Opinions on LQ9 Install?
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Opinions on LQ9 Install? Ok guys, I've lurked around and learned a little here and there. Now I'm actually doing an LS swap. I've got a 74' Pontiac Ventura GTO, same chassis/body as the Nova. I'm currently pulling an all stock, LQ9 from a 2006 Escalade. Going to keep the 4L65 behind it. Planning on putting a 2500-3000 stall. Car has a swapped in 8.8 Limited running 3.73 gears. Now, I'm not jumping into this to make an all out drag car. Just a street, strip car. Mostly street. I'm keeping the 317 heads, possibly pulling them and milling .020 to help a little on the compression. Then, looking for a healthy bump stick to make it scream. Not worried about idle quality, it can sound like Indians beating drums, going to war. Was going to hunt down an LS2 intake, nice and clean with larger then stock injectors to help. Any thoughts? I'm new to the LS swaps and builds. Have built several Small/BBC's ;-)
Last edited by steve2277; Nov 12, 2019 at 09:32 PM. Reason: Named the wrong intake I'm using.
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For the bump stick, you could go with one of our Pro LS camshafts. We would recommend the stage 2 camshaft. This has a good lope to it but tunes well and is easy to live with. It has a wide powerband and pulls strong to 7000 rpm with 150 lbs. seat pressure. The recommended springs are TFS-16918-16 for drop-in beehive springs or TFS-2500286 for a dual spring kit. A 2500 rpm converter is recommended. You can hear idle clips of it on Youtube by searching "Summit Pro LS stage 2 cam at idle".
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I would use 243 heads if you're staying with a stock casting head and tbss intake, LS6 intake, or FAST 92 or 102 intake. Maybe the dorman LS2, I say maybe because I don't know a lot about it and know the others I mentioned work well. G said the Dorman LS2 works well, he reads a ton on here so I trust what he said about it.
I would go larger on the stall. I say that because everyone that picks the size you are looking at wishes they went bigger. Including me. Mine first stall only stalled to 2500 and it sucked bad. Seriously hated it and I think the car only picked up like 1 tenth with it over stock. Next stall was a 3800 and WAYYYYY better and I daily drove that stall minimum of 400 miles a week and every other week I drove it 700+ miles a week. Loved it. The 3800 stall picked up 5 tenths in the 1/8th over the 2500
I've been recommending the summit stage 2 pro ls cam a bit lately and love it for your build. Summit apparently does too and they know their stuff. You could go a little bigger though as long as you do the higher stall. But not much bigger. Well.. okay you could go a lot bigger but you would trade off low end and driveability and tuneability etc, it would just suck. So I would stay between 226 and 230 degrees duration on the intake and around 235-240 on exh. It'll make noise and run excellent.
I would go larger on the stall. I say that because everyone that picks the size you are looking at wishes they went bigger. Including me. Mine first stall only stalled to 2500 and it sucked bad. Seriously hated it and I think the car only picked up like 1 tenth with it over stock. Next stall was a 3800 and WAYYYYY better and I daily drove that stall minimum of 400 miles a week and every other week I drove it 700+ miles a week. Loved it. The 3800 stall picked up 5 tenths in the 1/8th over the 2500
I've been recommending the summit stage 2 pro ls cam a bit lately and love it for your build. Summit apparently does too and they know their stuff. You could go a little bigger though as long as you do the higher stall. But not much bigger. Well.. okay you could go a lot bigger but you would trade off low end and driveability and tuneability etc, it would just suck. So I would stay between 226 and 230 degrees duration on the intake and around 235-240 on exh. It'll make noise and run excellent.
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
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I would use 243 heads if you're staying with a stock casting head and tbss intake, LS6 intake, or FAST 92 or 102 intake. Maybe the dorman LS2, I say maybe because I don't know a lot about it and know the others I mentioned work well. G said the Dorman LS2 works well, he reads a ton on here so I trust what he said about it.
I would go larger on the stall. I say that because everyone that picks the size you are looking at wishes they went bigger. Including me. Mine first stall only stalled to 2500 and it sucked bad. Seriously hated it and I think the car only picked up like 1 tenth with it over stock. Next stall was a 3800 and WAYYYYY better and I daily drove that stall minimum of 400 miles a week and every other week I drove it 700+ miles a week. Loved it. The 3800 stall picked up 5 tenths in the 1/8th over the 2500
I've been recommending the summit stage 2 pro ls cam a bit lately and love it for your build. Summit apparently does too and they know their stuff. You could go a little bigger though as long as you do the higher stall. But not much bigger. Well.. okay you could go a lot bigger but you would trade off low end and driveability and tuneability etc, it would just suck. So I would stay between 226 and 230 degrees duration on the intake and around 235-240 on exh. It'll make noise and run excellent.
I would go larger on the stall. I say that because everyone that picks the size you are looking at wishes they went bigger. Including me. Mine first stall only stalled to 2500 and it sucked bad. Seriously hated it and I think the car only picked up like 1 tenth with it over stock. Next stall was a 3800 and WAYYYYY better and I daily drove that stall minimum of 400 miles a week and every other week I drove it 700+ miles a week. Loved it. The 3800 stall picked up 5 tenths in the 1/8th over the 2500
I've been recommending the summit stage 2 pro ls cam a bit lately and love it for your build. Summit apparently does too and they know their stuff. You could go a little bigger though as long as you do the higher stall. But not much bigger. Well.. okay you could go a lot bigger but you would trade off low end and driveability and tuneability etc, it would just suck. So I would stay between 226 and 230 degrees duration on the intake and around 235-240 on exh. It'll make noise and run excellent.
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+1 on 00pooterSS suggestion about the 243's. Do a little research and I think you will agree. 317's are not worth putting the money in them when trying to up the compression of the motor you have.
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2013
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From: Omaha, NE
I have a LQ9 running Advanced Induction ported 243's and a Cam Motion Titan 4 cam quite similar to what is being suggested in front of a built 4l70e with a 2900 stall converter in a 1971 Cutlass with 3.73 gears. This setup is a RIOT! Once tuned it drives almost like stock, only complaining if the converter locks up at under 40mph in 4th gear lugging the engine at 1200rpm. I dont have track times and only numbers with my old tune putting 405hp and 400tq to the rear wheels. New tune has improved and I would guess around 420hp now, the car will shred 285 rear nitto 555's through 1st and 2nd gear up to about 60mph from a rolling stab with 6,600 rpm shift points. Great overall combo!
