OldskoolGP

I've got an '06 GTO and I've got the whole car apart right now and the engine torn down to a block and rotating assembly and now I need to build it back up. It already made 390 RWHP and 390 RWTQ this summer on the dyno. I'm looking to get to around 400 WHP and TQ with the ability to bump the redline to 7000 RPM and keep it reliable and streetable without breaking the bank or hurting gas mileage too badly. Here's what I've come up with so far:

LS9 Cam
LS7 Lifters and new lifter trays
Comp Cams 26918-TI spring and retainer kit with new seals
ARP head, balancer pulley, and cam gear bolts
New timing chain and tensioner

A lot of things I'm still debating like whether to upgrade the trunions in my stock rockers or go with the Comp Cams Ultra Golds right away. Also, I keep hearing that the LS7 lifters have a .050 taller cup seat than the LS2 lifter and that I'll need to change pushrods so I'll probably end up buying an adjustable pushrod and finding out for myself. I also wondered if I should upgrade my rod bolts to ARP or if the stock LS2 ones are up to the job of handling the occasional trip 7K RPM. Thoughts?

redtan

iTrader: (5)

Seems you have a good plan. The only thing I suggest if you really want to spin it to 7000rpm is to get even a basic set of forged rods.

By the time you buy APR bolts and have the rods resized, you are at the same pricepoint as some Scat I beam rods that already come with nice ARP bolts. Then you can sell your old rods and make some money back.

Any reason you are going with the LS9 cam? If it's for price, then you don't really need to get Comp springs...you might as well just get some new LS3 springs. If you're getting nice springs, you might as well get a nice cam to go along with that for only $200 more. Even if you don't go with a donkey dick cam, the correct cam for your setup will be much more beneficial than the 211/230 low lift LS9 cam.

jwindbigler

iTrader: (20)

Youll need to swap out your valve springs as well to get 7000RPM. Theyll float at about 6500RPM or so. While youre in there may as well get better pushrods, the LS7 lifters, and maybe some rockers.

Johnnystock

iTrader: (6)

Get a bigger cam to spin to 7000...Id keep the stock rockers with the trunion upgrade. The stockers are light and they can hold up high rpm without problems. Lots of build over the years spinning 7200k since 98'.

Get your intake ported or swap your whole setup to LS3 conversion. A FAST intake would cost almost the same as getting a LS3 top end.

why 7000? You dont need that. 6500-6700 would be plenty for a streetable setup

FastKat

iTrader: (10)

The LS9 cam will probably get you to 400whp, and I know it's inexpensive new, but think about getting a slightly bigger cam!

OldskoolGP

Ok, it's been a long time since I've been in this thread, but I need to seek the opinion of the courteous experts. I tried to go on LS1GTO and explain what I was trying to do, and everyone had a story about how they knew someone that had a part fail that I wanted to use or how my idea to use this was stupid and my motor was guaranteed to fail if I use it. Finally I got fed up with it and I won't ask them about engine stuff anymore. Here is where I am today:

My heads are getting ported with a 3 angle valve job right now. If I do a cam, it'll be a 22x/22x with about .570 lift using the Comp RPM Hi-Lift cam lobes, 114 LSA, maybe 114+2. I just ordered a set of PAC 1219X springs and they'll be in next week. I already bought all the gaskets, seals, and bolts to put the engine back together and 4 new lifter trays. I still need to order some lifters and pushrods, my stock rockers now have the Comp trunion upgrade.

The idea is still the same to be able to bump the redline to 7000 RPM for those situations like the dragstrip or the road course where I will occasionally want the extra revs, 4-6 times a year max. 99% of the time I drive on the street and don't beat on my engine except for a bit of spirited cruising. I think LS7 lifters will be fine for what I'm trying to do, the other lifter I considered was the BTR SLR lifter, but he's two weeks out on new stock at the moment. After reading some other posts, I want to make sure I have the right preload for whatever lifters I buy so I plan to use my old pushrods to get my preload numbers.

I'm not going to do anything with the rotating assembly, it should be fine for what I'm planning to do. After talking with friends of mine who build engines and reading some threads on here, I think I've got a good setup coming together. I've done hours of research to get to get to this point and I don't think I've missed anything.

ez2cdave

7000 rpm with the stock rods sounds like a bad idea . . .

redtan

iTrader: (5)

For an early LS1 I would tend to agree. Given his is an LS2 and only does it 4-5 times a year, I'd venture to say he'll be just fine for a while.

OldskoolGP

I'm still thinking about ARP rod bolts.

RezinTexas

this is really good advice. The Scat I-beams are good rods, and used LS2 rods will go for $50-$75 on ebay.

OldskoolGP

If I do that, wouldn't I then have to get the crank balanced?

OldskoolGP

Found this article doing some searching tonight:

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/e...onnecting_rod/

I will be contacting my local shop tomorrow to see how much they'd charge to resize my stock rods. If the price is too high, I'll leave the stock bolts in there and I'll just have a 6800 redline.

OldskoolGP

The engine is just about back together. I just need to get pushrods. We measured the preload with the stock pushrods and it came out to .098-.100. According to the info that EricD provided, the LS7 lifters like .082 preload so do I go .007 under or .018 over?