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The stock crate LS3 intake is about 2" too high for my install.....anyone have a line on lowest profile intake commercially available? I only need to make 200 HP so not too concerned about smaller volume.
If needed, can I simply cut 2" of top of stock manifold and plastic weld top back on?
The LT1 intake looks pretty low profile; any idea if it will fit LS3?
Well I'm game, is it the stock low profile intake: Camaro,C6, etc. or Truck intake? All the intakes above are not going to work! Yea it's Plastic but how would you do the runners with it being cut down 2 inches. Getting a intake LOWER than a stock low profile intake not gonna happen.
Here's what you can do.....go work with the engine mounts and see if you can get a couple of inches and get some fabb'ed up. This has got to be a import with a hood this low.
200 HP? What happened to the stock engine? Why do you only need 200 HP? I'm curious.
Seems like it would be easier to make 200 Hp with stock type engine than try to cram
a V8 in there.
It's in an airplane and the airframe is only rated for 200 HP . The engine cowling space is limited . Why can't I simply cut the height and plastic weld a cover? Is the intake inside more complicated than a box? I reference would need to retune the ECM .
That seems like a pretty cavalier solution when you can't just pull over if the plastic weld fails. My LS3 came with a sound damper that went on top of the intake manifold but fit underneath the fuel rail crossover tube. You could remove that, and come up with your own crossover tube solution with aftermarket fuel rails, and that will bring your height inline with the top of the fuel rails and the top of the coil brackets, roughly.
Oh yea, those engines are north of 30k.
I guess next time I ride in a small plane
I will check and make sure it has the proper
engine in it. I would hate to have to call a wrecker when something goes wrong up
there.
Its an experimental category aircraft....limited on manipulating mount height to maintain level thrust line (that was my first inclination). Guess I'll try making an aluminum intake; hooker has one that is 1.85" less so might give that a try and perhaps reduce thickness of mounting pads. I've seen some clean cutting and sonic welding on nylon components and figured worth getting a spare intake and trying it out.
The fuel rail crossover tube on an LS3 is the highest point of the intake and is barely higher than the coil brackets mounted on the valve cover. If you only need 200HP, why not run a V6 like the GM LFX, it's lighter, still makes 300HP, and there are prop gearboxes that bolt directly to it. Hell, a 2.4 Ecotec makes enough steam for your project, and it's the same scenario, lighter still, and a prop gearbox available. They are durable as hell too, they run a couple thousand miles a year in a Class 10 offroad car, WFO and constantly on the rev limiter.
Thanks for the advice. A plane engine works a lot harder than a car; more like a boat . Once a car gets to speed it needs only about 15-20% of that energy to maintain speed whereas a plane or boat requires far more constant load due to greater drag coefficient due to higher speed, producing vertical lift and induced drag......more like a car pulling a boat up a hill whereas it's a heavy constant load.
I selected the ls3 because there is a marine version designed for such crank loads and torque (there is no transmission to ratio the load) and would only need a portion of the ls3's rated hp which should allow greater life .
You are going to waste the thrust bearing in very short order if you run the engine direct drive, and you're gonna have a bad time. This was a common problem in airboats for a long time before prop gearbox came on to the scene that were designed for the thrust load.
You are right about the quick wear on the engine bearing with direct drive, most due to pulling but side loads as well which are dynamic throughout axis of the shaft. I'm using a gear box that will absorb most if not all of these loads as well as reduce prop tip speed to optimim for noise and efficiency. Thanks for interest and input.
I also need to locate a low intake. I have a FITECH.
but it measures at 7-1/4.
thats to high what is lower. Please I need a lower intake. This is a fitech
I also need to locate a low intake. I have a FITECH.
but it measures at 7-1/4.
thats to high what is lower. Please I need a lower intake. This is a fitech
07-10-2016, 06:03 PM
Lowest profile Intake Manifold Available 
