slowride

iTrader: (3)

What's the luck with using early ls blocks pre 04' with a wet sleeve? Water leaks, etc. It seems like most of the blocks with the long head bolts/studs are not used for these types of builds.

When using a aluminum 5.3 or 6.0 from a truck where do the 6.0's come from? Just the ss model trailblazer and trucks?

Steve - Race Eng

iTrader: (1)

Short answer, no. The LS6 is wet sleeve only as are all Gen III blocks.

Stay at 4" stroke for boost or nitrous.

Steve

Steve - Race Eng

iTrader: (1)

I have done many Darton MID sleeves for street driven cars in the early blocks in the past. Customers called me after tens of thousands of miles of driving,one over a hundred thousand, and said they never had a problem.

Coolant leaks and blown head gaskets are more a function of poor build practices for the application. If you are running a lot of boost or nitrous, the block needs to be o ringed, just like any other block.

I sleeve everything from little water craft engines to the Dodge Viper. The little 4 cyl. Honda engines will make over a thousand horsepower with turbo on methanol. They have head bolts as long or longer than the LS engines but the builders know what to do to keep the head gaskets on.

That said, I myself prefer the newer blocks with shorter head fasteners because shorter is stiffer in terms of stretch.

Steve

JAX04

iTrader: (17)

Wow! Awesome Thread Snyper! Guess ill be holding on to this 2005 L33 block for the "BIG" build

EDIT: I guess my motor is a 2004, is that still ok?

ERL Performance

The early LS1 that has the un-equal length head studs are the ones we don't want to mess with. Honestly after we do our Superdeck I sleeving to the LS1/6, LS2, LS3, LS7 and 5.3 they are all simular. We have 5.3 blocks we have sleeved that are at 2500 hp and one just won the 2011 LSX Shootout!

We have sleeved many LS6 blocks and have quite a few of them out west in sand rails and we've got them still running strong after years and years of abuse with nitrous and blowers.

I will however only be able to Dry Sleeve an LS2, LS3, LS7 and 5.3 liter block. Included with all our ERL Superdeck I sleeving is a set of doweled billet main caps, ARP main stud kit, finish cylinder hone and align hone and bore.

You can get your ERL Dry Sleeve block with all those options done as well. We can certainly finish it out for you so you don't have to keep taking it to a bunch of different shops to get work done that we actually do all in house.

One last thing that I wanted to mention that I think is important about our sleeves is that ours are all American made! To me that's important.

slowride

iTrader: (3)

I take it when you state ls1/6 superdeck you mean the last few years that had the short headbolts correct? I understand the dry sleeve is only for blocks that are dry between the liners from the factory. I wanted to find something to use my current rotating parts (except pistons), but after going through with something like this I would be stupid to run anything less than a 4.125 crank on a na build.

If anything this topic should answer anyones questions over this stuff in a search I know the info is out there, but it's all over the place. Thanks to all the vendors for adding to this topic.

Quick Carl

Correct

[/QUOTE]
I understand the dry sleeve is only for blocks that are dry between the liners from the factory. .[/QUOTE]

Correct

Snyper

iTrader: (27)

I appreciate all the time you guys(Seth is who I spoke with) have taken through calls and emails helping me decide what I want to do. The now is a 434ci dry sleeved bottom end. Ill be running a 4" crank and 4.155 pistons with an LS7 top end along with some nitrous. You guys should be receiving my block tomorrow or the next day. =)

GTO1_OHIO

iTrader: (3)

It depends on your build date. GM put the old style LS1s into the GTO through the first few months of 04. Mine was a Dec 03 build and I still had the old style head bolts. ...so ERL supplied an LS2 for my 427.

LT1Formula007

iTrader: (66)

Snyper. Glad to see you went with the 4.155 Bore.
Now you have no limitations on Large Bore Heads.
FWIW, Seth is Great to deal with!
And Sean is an awesome guy too.

You'll be very happy with the finished product!

And Thanks to all the vendors who chimed in. The info is very useful.

-Jonathan (James)

Squintz Palladoris

iTrader: (1)

So the LS1 blocks are still good for the Superdeck (Wet Sleeve)?

Just curious as I was planning to use my old LS1 block to send to ERL to be worked on.

Thanks!
Brad

Oh4GTO

iTrader: (46)

Can the 5.3 blocks be machined to accept LS9 piston squirters?

slowride

iTrader: (3)

If I have it clear they mean the only ls1/ls6 they work with are the ones with all shore head bolts/studs.

COPO9560

I believe ERL avoids the 97/98 blocks with different size head bolts. They have a very informative web site.

LT1Formula007

iTrader: (66)

That is true. They will not use the first production LS1 Blocks. 97/98 They will however use the later style LS1 Blocks. 99-04 I believe. but don't hold me to that. Theres something about the LS6 Block too. But I can't remember what it was...

slowride

iTrader: (3)

Only the last few years of ls1/ls6 had all short headbolts. My 02' z had long/short combo. I think the changover is around 03'-04' so not that many ls1/ls6 blocks can be used.

Steve - Race Eng

iTrader: (1)

Katech can machine the 5.3 aluminum block to accept their piston squirters which will accept a 4" stroke. They just machined one for me.

There is a small area missing in the 5.3 block where the squirter locating pin registers. No big deal as the cut out for the squirter will support it regardless.

Steve

430 hp 70

iTrader: (3)

still cant seem to find a retailer for the 5.3 block even when using the part number that steve posted. anyone have a link? the next cheapest option would be the ls2 which i found for 1100 shipped.

thanks

S10xGN

iTrader: (11)

Why would you pay top dollar for a new block? Find a rebuilder and buy one with a trashed liner for scrap price. Steve'll make it like new anyways...

430 hp 70

iTrader: (3)

used is the way ive always done it with the gen 1 stuff, but ive never had a build that was even a third of the cost of my proposed build. i just dont want to invest money to find that something else is screwed up (lifter bores, bolt holes etc). for many that seems ridiculous, but i just havent searched for a used block in a while and ive never bought a ls before.