I am in the process of rebuilding a LS1 and I was wondering how much power can a stock bottom end take.
I plan to apply a small amount of laughing gas to the pistons, however I am worried. The stock pistons are cast <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> , how much can they take. I looking for a set a forged but I can't find any. How much are they?

 

sent you mail

 

It all depends on how well you're tuned, and how well you watch things. I abused my stock motor quite a bit with good results.

JE has an off the shelf 3.905 flat top piston, not sure on price thought.

I was quoted $112 per piston for a fully custom forged slug from JE. That included the piston, tool steel wrist pins, and pin fit.

I also talked to Diamond, they want about $80 per piston. No wrist pin in that price.

Also, i'm pretty sure ARE has some Ross pistons made for the LS1 in stock.

 

From the nitrous damage I have seen, I'd talk to nitrous folks and look at running a looser ring gap? Some of the damage looks like the ring ends butting up against each other and breaking off part of the piston? Anyone?

 

To answer your hp question, I think that it is generally agreed that you can run up to around 500 rwhp if you are tuned really well in an LS1. Anything more than that and you are pushing it. Good luck.

 

I got a custom set of JE pistons for 700. Dont know where you got the $112 a piston from

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by BLOWNMERO:
<strong>I got a custom set of JE pistons for 700. Dont know where you got the $112 a piston from</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Was it just the pistons?

Wrist pins?

 

My car handled 540 rwhp till I messed up and srayed thru a shift.

 

Brooke made 657 rwhp through an auto back in the day on his stock bottom end ls1. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

 

I love this web site, all the information.
Thank Ya'll. <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />

 

I Bought a custom set of the JE racing pistons with everything for 750.00 <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

LS1 Motorsports offers a package that has Ross Forged pistons, recondition rods with ARP bolts, wrist pistons, and rings for $999

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Gold Phoenix:
<strong>LS1 Motorsports offers a package that has Ross Forged pistons, recondition rods with ARP bolts, wrist pistons, and rings for $999</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's all good and fine, but i don't really want to test the strength limit of the stock powdered metal rods.

bolts are one thing

$750 for a set of slugs, where those tool steel pins or not?

The tool steel adds about $45 per piston

 

Well, the only one that has drop-in LS1 rods that I found is Crower and they want $1100 for the set. Since the LS1 rods fall in the middle of standard rods lengths (6.125 and 6.000), you still have to get the piston pin bore and the crank pin bore to match. Do you know another manufacture of LS1 Rods?

 

If your getting forged pistons, they are pretty much custom anyway. Damn funky bore size <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

You have the option to set your compression height when the pistons are made, so pick your rod. Pin fit is not an issue on a custom slug

And the big end is standard SBC sizing, one of the few commonalities between the LS1 and SBC

I personally am going w/ a 6.125 Crower rod, 1.31 CH w/ .927 pin

If you're bothering to get forged pistons, why would you stay w/ the stock rods? You're obviously going up in power. And, getting rid of the press fit pin is a bonus IMO

 

Lunati and Wiseco also have off-the-shelf LS1 pistons.

 

Actually, JE does as well

But they are flat top, no good if you're dropping the CR

 

Mine was making 656 RWHP through a lose converter but I also messed up and KABOOOM ! I would stick with 500 RWHP on a good tune until you can build for more..

 

Im not sure if my wrist pins are tool steel, but they were included with my custom pistons for the 700 dollar price tag.

 

I've got a 388 MMS motor being installed right now (should be done on Saturday).

It has forged pistons, forged rods, and ARP head studs. Any idea how much nitrous it would safely handle?