LS7: The Gloves are Off
LS7: The Gloves are Off Article from Super Chevy Magazine........
A racecar for the street.
That's the simple description of the '06 Corvette Z06. And since every racecar needs a racing engine, that pretty much sums up the Z06's new LS7 powerplant, too.
The next evolution in the Gen IV engine's development, the 7-liter LS7 is technical marvel and not-too-far-removed associate of Chevy's LeMans--winning Corvette C5R racing effort.
Frankly it also is a surprise--a surprise that at any mainstream manufacturer outside, say, Maranello, Italy, or Stuttgart, Germany, would produce such a specialized beast as a production engine.
The raw numbers are mighty impressive: 500 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque from the 7-liter version of the Gen IV. Chevy says 7 liters translates to 427 cubic inches--a magical number to Chevy fans. Actually, we think it's a cube or two more than 427, but why quibble?
The basic specs are just the meringue on the pie. Beneath lies a roster of performance parts that seemingly belongs on the order sheet of the Pratt and Miller racing team:
The LS7 is hand-assembled at a new specialty engine build center operated by GM in Wixom, Michigan. The facility builds maybe 30 engines a day, each assembled by a single builder who picks up the bare block and follows through until he or she signs off on the complete engine.
Like the engine itself, the specialized assembly procedure of the LS7 is remarkable for a regular production engine--especially within the mass-production realm of GM. With world-dominating performance and a hand-built pedigree, the LS7 jumps to the top of the "best of" small-block list before the first Z06 hits the street..
http://www.superchevy-web.com/techni...ls7/index.html
A racecar for the street.
That's the simple description of the '06 Corvette Z06. And since every racecar needs a racing engine, that pretty much sums up the Z06's new LS7 powerplant, too.
The next evolution in the Gen IV engine's development, the 7-liter LS7 is technical marvel and not-too-far-removed associate of Chevy's LeMans--winning Corvette C5R racing effort.
Frankly it also is a surprise--a surprise that at any mainstream manufacturer outside, say, Maranello, Italy, or Stuttgart, Germany, would produce such a specialized beast as a production engine.
The raw numbers are mighty impressive: 500 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque from the 7-liter version of the Gen IV. Chevy says 7 liters translates to 427 cubic inches--a magical number to Chevy fans. Actually, we think it's a cube or two more than 427, but why quibble?
The basic specs are just the meringue on the pie. Beneath lies a roster of performance parts that seemingly belongs on the order sheet of the Pratt and Miller racing team:
- Unique block casting with 4.125-inch bores
- Forged steel crankshaft with 4-inch stroke
- Titanium connecting rods
- 11:1 compression ratio
- Camshaft with 0.591-inch lift
- CNC-ported aluminum cylinder heads with siamesed valve seats
- Titanium intake valves (56 mm) and sodium-filled exhaust valves (41 mm)
- Dry-sump oiling system with firewall-mounted oil reservoir
The LS7 is hand-assembled at a new specialty engine build center operated by GM in Wixom, Michigan. The facility builds maybe 30 engines a day, each assembled by a single builder who picks up the bare block and follows through until he or she signs off on the complete engine.
Like the engine itself, the specialized assembly procedure of the LS7 is remarkable for a regular production engine--especially within the mass-production realm of GM. With world-dominating performance and a hand-built pedigree, the LS7 jumps to the top of the "best of" small-block list before the first Z06 hits the street..
http://www.superchevy-web.com/techni...ls7/index.html
I hope to be able to afford to be able to install one of these in my very low milage 02 SS(Well I will make it happen). I think it would be a great mix of history and factory muscle.
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Originally Posted by SDB
I hope they change to forged pistons...then it just needs a big cam and a 250 shot...
they supposedly ARE using forged pistons. GM either changed their minds or this magazine is FUBAR.
they supposedly ARE using forged pistons. GM either changed their minds or this magazine is FUBAR.
John:
The pistons are cast aluminum - both in the production version and in the crate engine. I've attached the specs for the production and the info about the crate, and as you'll note, nothing changes. No plans to change in the future.
(See attached file: 4_LS7 Specifications.rtf)(See attached file: 0_GMPP LS7 Crate.rtf)
You're right, there does seem to be some confusion in the media about a few things. Just last week a media source said the Cadillac STS would carry the LS7, which is inaccurate. It will carry the LS2 - Supercharged.
Thanks for checking in and getting your facts straight.
Cheryl McCarron
Assistant Manager, Communications
GM Service and Parts Operations
tel: 810-606-3112 cell: 248-330-2801
mail: cheryl.mccarron@gm.com
The pistons are cast aluminum - both in the production version and in the crate engine. I've attached the specs for the production and the info about the crate, and as you'll note, nothing changes. No plans to change in the future.
(See attached file: 4_LS7 Specifications.rtf)(See attached file: 0_GMPP LS7 Crate.rtf)
You're right, there does seem to be some confusion in the media about a few things. Just last week a media source said the Cadillac STS would carry the LS7, which is inaccurate. It will carry the LS2 - Supercharged.
Thanks for checking in and getting your facts straight.
Cheryl McCarron
Assistant Manager, Communications
GM Service and Parts Operations
tel: 810-606-3112 cell: 248-330-2801
mail: cheryl.mccarron@gm.com
Hope this helps!
Last edited by John B; Apr 17, 2005 at 11:07 AM.
John B., good deal. I was going off the press release J-Rod posted up. Always like having the right info. Just wonderin why GM puts out two different sides of the same fact about the same motor??
Car and Driver indicates caddie will be ls2 supercharged also. GM has to warranty engine for lots of miles and cannot have endless recalls from stupid people who bitch about piston noise...there are thousands of people who make them tear down perfectly good engines cause they rattle a little when cold. I think that is why they are not using forged pistons.
10 Second Club
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 959
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From: Tn
Originally Posted by branden7
how much do you think the LS7 crates will go for? just out of curiosity. How much work will they be to put into 4th gen f-bodies?
This is a question that I have as well. What do you guys think the crate LS7 will cost?
