LQ4 budget build, input appreciated
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: middletown ct
LQ4 budget build, input appreciated I know for a fact that its annoying to hear questions like these, but I'm relatively uninformed about LS based engines as apposed to gen II small blocks with carborators
I picked up a LQ4 with almost no miles on it:
complete with the vortec intake and for only $500, An offer i couldn't pass up
Anyways i have read some essentials, Rod studs, head studs, good cam, stock lifters, really good pushrods, and for now, stock rockers, and good beehives to match the cam.
That's all a definite. This is going to be a protouring Chevy C10 Long bed, so id like the largest steetable cam, I have 317 heads giving it only 9.5:1 so where do i start? should i port the 317s or sell them for 243's? should i run the vortec intake since it supposivly flows better or an ls3? I can always do a different head and intake set up down the road. so what do you guys think?
As a college student its hard to spend a ton of money outright, im selling my old motor for a transmission, and my old transmission for a corvette c5 front end haha
id like a good 400-450rwh, going behind a built t56.
Thanks a bunch,
The Dan
I picked up a LQ4 with almost no miles on it:
complete with the vortec intake and for only $500, An offer i couldn't pass up
Anyways i have read some essentials, Rod studs, head studs, good cam, stock lifters, really good pushrods, and for now, stock rockers, and good beehives to match the cam.
That's all a definite. This is going to be a protouring Chevy C10 Long bed, so id like the largest steetable cam, I have 317 heads giving it only 9.5:1 so where do i start? should i port the 317s or sell them for 243's? should i run the vortec intake since it supposivly flows better or an ls3? I can always do a different head and intake set up down the road. so what do you guys think?
As a college student its hard to spend a ton of money outright, im selling my old motor for a transmission, and my old transmission for a corvette c5 front end haha
id like a good 400-450rwh, going behind a built t56.
Thanks a bunch,
The Dan
I know for a fact that its annoying to hear questions like these, but I'm relatively uninformed about LS based engines as apposed to gen II small blocks with carborators
I picked up a LQ4 with almost no miles on it:
complete with the vortec intake and for only $500, An offer i couldn't pass up
Anyways i have read some essentials, Rod studs, head studs, good cam, stock lifters, really good pushrods, and for now, stock rockers, and good beehives to match the cam.
That's all a definite. This is going to be a protouring Chevy C10 Long bed, so id like the largest steetable cam, I have 317 heads giving it only 9.5:1 so where do i start? should i port the 317s or sell them for 243's? should i run the vortec intake since it supposivly flows better or an ls3? I can always do a different head and intake set up down the road. so what do you guys think?
As a college student its hard to spend a ton of money outright, im selling my old motor for a transmission, and my old transmission for a corvette c5 front end haha
id like a good 400-450rwh, going behind a built t56.
Thanks a bunch,
The Dan
I picked up a LQ4 with almost no miles on it:
complete with the vortec intake and for only $500, An offer i couldn't pass up
Anyways i have read some essentials, Rod studs, head studs, good cam, stock lifters, really good pushrods, and for now, stock rockers, and good beehives to match the cam.
That's all a definite. This is going to be a protouring Chevy C10 Long bed, so id like the largest steetable cam, I have 317 heads giving it only 9.5:1 so where do i start? should i port the 317s or sell them for 243's? should i run the vortec intake since it supposivly flows better or an ls3? I can always do a different head and intake set up down the road. so what do you guys think?
As a college student its hard to spend a ton of money outright, im selling my old motor for a transmission, and my old transmission for a corvette c5 front end haha
id like a good 400-450rwh, going behind a built t56.
Thanks a bunch,
The Dan
PS: Im building the same motor as you but with LS2/LQ9 pistons to raise compression with a LS3 top end. I will have under 800$ with shipping for my heads and intake all new. Get a cam and have 450-480 whp.
I went with an LQ9 also, bought some L92 heads on here bare for $350, also got the valves and springs on here. The cam is a 2002-2004 Z06 cam. I asked Patrick G about using a stock cam and he said it would be great. An LS3 intake to top it off.
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 26
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317's and 243's are the same except the combustion chamber sizes. Have your heads milled .035 to net somewhere around 65-66cc chambers, get ya a nice little 224/230 XFI lobe on 110+2 since ya got ya a nice heavy lead sled there, and you should be MORE than happy 
TECH Resident
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 859
Likes: 2
From: Frozen Tundra, WI
Another truck builder here 
The 317's are good heads. The flow numbers are very similar to the 243's so it is not worth the expense to do that swap. The best and least expensive way to get lots of torque and HP is to have a custom cam spec'd for you. I chose Pat G...there are others too. My 317's have what was called a "competition valve job". I am sure that is just a reference the shop uses but it was some bowl blending with (very) slightly larger valves. I polished all the ports up but did not have any porting done because I did not want to lose velocity (torque) to get this ghetto cruiser moving. The custom cam was $425 with personalized spec...the head work was twice that cost (milled and springs installed too). This (cam) is by far the cheapest way to make the most torque/hp and my set-up is suppose to get me 500 chp with lots of torque. I have slightly more static compression than you but I think a custom cam spec can equal my dynamic compression so you would not be losing anything...I am guessing at this a little because I am not a cam wizard...hopefully someone can clarify. Oh, and I am running a carb and dual plane intake.
Much simpler and easier to tune in my opinion.
The 317's are good heads. The flow numbers are very similar to the 243's so it is not worth the expense to do that swap. The best and least expensive way to get lots of torque and HP is to have a custom cam spec'd for you. I chose Pat G...there are others too. My 317's have what was called a "competition valve job". I am sure that is just a reference the shop uses but it was some bowl blending with (very) slightly larger valves. I polished all the ports up but did not have any porting done because I did not want to lose velocity (torque) to get this ghetto cruiser moving. The custom cam was $425 with personalized spec...the head work was twice that cost (milled and springs installed too). This (cam) is by far the cheapest way to make the most torque/hp and my set-up is suppose to get me 500 chp with lots of torque. I have slightly more static compression than you but I think a custom cam spec can equal my dynamic compression so you would not be losing anything...I am guessing at this a little because I am not a cam wizard...hopefully someone can clarify. Oh, and I am running a carb and dual plane intake.
Much simpler and easier to tune in my opinion. Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: middletown ct
didnt have a chance lately to thank you guys for your input. i know a few old school guys that have delt with an ex cam engineer for comp, and got his number so thats the first place im headed, second is a ls6 intake and cable tb, and then the rest is history!
