mattconnors

First off this my first build, if I am a bit niave, forgive me.

I have a '07 ly6, iron 6.0, ls3 top end. Vvt, NO AFM. +-100k miles

I'm building a very unique s10 with a lot of c5 corvette parts. T56, 3.42.
Option 1: My original plan was a basic rebuild, rings/bearings/plugs, and paint. Reuse the pistons. But like the rest of the truck, original plans go out the window. But I'm all about it, if need be, and the price is right!

Option 2: My new plan was to grab up some new 4.065, l92 pistons for cheap, bore the 6.0 +.065, and have an iron vvt ls3. I've researched this, and I can't find much downside as long as its kept somewhat mild.
I spoke to a local shop, he says its not worth the extra money, just forge the 6.0 instead.
Option #3: forge the 6.0... This may be over kill with current power goal, and the most expensive, but I've never herd of too strong.

The end goal is my interpretation of what gm should have built as a sports truck, (mostly) OEM parts, streeable power, ok mpg's, and above all reliable. Not that I will drive it every day, but ide like to be able to. MAYBE sometime much later down the road, a small supercharger.
ALSO, I am keeping the vvt.
The l92 pistons should work well due to the OEM valve reliefs. I also found some forged +.005 ls2 flat tops w/ valve reliefs for cheap. Ly6 stock slugs have reliefs too.

Ide like to keep cost down as much as I can, but I don't want to kick myself later wanting more power.

Any advise is much appreciated!

Mercier

iTrader: (15)

If there is no problem with the LY6 and it's been well maintained, I'd run it as is. It will make "streetable power" and then some. And even handle some boost later. You only gain 12 cubic inches by boring to 4.065" and a little better breathing from the heads but not a ton IMO.

FourG63 97GST

iTrader: (1)

I wouldn't forge an N/A build personally.
if staying n/a, I'd do go with the biggest displacement with the best oem parts.
aluminum block if that fits your budget for maximum sportiness

if it comes down to cubes vs lighter weight, i'll pick light weight. there's ways to make up the power difference.

JoeNova

No point in forging an LY6. They're already insanely strong to begin with. You would gain almost nothing.

mattconnors

My thoughts exactly. I'm not looking to break records with this truck, just go fast. If I could go aluminum, ide love it, but I already have the ly6.
I guess I'm at my original delema; price vs power. Rings and bearing the stock ly6, or way over bore it +.065.
To have an "ls3" would deffently be cool, but the cool factor isn't enough to justify the extra $600-$700.
How much power is the extra .2L good for, all other things equal? And more importantly, is .065 too much? I know theses blocks are stout, but damb. Should I also do a 1/4 or half fill of hard block?
And thanks for your inputs!

Mercier

iTrader: (15)

Ok at least give us a HP number(specify if at wheels or at crank) that you would be satisfied with. In a T56 S10, if there is nothing wrong with the engine, delete the VVT for about $100 in parts, slap a reasonable but stout cam in it, make 500+ crank horsepower and spend the next chunk of your time trying to get the suspension to hook the power with a stick and a light rear end. 500-550 crank HP, I wouldn't even pull the heads. Unnecessary expense I think. If you really wanted to hit 600 crank, then maybe mill the heads a bit to up compression, have a little work done on the exhaust side, aftermarket(FAST or similar) intake.

.2L is about 3%. Nothing. Now the bigger bore will allow the big LS3 intake valve to breathe a little better but plenty of guys out there with 4" bore and LS3s making very nice power.

I would put it in as it sits with VVT deleted and a nice cam(not too big; LS3 heads have big ports so you don't need a donkey-dick cam like with cathedral ports). Get the thing sorted out to the point where your suspension actually says "give me more power."

And then later on when you really want the cool factor with OEM parts, get yourself a LSA blower setup and make some real power. If you didn't mill the heads, that stock short block should make a lot of power with that blower.

.065 has been done on plenty of LY6s but it's not certain. That's getting out there and you'll have to have the block checked before you know it will work IMO.

You're looking at a 6-bolt main iron block(well; 4 plus 2 side-pins). Don't even worry about hard block or anything like that IMO. Even with the (TVS1900) blower mentioned above, you aren't going to be cracking a block or stressing a crank before you melt a piston. And even then, with a good tune, I predict you will make more power than you can hook before you run into those kinds of problems.

All of the above assumes proper supporting exhaust, induction, etc.

EDIT: I forgot you stated you were keeping the VVT. I applaud that actually. It's technology that can broaden your torque curve in the right hands..just make sure you have a tuner that isn't turned off by it. A lot of folks still don't consider it worth messing with. I've got a LY6 shortblock sitting on a stand that I just can't figure out what to do with. None of my projects have PCMs with VVT capability but who knows what trouble eBay will get me in tomorrow.

mattconnors

Years ago my goal was 400HP at the crank and 20mpgs. Now with the ls3 heads, and t56 400hp to the wheels and atleast 20mpg sounds much more reasonable. 500hp crank sound pretty great.
Lack of traction has always been in the back of my mind... Then in the front of my mind, and now its about the center of the project. After milling around the idea of a c5 Corvette inspired rear end, I just bit the bullet and went into it, ***** deep. I've got a z51 t56, z06 diff, and base c5 everything else in the rear. A guy in NY makes an adaptor kit to make the whole shebang a complete assembly that bolts to your modified frame, he'll even narrow the cradle to about any width you need it!
Now, no one else has done this in an s10, or anything else, so theses no saying it will hook at all, but I already have a lot ridding on it that it will, so why not go for broke?
Also, while I'm chopping the frame up, I decided to replace the stock regular size bed for the supper short bed off a 4door s10. My truck is an ext. Cab, so I'm hoping the shorter wheel base, in addition to the mid mounded t56, should give me much closer to 50/50 weight split.
As far as the VVT, its almost mandatory to me I keep it, its wayyy to cool of a concept to just through out the window. BUT with a manual trans the possibility of a mis-shift and ptv issues I do not plan on any milling of the deck or heads, perhaps a small vvt cam with a phaser limiter, but I'm tarfied I'll have one bad shift, and grenade the whole thing.
LSA blower was picking at my brain too, but that HAS to be later down the road, my plate is full enough. That being said, I would like to be prepared for it, if it comes to that.
I have a set of 1 7/8" s.s. long tubes on the shelf.
And as for the tuning, I assume being the racing capital of the world, Indianapolis would have some capable people. I'm pretty new to this, I don't know of any. I better find someone, but I have some time.

Mercier

iTrader: (15)

Sounds like a cool project. I think a warmed-over stock(save for cam) long block(even with 100K) LY6 in your relatively light vehicle will be a nice surprise power-wise. The truck intake flows very well, BTW. Better than some of the car intakes.

mattconnors

Honestly, that's kina what I wanted to hear, forged is over kill. ls3 would be sweet, but its almost just for ***** and giggles, and there's already enough ***** and giggles on this damb truck.
I still want to do a basic rebuild, only because I have an other lq4/9 block +.030 just sitting there, but no pistons. I planed on getting a full rebuild kit w/ +.030 pistons, rebuild the ly6, and have pistons left over for the other 6.0, spend the money on completing the second engine instead of building one 6.2.
Thanks for your input! This site is great, an invaluable asset to dumb asses like myself!

Oh, and check out this rear end setup, its very slick!

rick486.wix.com/dobbertinperformance