Hi Everyone.

After a successful season of sled pulling my LQ9 Powered 4x4 Truck, I am looking into building a new engine for next season. I recently purchased a kit of parts locally and am prepping to build a new engine for next season, and am looking for as much advice as I can find from anyone who has build LSx Tall Deck blocks before. I will list the questions easily so they can be answered in point form throughout the thread. Spec's on the planned build so far:

- LSx Tall Deck Iron Block, Bored 4.185" (Ready to Be Decked)
- Oliver Billet Rods, 6.350" Connecting Rods
- GMPP Forged 4.125" Stroke Crankshaft
- NEED HELP Selecting Wiseco Multi-Fit Pistons
- 799 Cathedral Heads (60cc Chambers, Ported)
- 1.7 Ratio Rockers (Trunion Upgraded)
- NNBS/TBSS Intake Manifold (To Meet Rule Specs)
- OEM Cast Iron Exhaust Manifolds (To Meet Rule Specs)
- 102mm Nick Williams Throttle Body
- LS7 Lifters
- Manton Pushrods
- ARP Head Studs, Main Studs
- GMPP High Volume Oil Pump
- 50# Flex Fuel Injectors
- Truck Water Pump

1.) Sticking with my .660" Lift BTR Springs, Does anyone have any cam recommendations? Never street driven, looking for peak power around 6,800-7,000RPM

2.) What is the reputation of the GMPP Crankshafts? Good Quality, Safe Rev Limiter?

3.) Has anyone built a Tall Deck LSx with 4.125" Stroke and 6.350" Rods? If so, what kind of pistons did you choose and why? How have they worked? Any suggestions?

4.) Understanding the Heads, Intake and Exhaust Restrictions are killing the flow (Rule Specs) Does anyone else see any issue with running a combination similar to what I have listed?

5.) What timing set would everyone recommend running? Single Chain, Dual Chain, Brands, Adjustability? What will clear with what covers and what oil pumps?

6.) What is everyone doing for tuning these engines? I will eventually be shooting for the 800HP mark with my set of Brodix BR7 Heads once I move up to a more competitive pulling class, but in the mean time I will be sitting around 600ish HP as a goal with the 799 Heads. Anyone running FAST EZ EFI? Or Holley Dominator systems? I'd like something that is self-tuning.

 

Damn, that sucks you have to use the stock manifolds. That is going to kill a lot of power. The stock intake is a restriction too, but not as much as the stock manifolds, particularly on such a large cubic inch motor. As far as the cam goes, you're going to need something custom. I say that because the cam will need to be spec'd around the stock exhaust manifolds. As far as timing chain goes, you'll definitely want the dual setup.

 

Thanks for the reply Phoenix. I totally agree with you. Thankfully the rest of the trucks I am running with are 525 BBCs with OEM Manifolds, Cast Heads, and Cast Intakes. I really only need a bit of power to run with them, but at least this 454 is going to give me the platform to grow in the future.

The TBSS Intake flows fairly well, and I think it with the heads and manifolds and a big cam should be able to push out 500+. Any suggestions on what you would recommend for a Dual Setup, and what clearance issues I might have with the engine?

 

Do the rules make you run "stock" heads and intake? If so, why not run stock LS7 heads and intake?

Roll Master Double Roller w/ Billet Gears & Torrington Bearing

 

"Must Run OEM Truck Intake, Heads and Exhaust Manifolds"

I realize L92 Heads would also outflow these 799 Heads, but I have these heads already and would prefer to continue with them. I have a set of Brodix BR7 STS Heads I am going to use in the 2018 Season when I move up to a Super Modified Class. In the mean time, the TBSS and 799 Heads seem to be a fairly good option as far as Truck OEM Parts are concerned.

Any idea if that Timing Set with sit in without any notching or modification of a truck front cover?

 

Okay, I see. I don't blame your for wanting to use the cathedral port heads/intake. I'm a die hard cathedral port guy myself and believe they are superior in a lot of applications. Once you can setup up and run the Brodix heads, what type of intake are you going to run? I'd look at a Super Victor or MAST intake with the MAST intake being the one I'd run.

