Source for Core Engine Blocks
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 59
Likes: 4
From: Azusa, California
Source for Core Engine Blocks Looking to purchase a used or pull out LS2 block, preferrably from a 2005-07 LS2 Corvette. Are there sources/companies that deal with old core engines that sell just the engine blocks?
I was thinking a company like LKQ https://www.lkqonline.com/ but they only sell complete engines.
I was thinking a company like LKQ https://www.lkqonline.com/ but they only sell complete engines.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,666
Likes: 536
Try car-part.com. You can do a local search or US wide. Sometimes they have burn vehicles. Don't know if a burn would affect an aluminum head/block engine.
Also try crashedtoys .com. They have all kinds of stuff. The GTO 2005? up had the LS2 6.0 engines. Same with the CTS-V's of that era. Were alum 6.0 engines in trucks also?
Also try crashedtoys .com. They have all kinds of stuff. The GTO 2005? up had the LS2 6.0 engines. Same with the CTS-V's of that era. Were alum 6.0 engines in trucks also?
I search CraigsList daily for aluminum 5.3’s and 6 liter blocks. I also have a friend who’s always looking for me on FB Marketplace. I buy all I can. They don’t make them anymore. I don’t mind being “that guy”. I don’t care if they are hurt, as long as they don’t extra have holes in the wrong places.
Yeah short of finding a used block on here or facebook marketplace is gonna be your best bet. Also id reconsider the Ls2 as its one of the weakest blocks that gm made. Id look for an Ls3 block if i were you.
However, the LS2 block is preferred aluminum block for reesleeving for NA due to better bay to bay breathing than a 5.3 block according to machinists that do that sort of work. 20+ hp in some NA applications.
The LS6 block is probably the weakest or close to it from the Gen 3/4 blocks. The LS7 is also weaker than LS2/LS3/5.3
Edited & updated for better clarity
Last edited by 99 Black Bird T/A; Aug 13, 2022 at 06:59 PM.
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ERL and others had the sleeved LS2 that preformed pretty well at the time... IIRC, they were pushing those things well past 1000rwhp(but memory could be tricking me).. But I definitely remember the LS2 block being widely used for sleeving and being pushed hard back in the day though.
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Looking to purchase a used or pull out LS2 block, preferrably from a 2005-07 LS2 Corvette. Are there sources/companies that deal with old core engines that sell just the engine blocks?
I was thinking a company like LKQ https://www.lkqonline.com/ but they only sell complete engines.
I was thinking a company like LKQ https://www.lkqonline.com/ but they only sell complete engines.
There is a guy on youtube that posts under the name "I do cars".. He buys cores, tears them down, and then parts them out.. You could message him on Youtube, or search his contact info on Google. Here is his link:
https://www.youtube.com/c/IDoCarsalldaylong
https://www.youtube.com/c/IDoCarsalldaylong
Yes for boost sleeved 5.3 blocks are better.
Here's a good thread on the various merits of LS2, LS3, 5.3 and LS7 blocks: power-loss-sleeved-5-3-block. Steve of Race Engine Design discuss and shares pictures.
Last edited by 99 Black Bird T/A; Aug 13, 2022 at 07:02 PM.
Steve at RED prefers the LS2 blocks to sleeve, or at least he did when he sleeved mine. Maybe he will chime in here. I remember him saying something about the LS2 vs LS3 blocks and why.
Steve at RED is the sleeve guru. He sleeved an early LS1 block for me, and it held up well. He knows his stuff. I know he's no longer doing Darton sleeved LS1s/LS6s. Don't know about 5.3s.....
TECH Resident
Joined: Mar 2012
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From: Texas
He (or someone else) posted some pictures in another thread awhile back.
I want to add something about bay to bay breathing/pumping losses. When I bought my 2000 C5, it had about 24,000 miles on it. I didn't know it at the time that my car was one that ran through about a qt. of oil every 1,800-2,000 miles. After owning it for a month, I took it to the strip. I made some of my best runs showroom stock that day. After the last run, best of the day, I was shocked that my low oil level light came on!!! Looking back, it made perfect sense; the lower oil level made for slightly better bay to bay breathing. Not the way I'd recommend improving your bay to bay setup, though!!!! But it got me to thinking that perhaps a 1/2"-3/4" oil pan spacer would also help breathing. Obviously, this would only work on cars that had the clearance to run one, and certainly would not work on a C5!!! 
LS3 based blocks The problem with the LS3 based blocks is the sleeve placement in the casting. Most have the outside diameter of the cast in sleeves not on 4.400" bore spacing. Another problem is the sleeves aren't straight up and down in the casting. I usually have to shift the bores front to back or side to side to get down to aluminum in every bore on the bank for the sleeve installation. The bores end up shifted a bit from the crank center line. The Gen V and the new C8 are much better. This isn't an issue with the LS2 because the sleeve OD is smaller and they clean up fine. The preferred block for higher horsepower applications is the 5.3 12571048 casting or a 6.0 aluminum truck block that also has solid main bearing bulkheads. I don't have the casting number for these. Blocks with the cast in breathers can crack from the breather hole to the cam bearing. This is a known issue with engines used for endurance racing. Best to use a solid main bulkhead block here as well. There is a horsepower loss at higher rpm with the solid main blocks and wet sump lube. Unless you are racing stock eliminator where hundredths of a second count, it's not worth worrying about.
__________________
Steve Demirjian
Race Engine Development
Oceanside, Ca.
760-630-0450
web: www.raceenginedevelopment.com/
e-mail: race-engine-development@***.net
Steve Demirjian
Race Engine Development
Oceanside, Ca.
760-630-0450
web: www.raceenginedevelopment.com/
e-mail: race-engine-development@***.net
Steve sleeved one for me, see pictures below.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 59
Likes: 4
From: Azusa, California
The preferred block for higher horsepower applications is the 5.3 12571048 casting or a 6.0 aluminum truck block that also has solid main bearing bulkheads. I don't have the casting number for these. Blocks with the cast in breathers can crack from the breather hole to the cam bearing. This is a known issue with engines used for endurance racing. Best to use a solid main bulkhead block here as well. There is a horsepower loss at higher rpm with the solid main blocks and wet sump lube. Unless you are racing stock eliminator where hundredths of a second count, it's not worth worrying about.
Yes. Max bore size for boost is 4.155". Darton makes these sleeves in three size ranges from 3.875" bore to 4.185" bore.
__________________
Steve Demirjian
Race Engine Development
Oceanside, Ca.
760-630-0450
web: www.raceenginedevelopment.com/
e-mail: race-engine-development@***.net
Steve Demirjian
Race Engine Development
Oceanside, Ca.
760-630-0450
web: www.raceenginedevelopment.com/
e-mail: race-engine-development@***.net