What's so great about LSX engines?
06-19-2009, 03:04 PM
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What's so great about LSX engines? I hope this is in the right section, seems appropriate. Just thought I'd throw this question out there since I am sort of wondering myself about this. I mean I don't know how many times I've heard of LS1s being "touched by the hand of God" etc etc. Buy why? What makes these engines so great in reality? I know they make good torque and hp and that they are all aluminum and have a wealth of aftermarket support but is that it? I here a lot of great things about them and I love mine, but I'm not a mechanic. From a different point of view (like from a tech standpoint or racers standpoint) what makes these engines any better than an LT1 (if it is in fact 'better') or sbc? They have no forged internals, so they can't take what the 03/04 Cobra powerplants can take or anything like that. Can they be built cheaply or something? Is that the appeal? Just really would like to hear from everyone on this.
06-19-2009, 03:35 PM
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they can be built cheap, they are more reliable than older sbc/lt1 (completely redesigned), and most importantly the heads flow really well for stock heads compared to other small blocks.
06-19-2009, 03:39 PM
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head flow is the key to power, but also dont dismiss and engine without forged internalls as not being able to take power, the cranks in these motors are very strong for a cast unit. rods are better then any previous chevy cast rods also....
06-19-2009, 03:49 PM
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Im not sure its one thing. Its a combination of all thing above. They have that 1hp per cubic inch magic number. The heads flow very well, 4 bolt main bottom end, ability to make huge hp on stock internals, light weight, and takes a bad *** beating and still runs like a raped ape. In short i guess its like a sbc in the sense it runs forever but new designs allow it to be better and stroniger than before.
06-19-2009, 03:55 PM
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Good info so far guys keep it coming. How much power can be made in these gen IIIs without going forged? How about the genIV types? Thanks again guys. Tired of being asked about what engine I'm running and not being able to go to bat for us in the "what's so great about it dept."
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06-19-2009, 05:21 PM
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The crank in these cars is little short of godly as far as stock equipment goes. And how many other cars out there can you squeeze well over 350rwhp out of naturally aspirated with only basic bolt-ons? Bolt-ons seem to react better with these engines than the vast majority of cars out there. There's also it's ability to take on copious amounts of nitrous without batting an eye. The fact that it's a pushrod engine makes it more reliable, easier to work on, and makes aftermarket support for heads and cams cheap, easy, and incredibly effective.
All in all, it may not be able to take the amounts of boost that an 03-04 Cobra can, but it makes way more power with a comparable safe amount boost when going forced induction. And for what an 03-04 Cobra costs, you can very easily build a bulletproof forged LS1 car pushing out massive amounts of boost.
All in all, it may not be able to take the amounts of boost that an 03-04 Cobra can, but it makes way more power with a comparable safe amount boost when going forced induction. And for what an 03-04 Cobra costs, you can very easily build a bulletproof forged LS1 car pushing out massive amounts of boost.
06-19-2009, 05:50 PM
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I hope this is in the right section, seems appropriate. Just thought I'd throw this question out there since I am sort of wondering myself about this. I mean I don't know how many times I've heard of LS1s being "touched by the hand of God" etc etc. Buy why? What makes these engines so great in reality? I know they make good torque and hp and that they are all aluminum and have a wealth of aftermarket support but is that it? I here a lot of great things about them and I love mine, but I'm not a mechanic. From a different point of view (like from a tech standpoint or racers standpoint) what makes these engines any better than an LT1 (if it is in fact 'better') or sbc?
They have no forged internals, so they can't take what the 03/04 Cobra powerplants can take or anything like that. Can they be built cheaply or something? Is that the appeal? Just really would like to hear from everyone on this.
To me the appeal is the power to weight (390lbs, 350hp/375ft.lbs) and physical size. Physically the LS1 is smaller than most V6s, and most other V8s. And this is a reason you see so many small cars with LSx's, most other engines wont even fit.
Attached you can see the difference between a Porsche flat 6 and an LS1, an LS1 and a rotory, an LS1 and a Porsche I4, and an LS1 and a RB26.
06-19-2009, 06:45 PM
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Its lighter, physically smaller, and flows way better.
The 4V mod motors are 200-300lbs heavier than the LSx's and are the size of a small barn.
To me the appeal is the power to weight (390lbs, 350hp/375ft.lbs) and physical size. Physically the LS1 is smaller than most V6s, and most other V8s. And this is a reason you see so many small cars with LSx's, most other engines wont even fit.
Attached you can see the difference between a Porsche flat 6 and an LS1, an LS1 and a rotory, an LS1 and a Porsche I4, and an LS1 and a RB26.
The 4V mod motors are 200-300lbs heavier than the LSx's and are the size of a small barn.
To me the appeal is the power to weight (390lbs, 350hp/375ft.lbs) and physical size. Physically the LS1 is smaller than most V6s, and most other V8s. And this is a reason you see so many small cars with LSx's, most other engines wont even fit.
Attached you can see the difference between a Porsche flat 6 and an LS1, an LS1 and a rotory, an LS1 and a Porsche I4, and an LS1 and a RB26.
06-19-2009, 06:50 PM
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The crank in these cars is little short of godly as far as stock equipment goes. And how many other cars out there can you squeeze well over 350rwhp out of naturally aspirated with only basic bolt-ons? Bolt-ons seem to react better with these engines than the vast majority of cars out there. There's also it's ability to take on copious amounts of nitrous without batting an eye. The fact that it's a pushrod engine makes it more reliable, easier to work on, and makes aftermarket support for heads and cams cheap, easy, and incredibly effective.
All in all, it may not be able to take the amounts of boost that an 03-04 Cobra can, but it makes way more power with a comparable safe amount boost when going forced induction. And for what an 03-04 Cobra costs, you can very easily build a bulletproof forged LS1 car pushing out massive amounts of boost.
All in all, it may not be able to take the amounts of boost that an 03-04 Cobra can, but it makes way more power with a comparable safe amount boost when going forced induction. And for what an 03-04 Cobra costs, you can very easily build a bulletproof forged LS1 car pushing out massive amounts of boost.
06-19-2009, 07:45 PM
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Design: You can change a cam in one without yanking the intake , you can swap the oil pump easily , you can change the intake manifold without a huge antifreeze mess and for a dated pushrod design , they sure can be made godawful fast.
06-19-2009, 08:49 PM
#20
its not only the effecient and well designed LS1 that makes these cars so appealing, they are rather light when compared to other cars and GM perfected the art of getting as much power to the wheels as possible. Yes the Cobra is a very good car but a LS fbody can beat a cobra with less rwhp.
Why wont i ever buy another performance type car? Because for 20,000 including car I have a good looking car capable of putting the hurt on cars double even triple the value of my car.
I raced a bolt on 2v GT spraying a 120 shot at the time my car was bolt ons not even headers and the nose of my car was at the drivers door.
These cars are very fast for the price, LS1 is built like a Glock lol.
Why wont i ever buy another performance type car? Because for 20,000 including car I have a good looking car capable of putting the hurt on cars double even triple the value of my car.
I raced a bolt on 2v GT spraying a 120 shot at the time my car was bolt ons not even headers and the nose of my car was at the drivers door.
These cars are very fast for the price, LS1 is built like a Glock lol.