Engine Weight Reduction
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Teching In
Joined: Jun 2012
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Engine Weight Reduction I know this is splitting hairs. However, here it goes.
I'm building an SL-C.. The car should already tip the scales around 2300-2400lbs. I could go lighter if I didn't put in sound insulation, A/C, radio, kept the seats unupholstered,, ect. There isn't much I can do with the car to reduce weight without making it completely unbareable to drive on anything less than a race track. Other than that,, car is already very light, leaving very few places to drop the weight. The engine is one of the last places
Here is a slight breakdown of potential weight reduction. I'm assuming the LS3 weighs somewhere between 420-450lbs. I'll be rebuilding it as a stroker. I would really value everyone's opinion on how I might lose a little bit more weight without huge sacrifices in driveablity or my wallet. Here is what I was thinking blow.
WEIGHT SAVINGS:
SCAT superlightweight crank ------ 10lbs
Aluminum Flywheel------------------15lbs
Lightweight acc pullies---------------3lbs?
Lightweight Clutch assembly---------5-10lbs
Is there any other place I could lose some weight on the engine? If you are unsure of what an SL-C is I posted a clip from Gearz. Yeah, it's got about 4 minutes of fluff in the beginning. Mines storage and I'll start working on it in Oct (I'm overseas)
I'm building an SL-C.. The car should already tip the scales around 2300-2400lbs. I could go lighter if I didn't put in sound insulation, A/C, radio, kept the seats unupholstered,, ect. There isn't much I can do with the car to reduce weight without making it completely unbareable to drive on anything less than a race track. Other than that,, car is already very light, leaving very few places to drop the weight. The engine is one of the last places
Here is a slight breakdown of potential weight reduction. I'm assuming the LS3 weighs somewhere between 420-450lbs. I'll be rebuilding it as a stroker. I would really value everyone's opinion on how I might lose a little bit more weight without huge sacrifices in driveablity or my wallet. Here is what I was thinking blow.
WEIGHT SAVINGS:
SCAT superlightweight crank ------ 10lbs
Aluminum Flywheel------------------15lbs
Lightweight acc pullies---------------3lbs?
Lightweight Clutch assembly---------5-10lbs
Is there any other place I could lose some weight on the engine? If you are unsure of what an SL-C is I posted a clip from Gearz. Yeah, it's got about 4 minutes of fluff in the beginning. Mines storage and I'll start working on it in Oct (I'm overseas)
Most things you have already thought of. By lightweight clutch are you staying with a full sive unit. With a light car you may be able to get away with one of the Tilton clutches.
Depending on budget, lightweight forged wheels, or maybe a magnesium wheel. if money is no object carbon ceramic brakes. I know not all of these are engine related.
Sounds like an awesome ride. If I had the money I would love to build one of these.
Depending on budget, lightweight forged wheels, or maybe a magnesium wheel. if money is no object carbon ceramic brakes. I know not all of these are engine related.
Sounds like an awesome ride. If I had the money I would love to build one of these.
on the engine itself the only place to save weight are the covers and bolts
On my LS3 i have a thin sheet aluminum valley cover which saved 1.5-2#, maybe find fabricated front and rear covers and a sheet aluminum oil pan is worth a few # as well.
Either get aluminum bolts for all the covers or gun drill the factory bolts, that would be a couple pounds as well. There really isnt anything else you can do to the engine itself, lighten accesory brackets with some holes, billet aluminum motor mounts would be a pound or 2.
At your weight a couple pounds can make a huge difference, so count the ounces first and it will add up in the long run
On my LS3 i have a thin sheet aluminum valley cover which saved 1.5-2#, maybe find fabricated front and rear covers and a sheet aluminum oil pan is worth a few # as well.
Either get aluminum bolts for all the covers or gun drill the factory bolts, that would be a couple pounds as well. There really isnt anything else you can do to the engine itself, lighten accesory brackets with some holes, billet aluminum motor mounts would be a pound or 2.
At your weight a couple pounds can make a huge difference, so count the ounces first and it will add up in the long run
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Verdad Gallardo No, that's not any concern. The pan was mostly designed for noise reduction
I dont know if anyone on here has done this or not. Actually have not really researched it at all on here, but you could look into getting the crank knife edged and rebalanced. That should loose a few pounds on the crank itself.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jun 2012
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Thank you all for the advise.
SSCamaro99_3 - I have not picked out a clutch as of yet. The transaxle I'm going with uses the LS3's flywheel, clutch and starter (Griffin). It's an expensive upfront cost. However, I will not need a flywheel adapter, special starter nor will I have to re-gear it for a V8. It will also easily hold the power of an LS3 stroker.
Money is definitely an object. I've been shopping around like crazy for deals. I know this is still going to run about $70k when done. I was lucky enough to pick up a 6.2 for a good price. I'm going to rebuild it, and the price of the things I mentioned above don't cost much more than a normal engine rebuild.
I will eventually look into going with lighter wheels, and possibly 2-piece rotors. But that combination right there is a min of $4k.
avewhtboy - thats an idea, I'll have to look into that. I'm going to need a new oil pan anyways.
roswald0511 - More than likely I'll be going with something similar to the Manley super lightweight crank (~46lbs). I'm not sure you could knife-edge it and still have it balanced with the rest of the rotating assembly. I don't remember the exact physics of it all, but you need some counterbalancing because of the way a crossplane crank throws are not balanced end to end.
BTW, the one in the picture below is actually the one I own.
SSCamaro99_3 - I have not picked out a clutch as of yet. The transaxle I'm going with uses the LS3's flywheel, clutch and starter (Griffin). It's an expensive upfront cost. However, I will not need a flywheel adapter, special starter nor will I have to re-gear it for a V8. It will also easily hold the power of an LS3 stroker.
Money is definitely an object. I've been shopping around like crazy for deals. I know this is still going to run about $70k when done. I was lucky enough to pick up a 6.2 for a good price. I'm going to rebuild it, and the price of the things I mentioned above don't cost much more than a normal engine rebuild.
I will eventually look into going with lighter wheels, and possibly 2-piece rotors. But that combination right there is a min of $4k.
avewhtboy - thats an idea, I'll have to look into that. I'm going to need a new oil pan anyways.
roswald0511 - More than likely I'll be going with something similar to the Manley super lightweight crank (~46lbs). I'm not sure you could knife-edge it and still have it balanced with the rest of the rotating assembly. I don't remember the exact physics of it all, but you need some counterbalancing because of the way a crossplane crank throws are not balanced end to end.
BTW, the one in the picture below is actually the one I own.
Oh, missed that in your first post. I think that crank is already knife edged. Not really much else you can do other than going with lightweight billet accessory brackets and pulleys.
BTW, Badass SL-C. I remember watching that Gearz episode.
BTW, Badass SL-C. I remember watching that Gearz episode.
Thats going to be an awesome ride!! That oil pan almost looks like a factory one I would check the weight before I got it. Check out Canton or Moroso. I think they have sheet metal oil pans. Not sure of the price though.
