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LQ9 vs LS3

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Old Mar 19, 2014 | 02:39 PM
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Default LQ9 vs LS3

So I'm completely torn between the two… :engird:

I've been searching the forums looking for opinions that go one way, but it seems as though everyone just shouts LS3 because of the weight savings. The deal with this is that they seem to normally be talking about autocross or drag racing. But what about us guys that mostly see the street?

I know that the LS3 will cost about a grand more for the block, and if i saved that then I could just throw that at the top end for the LQ9 if I was to do so. Although I really don't want to have my car be a tank after I drop an iron block under the hood.

Any ideas? I've also heard there are not many head options for the LQ9? I'm looking for 600 - 700 at the crank once I'm done building.
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Old Mar 19, 2014 | 02:57 PM
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It depends what you are going to do with it. Are you building a stroker or hitting it with a power adder?

There are plenty of cylinder head options for the iron block. It's not like all of us LS guys had shitty heads until the LS3 style heads came out. The aftermarket has come out with some very nice cost effective cathedral castings. With a 4" bore, I'd look at something with a larger (2.05" and up) intake valve.
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Old Mar 19, 2014 | 03:40 PM
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I'm thinking about stroking it, I just can't get myself to agree with using a power adder.

How about using Aluminum heads on the iron block? I heard that this can cause electrolysis? (Correct me if I'm wrong)

Edit: I was looking at doing a 4.1 or 4.125 inch stroke to get either the 418 or 421

Last edited by Dragonslate; Mar 19, 2014 at 03:52 PM.
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Old Mar 19, 2014 | 05:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Dragonslate
I'm thinking about stroking it, I just can't get myself to agree with using a power adder.

How about using Aluminum heads on the iron block? I heard that this can cause electrolysis? (Correct me if I'm wrong)

Edit: I was looking at doing a 4.1 or 4.125 inch stroke to get either the 418 or 421
The alum heads on the iron block won't be a problem. That is how they come from the factory. I would advise not going with that much stroke unless you are going to stay all motor. Those long strokes pull the piston down far in the bore and create ring sealing issues but alot of the piston manufactureres have made better pistons just for that reason.
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Old Mar 19, 2014 | 06:48 PM
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Thanks!

Yeah I'd probably go with aluminum heads then, I do want to keep it n/a though, and on pump, not E85.
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