Hey Guys. I am purchasing a brand new GM LS7 crate engine. What does everyone suggest for the upgrades & aftermarket add-ons? The car will be a daily driver, so nothing radical at all. I just want the most out of the engine and want to do the upgrades before I put it in the vehicle. What does everyone suggest, specifics? Please advise.

 

https://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iv-internal-engine/543833-katech-torquer-ls7-cam-now-available.html

 

Hi. Looks like a nice cam... any other options or suggestions guys?

 

What kind of vehicle is it going in???

 

Hi. I am running it in a 2007 Chevy Tahoe LTZ...

 

Just typical stuff, exhaust, intake. I would really think about a custom cam, and a little of a stall converter.

 

Hi. What is available for aftermarket intake manifolds?

 

Sheetmetal
Nothing else...yet

 

Looks like a very cool project. The stock intake is pretty good unless you are going extreme with the motor. Then you want one of these.

Nate

 

Hi. Is anybody custom making these out there yet?

 

Any dyno results with that thing yet???

 

Yeah I am interested as well. Has anyone used one yet or seen any dyno runs with it?

 

Is this my only option then for add-on performance, an intake manifold from Wilson?

 

for a big ol truck, spend the $13k on a bigger cube motor instead of a crate LS7. Get a warhawk block or the GM LSX block and go as big on cubes as possible (511 I believe). SDPC also offers a 427 shortblock using the LS7 block, for about $5500 I think.

SDB

 

Hi. I am going with the LS7 engine, due to the easy swap and daily driving ability. Does anyone have any answers or suggestions on bolt-ons?

 

Its a built 427, whats gonna bolt-on and help it?


.

 

cam and springs designed for torque (Katech Torqer cam)...

thermostat, port TB, port Intake, 1 7/8 headers, underdrive puley (when available)....that is about it for simple/easy mods.

SDB

 

Hi. The engine is going into an 07 Tahoe...
What cam would everyone suggest? I want it to be as streetable as possible, it will be a daily driver... but looking for the best horsepower increase. What about the springs, lifters, and retainers?
Also, does anyone make an aftermarket intake manifold or throttle body for it or underdrive pulleys, yet?

 

Have you confirmed whether or not the LS7 oil pan will interfere with any of the new body style frame?

IMO, if you want daily driver reliability I would leave the inside of the motor alone. On the outside I would get a custom set of 1 7/8" headers fabbed up along with, perhaps, a dual 3" catback. Intake manifold I would leave alone. I assume you will use the factory Tahoe PCM for engine management(?). You will need to determine either how to get the LS7 (LS2) throttle body to communicate properly with the TAC or find a way to adapt the truck throttle body to the LS7 intake manifold. The truck TB will choke an LS7 so you be best to try and get the LS7 (LS2) TB to work. If your 07 TAC, assuming its still external, is anything like my 06 TAC (and foot pedal - new for 06) you will find it difficult to make it work right. If you do get it to work right let us know You will need a custom harmonic balancer to line up with the truck accessory drive. Once a company is willing to fab up a balancer for you then ask them if they will do underdrive if that is a prerequisite. I am not sure if you will need injector pigtails or not as I don't know if they changed injector styles for the new body style trucks to the style of injectors used on the LS7. If they are using the injector style from, say, last year, then you would need injector pigtails. The new body style MAF's are modular... although I have not tried to adapt an LS7 MAF to the new truck MAF housing. Lingenfelter sells a real nice 100mm MAF that would probably work great for you. Obviously you will need to fab up an external oil tank and lines. I recommend using the factory C6Z06 oil tank if you can... where the air box currently sits... then move intake tract over to driver side.

This is just the motor... and I know I am missing a few details.

You will also need to consider fuel delivery with perhaps an intank upgrade and drivetrain upgrades including the tranny and rear diff...

Bill

 

Hi. Well, I am having RedStarPerformance install it for me, www.redstarperformance.com. They have experience with doing it with their vehicle, so I assume they know what they are doing to make power. But what questions should I be asking or making sure they are doing during the swap?

I would like to add-on whatever I can to this engine to make it most powerful while keeping it VERY streetable... So simple answers, what does everyone suggest?