I like to take my car to the road track. My LS3 had been modded to produce 500rwhp/465 lbs torque. I wanted more torque so that I could enter and exit corners and not focus on being in the right gear/rpm combo for fast smooth exits. This would allow me to focus on the right lines, hit my apexes, etc. I also wanted something fairly robust that wouldn't be running on the edge all the time. So after looking at all the stroked LS3 combo's, LSX options, etc we decided to do something different. We ordered and spec'd an ERL 500 cu in block. It's a LS block bored and sleeved with a forged bottom end. We asked Comp to design a cam to produce a monster flat torque curve (versus a peak hp build for drag racing). Heads are TSP LS7 400 cfm. LSXR 102 intake and we reused my NW 102 TB. 2 inch headers to a 3 inch catless exhaust. Parts started arriving in early November but the difficulty here is in the details. The first spacer plate (from ERL) for the intake didn't align properly. And with the heads/intake/etc now sitting higher in the car, lots of custom fabbing to make everything fit. Once put together and in the car, first firings had the engine a little too noisy for us to rest easy. After going back and forth with ERL/Comp/Lunatti we settled on the pushrod preload recommended by ERL and it sounds great now. It was making 590+/590+ before we really got into maxing the tune following a proper breakin period. This build isn't about max hp. It's about torque and reliability. The real world result was that this motor makes 100 ftlbs or more torque than my old motor all across the curve and makes good numbers starting at 2500 rpm. And after we break it in, then we're going drysump. Didn't want to do that now as it's hard enough to trouble shoot a new engine w/o having to worry about an oiling system too.

Well do some cosmetic stuff in the next couple of weeks like getting rid of the "mardi gras" look of red/purple/black anodized aluminum with everything black, paint the intake cover, Katech valve covers, coil relocate, and do a custom wiring harness to neaten things up.

I'll post a dyno and parts list shortly.

 

Here's a dyno from a week or two ago.

 

Is the dyno sheet a comparo from the LS3 to ERL 500? That is a sweet torque monster! Finding the sweet spot will be a no brainer, Just crank it up and its there!

 

Real nice! Have a idle video?

 

The dyno is an overlay of my 500 rwhp LS3 and my new motor. The motor starts to sing at about 2500 rpm. Pretty docile at idle.

 

I thought the ERL Superdeck II engines had the six head bolts. I only count four.

 

IIRC, they do six bolts for the FI builds. This is strictly a N/A build.

Here's the rest of the important build list.

PRC LS7x 400+cfm Cylindar Heads
LS7 Rocker Arms w/Trunion Upgrade
Lunati Hydraulic Link Bar Lifters
Smith Bros Pushrods
ATI Damper/Stock Diameter
FAST LSXR Intake - LS7
Nick Williams 102 TB
ID 725 Injectors
American Racing Headers 2in Primaries - Tall Deck
3 in Catless Exhaust

So far the butt dyno says "Holy Sh_t". After I get some time on the track and live with the motor awhile, we may decide to go with a more aggressive cam and a custom intake if I want more HP.

I'll post another pic in a couple of weeks when we get the cosmetic stuff complete on the engine. The engine bay looks like Mardi Gras right now with red fuel rails, etc.

 

I can only assume this is a dry sump motor?

 

Hey man! There's nothing wrong with mardi gras! LOL!

Just FYI, Mardi Gras colors are gold, purple, and green.

 

The engine build has always called for a dry sump system as I track the car at MSR whenever I can. But we decided to do the initial install as a wet sump for now until we get the motor broken in and the car debugged. We'll be installing a wet sump system from ARE. No reason to spend this much on a build and not go the extra for dry sump.

Here's an ugly pic of the motor. It's been neatened up some since this was taken. There is a little purple in there!

 

I like it!

Awesome torque curve.

I wish a tall deck would have worked with my ITB intake, there is no extra room though.

 

Big cube power, ftw! Nice clean build right there.

I know to fix that!

 

lol

The wiper and windshield delete option!

I had to bend metal as it was, I did not do any cut and remove on any metal, or parts etc.

Sorry OP.

 

This motor has a torque curve like a diesel motor!

It reminds me kind of the 417 ci build Tony Mamo did awhile back.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/dynamomet...is-dyno-s.html

 

475rwtq at 3,000RPM..... talk about corner exit power on tap.

what does your car weigh with you in it wet?

 

It's a pig of a car. A 2010 SS with only a few weight reduction mods done to it. I haven't been on the scales since I got the CCW 18x10.5/11.5 wheels mounted with Toyo R888's. But I'd guess fueled and me in it.....4400 lbs or so.

 

Here's some pics after we cleaned up under the hood. After breakin, we picked up 12 hp and 5 torque to 603/599.

 

You specced a cam for a flat torque curve, but the torque curve was flatter with the old engine?

Couldn't a different cam have held more torque into higher RPM?

 

They at not that heavy unless you have a iron block and a blower or turbo

My car was as light as 3950 with me in it without the nitrous stuff and on 18in rear wheels.

 

A more aggresive cam would have generated more hp and torque at higher rpms. But I wanted my peaks to be lower for maintenance, reliability and to fit my style of driving. I had a S2000 that had to be spinning at 7000 rpm to do anything. Now I can be in any gear and pull out of corners.

My dry sump pan and pump is in the shop and I'll post pics soon (Daily Engr).

If I get "bored" with this power level at the track, we'll mill heads to raise cr, go with a bigger cam and custom intake and easily add 100/100.

I used the term pig of a car relative to other cars I run up against at MSR.