Summit PRO LS Pistons Clearances
This engine in going into a 2009 avalanche. I just rebuilt the 6L80 with upgraded clutches along with Transgo and Sonnax parts. Using ZL1 Converter.
This will be an NA build for a Daily Driver. 20-30k a year. Running a TSP 216/228-113 .600 Lift Cam.
I'm trying to come thru what the PTW Clearance should be as I've seen 2 different charts from Summit.
One Chart talks to PRO LS pistons should be set at .004 and I've seen another that talks to different usages for forged pistons and what their clearances are.
I'm looking for no pistons slap and long life so I don't want it too loose or too tight and having ring/wall wear.
Does .003 sound like a good compromise and if I ever want to slap an LSA on top and run 8# of boost would that be an issue?
I have a 3.5 Ecoboost tuned on 93/e85. Love the torque of the turbos. With this ls3 being my daily driver I may opt later to add an LSA for the low speed torque and don’t want to go too tight as the 2618 will expend.
Here's some info from our piston designer Brian Nutter.
The good news is our Pro LS piston skirt profile has been refined over the years to reduce taper and cam to prevent rock. Our general recommendation in the instructions for all Pro LS pistons is .004" piston to wall clearance. With the 1,000s of Pro LS pistons we've sold we've had two known cases of pistons seizing at .004". One case was overheating. The other was an incorrect cam with too much overlap and a turbo with too little turbine flow. Our piston skirts have approximately .0006" worth of coating per side to take up additional clearance and net less than .004". Going with .0035" should be doable with a torque plate hone. An aluminum block might get by with .003" to the gauge point. LS’s from the factory with cast pistons slap when cold. This is because the engines need to be loose enough to start at -30*F and run in Death Valley at the other extreme. So while our pistons may not be completely silent, they are quieter than most other forged pistons on the market.
would bearing clearances below work for the ls3.
main -.0015-.0025
rod - .0020-.0025
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