on level). Apparently a shop in Texas has figured out how to swap the old T87 TCM into the 2020+ cars and fool the computers so that they can be tuned.

It’s important because without the ability to access the TCM you can’t tune a 2nd gear launch or fully deal with torque management on these cars.