As far as cam gurus I'd trust to spec out the cam for this application, I'd entrust Ed Curtis at Flowtech Induction or Martin Smallwood.

I'm not real sure if you'll have clearance issues with that timing set.

 

One of those Intakes would be the direction I will go once I swap to those heads, but at this point that's gonna be a couple years away.

Martin is the one who spec'd my LQ9 camshaft for me previous, and I would like to work with him again for a camshaft for this engine. Finding someone who actually works with the LSx 400+ Engines is difficult, since not a lot of people have done a lot of All Motor Max Effort N/A Builds.

Hopefully Martin will chime in on this thread.

 

Hopefully he will. If not, try to PM him. Either way you go, make sure to get the cam custom spec'd. What sate do you pull in? I love truck pulling too. Both gas and diesel are amazing machines.

 

The truck actually runs in Ontario, Canada where I am from. I live about an hour north of Toronto. Try buying everything you guys have with 30% on top of every dollar for exchange!!

 

I am a huge fan of the cathedral port heads, as well. However, I do think that a ported set of L92 heads with bigger/better Pro-Flo valves would do so much better on such a large displacement motor. I do absolutely understand running the 799's you have, especially when you already have some LS7 heads waiting for next season.

Definitely want to see how this turns out.

PS. Being a cathedral port fan, I would love to see one of these big cube tall deck builds with some MAST 295cc cathedral heads.

 

Yeah, me too. I've been looking to see results of anyone running them, but have not come across anything yet.

 

David - This is exactly my thinking. I am very sure a set of CNC L92 Heads would be much more efficient, but I am also wondering just how important cylinder head efficiency is gonna be when I still have to push all that volume out through OEM Exhaust Manifolds. The Brodix LS7 Heads and Long Tubes will be far superior, but I am wondering if the 799s are good enough for now until I get that far.

What are those MAST Cathedral Port Cylinder Heads worth? Honestly, I know everyone screams for Square and Rectangle Ports, but I've seen great results from Cathedral Ports forever. And think this setup and lots of compression is gonna net me surprisingly good results on a budget.

 

On a 454ci, there is no way in hell I wouldn't run those Brodix LS7 based heads. As much as I love cathedrals, those Brodix heads will be far superior.

 

Consider having the trailblazer SS intake ported by peak speed shop for max flow.....

 

Phoenix - Unfortunately, since the Brodix Heads are a Cylinder Head that isn't OEM Cast and available on the truck, for now it is looking like 799 or L92 Heads are all that is gonna be permissible in my class. I plan to keep these Brodix Heads on the shelf though until I move up and can run them in a more competitive class. In fact, I eventually would like to go Twin Turbo with the Brodix Heads, but this is all far down the road.

Tuskyz28 - Any idea from people who have had Intake Manifolds ported by companies like that, how much CFM flow or HP they are picking up? I am curious what the cost is worth in terms of results. I know on a Stockish 6.0L the comparisons between TBSS Intakes and Fast 102mm Intakes didn't net very much difference in HP. I'm curious however what kind of gains are available from porting an OEM Intake Manifold. I'm also wondering what kind of cost is associated with having an OEM Intake ported?

 

A post on Camaro5.com from Peak Speed Shop shows a LS6 Intake Radical Porting process results.

Gained 14HP and 18TQ at Peak, and made some gains throughout the power band. After browsing there online site however, it looks like its costing $425.00US, which seems awfully expensive for the price of it. Especially since in a couple seasons, I plan to move to the Brodix Cylinder Heads. Which will no longer use the TBSS Cathedral Intake Manifold.

 

Boye- I would honestly give them a guys a call and see what they can offer you... very nice service at peak speed shop.

 

OP, I would check out Advanced Induction. They can port your existing heads or if you go the LS3 head route, they have several programs for them. AI does great work. They also port intakes.