Hello everyone, My name is Eric. I am new to this website. I've come here because it seems like everyone knows their engine building here. So with that being said, I plan to sell my current car an 86 Corvette for a newer vette. The next vette I will get will be around an 00' model. I plan to get a manual because I just dont want to mess with autos anymore. I am thinking about getting a higher mileage car as in 40000 miles, then taking that engine out and building it or a new one. I know this is not the ls1 section, but i may not go with the ls1. I want have 525RWHP in the engine that I plant back in it. I want it to be forged. What cubic inch should I go with? Should I keep the ls1 block and build it or get a different block? I've read here and there, and I know I want AFR heads. They seem to have very good results. I've seen a lot about the FAST intake and ls2 90mm TB. How should I go about this? I dont want to be cheap with it, but if I can build the ls1 I'll do that instead of buying another engine. I want to keep the build under 8000. I know that is low, but I'm sure in todays market theres a way to achieve 500+RWHP for that, and it be dependable. So chime in and throw around some ideas...

 

Hi Eric!

There seems to be a natural seperation between the 40x ci and the bigger stuff. Just remember you'll always spend more than you thought.
I would offer this advice: Set your goals, you seem to have a good start there, find out what it takes to reach them, and be patient. There are always deals if you keep your eyes open.
Also try to be flexible, as soon as I set my mind on one part, there seem to be something else that would get me there. I was planning on a set of ported heads probably going to spend $1200 on some Patriots, then these L92s caught my attention. Should end up spending under $900. Now I need to rethink my cam choice...
There are many ways to skin a cat, just remember it's how well the combination works together that counts.

 

Very well said.

 

Does anyone have any combos with numbers? Is the fast intake better than the ls6? Its kind of hard to find ls1 numbers. I tried to look at AFR's dyno scenarios, but they weren't strong enough for what I am looking for. Thanks for the heads up guys.

 

if you search around in the dynamometer section theres all kinds of goodies

 

It sounds like you want to go 525rwhp naturally aspirated, correct? For eight grand, this will be tough, but can be possible if you look around for good deal in the for sale section. The most displacement you can get out of the stock block is a 383, which is a 3.905" bore(max) and a 4" stroke(max). Sounds like your best bet might be a 402 LS2 with a sizeable cam, high compression, and good heads. A 408 is the next option, which is a 6.0L iron block bored .030" over with a 4" stroke. However, for NA, you'd probably want to go with the 402. Once you go above 408 you get into the major $$$ because you need a sleeved block, LS7 block, C5R block, Warhawk block, or the new GMPP LSX block. These range from $3000-$7000 for just the block. As for the intake, the FAST 90/90 will beat out the LS6. Or you can look into a set of L92 heads/intake or LS7 heads/intake.

As a sales pitch, I have a 4.125" bore sleeved LS1 block for sale right now. With a 4" stroke you have yourself a good ol 427. They are normally $4000+, I'm asking $2100. Check out my sig for a link to my for sale thread.

 

I agree with 7liter,

402's are the cheap(er) way to get cubes.
cam and head accordingly, 525rwhp should be easy with a 402 and still not be to radical. I think 525 on just a 346 no power adder is possible, but not streetable.
8k will be close with just the long block.. do you have budget for the rest of your project?

 

I've just about decided instead of going with the basic vette and bigger engine set up, to just get a Z06 and mod it. I can do a few mods for just as cheap on an ls6 and come out about the same.

 

That is incorrect. You can have a 4.1" stroke for a 393 CID or a 400 CID with a 4.175" stroke

 

I'm pretty sure the sleeves are too short, and that much stroke would lead to massive clearance issues.

 

I have a 393 CID ls1 with a 4.1" and know somebody who has a C5R block with a 4.175"

 

C5R block is a 4.125" bore.

 

I built a 403 LS2 with L92 Heads and L76 intake. I've got 4700 in my short block and 2000 in heads/intake/LS2 conversion BS. It should get me 550rwhp i hope.

 

Cant you just achieve 500+ RWHP with an LS6 with this...
AFR heads, cam, Ported Fast, ls2 TB, 1 7/8
headers, off road x-pipe, borla cat-back, underdrive pulley,
30lb injectors or bigger ,bigger rockers 1.6 or 1.7.

 

Not as easily as you can with a 6.0 or a 403, and a smaller cam.

Gonna be some stress on a 346" motor vs. a 364" or 403" to get the same gains.

And, you can buy L92 heads, valves, springs and L76 intake for less than AFR heads, and flow better than them.

 

Stock rockers are 1.7's on Gen III's.
Aftermarket rockers are 1.75", 1.8" and 1.85" in shaft or non-shaft mounted.

The cam to get to 500rwhp on a 346 with AFR's and all the goodies isn't going to be easily streetable (high idle, jurky in traffic, etc).

Yes it can be done but it's easier to just go with the more cubes and friendlier daily driving capabliies.

 

So the L92 and L76 are the best flowing combo out right now? What are the diminsions and size block did you use to get a 403? Is it just as easy to make the power I want from this cube as a 408? What are some of the parts that you are going with in the 403? Where can I find the best price on blocks and rotating assemblies?

 

I bought my 6.0 block on ebay, brand new, never touched.
Eagle 4" crank
Eagle H beam rods
JE pistons

403 vs. 408 is really just a matter or aluminum vs. iron. I have an aluminum block so 403 was about as big as i wanted to go. (4.005 bore, .005 over)

 

BRO,

YOu have a sweet very cost effective set-up there which should make some big power! What size cam you gonna run and when will you have this bad boy dyno tuned? Good luck, great build up at a very affordable price

 

The machine shop finished it last week, it has a 244/250 - .596/.596 - 112lsa cam in it. IF everything goes right, i'll have the motor back in the car this week or weekend. I'm still waiting on intake valves and the L76 intake (1st one i got was broke in shipping ) I was going to use stock valves, but i might use aftermarket intake and stock exhaust valves.

The machine shop used this same cam in a 403 with Dart Pro 1 heads that flowed 318cfm @ .600. They made 540rwhp. I have higher flowing intake, heads and exhaust than that car, so we'll see.
===========================================
Shortblock
===========================================
$600.00 on the block
$780.00 on crank
$400.00 on rods
$720.00 on pistons
$975.00 in assembly, line honing, cylinder hone, degree cam and machining
$55.02 rod bearings
$87.13 main bearings
$149.99 Piston Ring
$94.95 ARP main studs
============================================
$3812.09for assembled shortblock
============================================
Top End
============================================
$299.95 - LS2 conversion SDPC (includes, dampner, timing chain, front/valley covers, cam & knock sensor relocate)
$350 bare L92 heads
$13.74 rocker arm support
$70.00 Intake rocker arms (offset)
$0.000 Exhaust Rocker arms (using the ones from my LS6)
$118.00 intake valves (still on backorder) (saw someone has some manley's on here i might go with)
$140.88 exhaust valves
$289.99 PRC Gold springs (THESE DO NOT COME WITH LOCKS )
$149.98 Cometic head gaskets (4.030 / .045" thick)
$400.00 Assembled L76 Intake
$129.95 ARP head STUDS
============================================
$1961.61 for the top end
==========================
$375.00 Cam
==========================
Ballpark Total $6148.70
==========================
This does not include a crank pulley, miscellaneous gaskets, a tune, and other random things. I think I have about another $500 in that.